On a not-so-wintry Saturday evening, a packed audience at King’s Lynn Minster enjoyed a rousing “Noel!” concert with the King’s Lynn Festival Chorus. Spirits were high and the notes were even higher as Ben Horden, KLFC’s Accompanist and Assistant Musical Director, took the reins, or rather the baton, to lead this delightfully festive occasion. There was fun for all the family!

A varied programme featuring old favourites, such as Ding! Dong! and Deck the Hall, as well as more modern Christmas songs, and a spectacular organ solo of Rhapsodie sur des noël, performed by guest accompanist Richard Gowers, started out strong and didn’t disappoint.

The carols were both joyous and beautiful, and the acoustics in the minster were spectacular, which no doubt helped the audience when they were asked to join in. Mr Horden would surely agree that they did a fine job. It is worth noting that KLFC were recently selected as one of Classic FM’s top five entries in a choir carol competition, and what a treat it was to see them live.

The evening also featured a series of seasonal readings, which ranged from the religious and traditional to the secular and humorous, taking the audience on a journey through the nativity and the general Christmas mood. Particularly memorable was John Julian Norwich’s The Twelve Days of Christmas (A Correspondence), which contemplates how truly awful it would be to receive all 12 “gifts.” Naturally, the true love didn’t remain a true love for long. A wonderful accompaniment to the music - it was impossible not to leave feeling full of Christmas cheer.

— Rose Hendrie, Lynn News