Fakenham Choral Society

28/10/2026

Meet the composer

Fakenham Choral Society will be performing Sir John Rutter’s ‘When Icicles Hang’ at at its Christmas concert on Saturday 12th December.

Written for conductor Russell Burgess and the Wandsworth School Choir, ‘When Icicles Hang’ is a secular winter-themed cycle celebrating the season without referencing the Nativity or Christmas. It was first performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall London on 22 December 1973.

Sir John Rutter was born in London and studied music at Clare College, Cambridge. He first came to notice as a composer during his student years; much of his early work consisted of church music and other choral pieces including Christmas carols. From 1975–79 he was Director of Music at his alma mater, Clare College, and directed the college chapel choir in various recordings and broadcasts. Since 1979 he has divided his time between composition and conducting. Today his compositions, including such concert-length works as Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, The Gift of Life, and Visions are performed around the world. His music has featured in a number of British royal occasions, including the two most recent royal weddings.

He edits the Oxford Choral Classics series, and, with Sir David Willcocks, co-edited four volumes ofCarols for Choirs. FCS will be performing some of the carols from one of those volumes,100 Carols for Choirs, at this Christmas concert. In the past they have performed some of Rutter's longer works including the Gloria, Magnificat and Requiem.

In 1983 he formed his own choir the Cambridge Singers, with whom he has made numerous recordings, and he appears regularly in several countries as guest conductor and choral ambassador. He holds a Lambeth Doctorate in Music, and in 2007 was awarded a CBE for services to music. In September 2023, he received the Ivors Academy Fellowship, and was knighted in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.

Fakenham Choral Society’s Christmas concert will take place on Saturday 12th December at 5.30 pm in Fakenham Parish Church. Book your tickets here: Forthcoming | FCS live or call 01485 544335.

Tickets are £10. Under 18s free but need a ticket - call 01485 544335 to book.

24/10/2026

Big shout out to our newest top fan💎

Gill Ashby

20/10/2026

Tickets are now on sale for Fakenham Choral Society’s Christmas Concert on Saturday 12th December at 5.30 pm at Fakenham Parish Church. The programme includes John Rutter’s When Icicles Hang and Bob Chilcott’s On Christmas Night as well as carols from the choir and some for audience participation

Book your tickets here: Forthcoming | FCS live or call 01485 544335.

Tickets are £10.

Under 18s are free but do need a ticket - please call 01485 544335 to book.

08/10/2026

Our AGM,preceded by some very enjoyable social catch up time, with refreshments provided by our wonderful Committee!

26/09/2026

Fakenham Choral Society will perform John Rutter’s When Icicles Hang and Bob Chilcott’s Christmas Night at its Christmas Concert on Saturday 12th December at 5.30 pm in Fakenham Parish Church. The concert will also include carols from the choir and some for audience participation.

Rosemary Dear, chair of the Society, said: ‘The two short works were chosen as both are seasonal but contrasting in content and style. Bob Chilcott's, ‘On Christmas Night’, written in 2010, is very Christmassy, being a delightful compilation of well known carols and will complement other carols the choir will perform.

‘John Rutter's When Icicles Hang, written in 1975, is a very seasonal but a more secular work, reflecting winter themes rather than Christmas itself. Rutter has set to music a variety of poems from some 14th to 16th century poets, including Shakespeare, ( 'Icicles' and Blow, blow thou winter wind), Campion (Winter Nights) and several Anon's, including Good Ale!’

Tickets are £10, with under 18s free but do require tickets) and will be available here: www.fakenhamchoralsociety.org/forthcoming-1

13/09/2026

James Willshire took his first rehearsal after our Summer break. the high notes music

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

Rehearsals have started with our new music director, James Willshire, and our accompanist, Matthew Preston,
for our Christmas concert on Saturday 12th December when we will perform John Rutter’s ‘When Icicles Hang’ and Bob Chilcott’s ‘Christmas Night’. There will also be carols from the choir and some for audience participation.

The concert is at 5.30 pm in Fakenham Parish Church. Tickets are £10, with under 18s free but do require tickets) and will be available here: www.fakenhamchoralsociety.org/forthcoming-1

22/08/2026

We’ll be starting rehearsals on 8th September for our Christmas concert. If you enjoy singing and would like to join us do get in touch, particularly if you’re a tenor or bass.

We perform a minimum of three concerts a year and our repertoire has featured a broad range of both sacred and secular music performed with a succession of distinguished soloists and orchestras.

We meet in Fakenham to rehearse on Tuesday evenings from September to June.

For details of how to join, see here:

https://www.fakenhamchoralsociety.org/join-us .

01/07/2026

Shout out to our newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Robin Johnson, Veronica Elizabeth Groom, Gordon Turner