AFTER 18 months without meeting, Keswick Choral Society members are looking forward to starting the new season’s rehearsals.

Following more than a century of singing in Keswick, the society, like many other organisations, has been forced to take a lengthy break because of the pandemic’s lockdown and social distancing regulations.

A spokesman said: “Members can’t wait to get back to singing together on September 7 and are looking forward to presenting the popular annual Festival of Christmas Music.”

This will be on Tuesday, December 14 and will include carols for the audience to join in. It is intended to hold it at Crosthwaite Church.

The choir has been asked to sing Evensong at St Andrew’s Borrowdale on March 22, 2022. The spring concert is to be in May 2022 in St John’s Church, Keswick. The programme for the latter will comprise Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” and the Poulenc “Gloria”, as well as “Springtime in Lakeland” by the society’s musical Ddirector, Ian Hare. This new work was a commission intended for performance in 2019 in commemoration of Wordsworth’s 250th anniversary, but sadly the premiere had to be postponed.

It is likely that rehearsals will initially be held at 7pm in the Rawnsley Halls, with the intention of returning to the Crosthwaite Parish Rooms in due course.

“New members are always welcome– the health benefits of singing are well-known!” said the spokesman.

For more details, go to: www.keswickchoralsociety.org.uk or contact membership secretary Joyce Berry on 01931 714828.