MALVERN Festival Chorus is opening its 2018/19 season with an open invitation for new singers to come and join in.

The choir would like to welcome prospective new members to an open rehearsal to start the season.

In the run-up to its centenary season of 2019-20, the choir has a varied and exciting schedule of concerts for this season starting with works by two of the 18th century masters of the classical choral tradition, J S Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Coronation Mass, in their November concert in Malvern Theatres.

This is followed by the ever-popular Carols for All in December, this year in aid of St Richard’s Hospice.

The spring concert in March 2019 sees the choir come right up to date with music from the 20th and 21st century in a programme including Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, before moving back to the 19th and earlier 20th century for their summer concert which will feature the lovely Durufle Requiem.

The choir is very excited to have been invited to round off its season by singing Verdi’s Requiem in Birmingham Symphony Hall with the National Schools Symphony Orchestra in July 2019.

Musical director Jonathan Brown says: "The great British choral tradition is one of the greatest musical gifts we can pass on to future generations so we are delighted to be able to work with young people and hope this will encourage more of them to join us and experience the joy of performing sublime music in wonderful venues."

Much has been said about the benefits of singing, particularly in a choir with like-minded people of varying ages and backgrounds but with their love of singing in common.

It is said to reduce levels of stress hormones and increase the feelgood ones. Members of Malvern Festival Chorus would certainly agree with that and would like to share the experience.

The open rehearsal is on Tuesday, September 4, in the main hall of the Chase school, starting at 7.45pm.