On 27 March 2015, a sell-out crowd at The Church on the Heath, Fleet witnessed a thrilling concert of choral works by English composer Benjamin Britten, sung by the College's Chamber Choir and Choral Society directed by Curriculum Manager for Music, Harry White.

Chamber Choir ensured that the concert got off to a charismatic start with the composer’s six Choral Dances from 1953 opera ‘Gloriana’, a piece written for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The entirely vocal work was delivered with precision and character, not an easy task for a composer as challenging as Britten.

Britten's St Nicholas Cantata followed, sung by the Choral Society, who were joined by former student, now professional Tenor, Steve Mills in the role of Nicolas. Eric Corzier’s text of the work deals with a fourth century character revered as a patron saint of children and sailors, and Britten’s dynamic composition paints a bold portrait of the saint’s character and the legends that accompanied it. The piece, which shows Britten’s appetite for mixing intimate subtleties with great grandeur and majesty, displayed effective collaboration between all performers. There was a controlled sense of mystery as tenor solo combined with organ, and dynamics throughout, showed an understanding of the mythical yet powerful subject matter of the work.

Harry White invited the audience to sing along to final hymn, 'God moves in a mysterious way', but they needed no encouragement as the concert was led to a thrilling finale to a chorus of ‘Amen’. Following a rehearsal period of only ten weeks, the performance was an enviable accomplishment for some very talented young musicians.

The work was sung in collaboration with Elevtham Heath Primary School. Director of the school's Chamber Choir, Rebecca White, said, “The children were so inspired by the talents of Farnborough's students. I was amazed by the quality of the singing and it was a privilege to be involved in such an ambitious and successful project. I'd also like to thank the Farnborough students who came to the school to rehearse with the children. This really was a once in a lifetime experience.”

Director of Faculty at the College, Simon Reigh, speaking after the concert, said, “What an uplifting and moving end to the term! The music department at Farnborough has a reputation for providing unrivalled performance opportunities to students, as tonight's concert demonstrates. Our inspirational teachers and talented students have worked with the Elvetham Heath Primary School Chamber Choir to produce a musical performance of exceptional quality, remarkable energy, and genuine emotion. Tonight, they have inspired others with their dedication and talent, and shown us the value that a distinguished musical education provides in enriching young people’s lives.”

AS Music Student, Viktoria Tonkova said, “This experience was truly wonderful. It has shown me what an enormous privilege it is to sing in such a large, inspiring Choir.”