What have been some of your personal Fitz highlights?

Eleanor: As above, the Buxtehude. Other highlights have been rehearsing the Macmillan Miserere, despite not yet having a chance to perform it, and singing Hail Gladdening Light at one of our first rehearsals back after lockdown – hearing all the different lines and being completely absorbed and enveloped by it was very emotional, especially after so many months of not singing.

Liz: Definitely singing Bach’s ‘Singet dem Herrn’ in my first ever concert with Fitz in 2019. A bit of a baptism of fire, but it was my first experience singing a Bach motet and I’ll never forget it. 

What does choral music mean to you? 

Eleanor: Choral music brings me so much joy. It is what makes me happy after a long day at work. It is so powerful and emotive and I feel very fortunate that it is a part of my life and that I can bring the joy of listening to other people. I became a music teacher because I think music is brilliant and I love music – it is so important to me that I keep that love and passion and choral music allows me to do that!

Liz: Choral music has been my longest musical love – whatever phases I’m going through in my listening and performing, I always come back to choral music!

What would you like to see Fitz doing over the next few years?

Annie: I would love to see Fitz go on tour. We’re so lucky to have so many great concert venues in the South-West which we get to perform in, but it would be amazing to go on tour and reach some new audiences.

Ella: I’d like to see Fitz continue to thrive and host a variety of events and performances, both traditional and contemporary; to maximise its capability in enticing wide and diverse audiences. 

What does choral music mean to you? 

Annie: Whether it’s through listening or singing I will always have a passion for choral music. I’m so grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had to sing during school, university and beyond. I’ve made some of my closest friends from singing in choirs, sang some amazing music and there’s never a dull moment.

Ella: Choral music for me, represents a peaceful tradition and history. It’s a form of escapism that I am lucky enough to enjoy with lifelong friends.

What first drew you to choral music?

Emily: I got the buzz from being in the first National Girls’ Choir of Scotland in 2007 and from then I progressed through their choirs. In 2011 I was in the main choir NYCoS as a Soprano 2, in that year we learnt Walton’s- Belshazzar’s Feast for the 15th Anniversary of NYCoS, Durufle’s Requiem EIF, and Tippet Child of Our Time. It was a lot to learn in a week, but we had the most amazing time, I remember thinking after the concerts in the Usher Hall for Edinburgh’s International Festival that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Jenna: The feeling in your body when you sing – it’s freeing and joyous. And the sound of voices coming together in harmony just can’t be beaten.

How did you first become associated with choral music?

Emily: My previous school music teacher Mrs Joan Taylor really cemented a sense of belonging through choral ensembles. It is great to perform solo, however, the thrill of excitement when singing with others, was what captivated me the most. She pushed me a lot for projects such as Scottish Opera Connect and NYCoS choirs, and I’m forever grateful that she did. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without her guidance.

Jenna: I had an amazing music teacher at primary school called Mark Hoskin who gave me so many opportunities to sing and encouraged me to have fun with music. It was thanks to him that I joined the youth choir. Then at secondary school my music teachers, especially Barbara Rusbridge, were amazing and showed me that you really could make a career out of singing – one of them had been in the BBC singers before taking up her teaching role.

What have been some of your personal choral highlights?

Emily: I’ve been lucky enough to be included in some wonderful concerts and ensembles over the years. Singing with the Genesis Sixteen programme was a wonderful year in 2016/17, I really learnt a lot as a performer and met some incredible singers who I have called my colleagues in various projects since then. Singing Mozart and Verdi Requiems at the BBC Proms has been another highlight. There are too many to note, it really depends from concert to concert…!

Jenna: Goodness, there are so many. As a child I was totally inspired by opportunities like singing for the Queen, opening the music for youth concert at the Albert Hall, leading worship at Notre Dame in Paris. Singing at the Lennon Memorial in New York was amazing!! I also still have a golden cazoo given to me by lord Sainsbury at the choir of the year festival – a very random momento from a wonderful experience. As an adult, it’s been being able to work with so many amazing conductors, composers, and singers, many of whom have become great friends.

What have been some of your personal Fitz highlights?

Emily: Singing Durufle Requiem in Bristol Cathedral is a particular highlight with Fitz, it’s such a fabulous requiem and coupled with the acoustic in the building it was pretty magical.

Jenna: Fitz under the moon was brilliant fun and a fantastic way to resume singing post lockdown.

What would you like to see Fitz doing over the next few years?

Emily: I think I have already mentioned this to a few people before, I would love to do James MacMillan’s Tenebrae Responsories. I think they are gorgeous, and I believe Fitz would do them justice. Also being Scottish, I have a massive soft spot for the contemporary Scot composer.

Jenna: I would love to take Fitz on tour and I am really excited to see how we can expand our outreach and get people singing who have perhaps never had the opportunity to do so before.

What does choral music mean to you? 

Emily: What a loaded question! It’s almost difficult to put into words, it’s such a strong emotion to be able to connect with music. No matter what sort of a day you have had, I always feel better singing/playing and making music. I think the simplest way of putting it is that music is a part of my soul, and choral music is a piece of that as cheesy as that sounds…

Jenna: That’s really hard to answer as it means so many things. Choral music has really shaped me as a person in so many ways. I think for me fundamentally choral music is a way for me to connect my singing experiences with the emotions, experiences and interpretations of myself and, importantly, others – those I am singing with. And in doing so, it creates a community for me to be a part of and nurtures friendships that I wouldn’t have otherwise. My dearest friends are mostly those I met singing – some going right back to my first concert aged 7! – and it’s also how I met my husband, so really choral music has played a major part in all aspects of my life and for that, I am very grateful.