Choir’s carol concerts raise thousands for local charity Dream-A-Way

Two carol concerts by Exeter Philharmonic Choir have raised almost three thousand pounds for local charity Dream-A-Way, which helps make holiday dreams come true for Devon children and adults with disabilities or life-affecting health conditions.

The generosity of concertgoers at Exeter Cathedral on 13 and 14 December raised a total of £2,913, a sum that representatives of Exeter-based Dream-A-Way were delighted to receive. 

Exeter Philharmonic Choir has a proud tradition of raising funds for local charities through its Christmas carol concerts, made possible with the ongoing support of sponsors Everys Solicitors and Clinton Devon Estates.

The Choir, one of the oldest in the country, performed under the baton of Director of Music Howard Ionescu. This year’s special guest was the internationally-renowned soprano Amy Carson, whose glorious voice added an extra dimension to the concerts with her beautiful renditions of pieces by Handel and Bach and the much-loved favourite, O Holy Night, sung in French and English. Stephen Tanner, the choir’s Associate Director of Music, complemented the singing with virtuoso playing on the Cathedral organ. The biggest hit was his enchanting arrangement of Stille Nacht for soprano, choir and organ.

Audience members were invited to join the Choir in a number of congregational carols and responded with enthusiastic applause to the Choir’s performances on both nights. One concertgoer described it as a ‘magical evening’, while another said their New Year’s resolution would be to hear the choir perform more often.