Page 11 - Hunstanton Town & Around - February 2014

Tel: 01485 533422 email: editor@townandaround.net Hunstanton Town & Around February 2014 11
FESTIVAL CHORUS GARY RUSHMORE FLOORING

King’s Lynn Festival Chorus steps……into the 21st century LTD
with a concert of “In the Mood”.
Written in 2003, Will Todd's Mass in Blue has fast become a much enjoyed
part of the choral repertoire. KLFC are delighted to bring it to Kings Lynn's
Corn Exchange on Sunday March 30th.
Using the traditional Mass text, listeners will enjoy the fresh, jazzy
approach that Todd brings to it. The 100 strong voices of the Festival Chorus
will be joined on stage by pianist John Byron, and the Springwood High
School Big Band. Our inspirational conductor, Tom Appleton, is also
Director of Music Outreach at Greshams and a member of the world
famous Monteverdi Choir.
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Tom Appleton is just 29. King’s Lynn
He is a member of the world famous Unit 6, Heacham Hall Industrial Units, OPEN:
Monteverdi choir often performing Hall Close, Hunstanton Road, Heacham, Mon to Fri:
soloist with them at prestigious venues King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE31 7JT 9.30am-4pm
throughout the world including the Telephone:01485 572202 Saturday:
10am–2pm
Proms. He is also Director of Musical email: rushmoreflooring@btconnect.com
Outreach at Greshams where he is www.garyrushmoreflooring.co.uk (closed Thurs
from 1pm)
opening up the facilities of this famous
public school in Holt to pupils from many state schools locally. He is most
well known to us though as the Music Director of King’s Lynn Festival
Chorus.
When one meets him he does not slot easily into a pre-conceived idea of
a classical geek. Tom’s background is as normal as most of us but from an
early stage his parents encouraged him and his siblings to search for the
best in life which meant Tom, just eight years old, won a scholarship to
become a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral and then onto Greshams. His life
has come full circle with him now teaching where he was once a pupil.
He believes classical music is not elitist and as much for us all as pop
but most people do not understand what it is all about. He has encouraged
KLFC to go out into the community rather than always perform in cold
often unwelcoming venues and a recent sortie for KLFC was to spend a
day singing carols in the centre of King’s Lynn with a flash mob appearance
at the department store Debenhams. This event raised a mighty £1500 for
the charity Motor Neurone Disease.
The Chorus will again sing out of its comfort zone this March and be
performing “In the Mood” at The Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn thus
raising the barriers to classical music. With performances of Jazz standards
like 'Ain't Misbehavin', 'Somewhere over the Rainbow', and 'Blue Moon',
it promises to be a brilliant evening with tunes that you'll be humming all
the way home. Springwood High School Swing Band will be joining the
Chorus at this concert so engaging with the local community in yet a
different way.
Sounds like a lot of fun? This reporter was completely bowled over by
Tom’s enthusiasm for his art and with such a diverse life in the music world
he seems to have the right approach to bringing more people into a world
that is normally just for a few.
I suspect tickets for this “hot” event will sell out quickly so why not log
onto www. www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk or call 01553 764864. You
never know you might well be encouraged to join KLFC. For more
information www.klfc.org.uk