Where: St Andrews Church, Toddington

When: Saturday, October 19, 7pm

The Saint Cecilia Singers' most loved pieces of music will be heard in a free concert 'For the Joy of Singing' at St Andrews Church, Toddington, on Saturday, October 19, at 7pm.

During the summer, the Singers were asked for their favourite works, with the final selection being made by the choir's musical director Jonathan Hope.

He said: "It was a great pleasure to sift through the variety of music the choir had put forward. I have chosen Handel's anthem 'Utrecht Jubilate' for an uplifting opening, moving through centuries of choral masterpieces from Renaissance to Romantic.

"We will finish with music by some of England's greatest composers, including Tippett's wonderfully moving Five Spirituals from A Child Of Our Time.

"The choir has come up trumps with a joyful programme which we all look forward very much to performing."

Accompanying the choir is Gloucester Cathedral's new organ scholar, Mary Pan. Admission is free with a retiring collection.

The Saint Cecilia Singers is Gloucester Cathedral's chamber choir - an auditioned choir of around 25 enthusiastic and gifted amateur and semi-professional singers.

It performs up to six concerts per year including an annual Christmas concert at Gloucester Cathedral as well as taking part in the Cathedral Choirs Days and occasional Evensongs. In this 2019/20 season, the choir celebrates its 70th anniversary.

Increasingly in demand as a recitalist, Jonathan Hope has performed solo recitals at Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Saint-Sulpice, Paris.

In March 2014, Jonathan took up the post of assistant director of music at Gloucester Cathedral, where he is the principal organist for the cathedral services, accompanist to the Gloucester Choral Society, and director of the Saint Cecilia Singers.

He has released several CDs and a DVD of organ music played on Gloucester Cathedral's organ.