THE Shaldon Singers Christmas concert this year will have special significance for many in both choir and audience.

The performance is in memory of Rosemary Rickett, an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the Singers for nearly 40 years.

The Singers will be directed by Tim Crompton and accompanied by organist Andrew Millington at the concert on Saturday, December 3, at St Peter’s Church, Shaldon.

Ro was inspirational in her contribution to the choir, influencing its growth and development in her years on the committee and as chairman. She died in 2020.

The concert programme includes a tribute to Ro, and one of her favourite pieces of music, Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus.

Elgar’s From the Bavarian Highlands opens the concert, a set of six songs written while the composer was on holiday in Garmisch, Bavaria, with words adapted from local folk songs and music imitating the spirit of local dances.

Two contemporary composers are featured in the programme. Eric Whitacre’s Seal Lullaby is an enchanting setting of words by Rudyard Kipling, describing a mother seal singing softly to her young pup, evoking the rhythm of the waves. Ola Gjeilo’s Northern Lights has a biblical Latin text and depicts musically the mesmerising patterns of the aurora borealis.

Carols for choir and audience, organ solos and festive readings complete the programme.

There will be a retiring collection in aid of The Helen Foundation, the Shaldon-based charity that supports the aspirations of young people in the arts in Teignbridge.

Chairman Ann Pardoe says: ‘Ro grasped life enthusiastically and one of her major loves was singing.

‘She gave unstintingly of her time leading the development of the choir from an offshoot of the church choir to the vibrant group we see today,’ adds Ann.

’We have so much to thank Ro for and are delighted that we can celebrate her life at this concert in her memory.’

The concert begins at 7pm - for details, see www.shaldonsingers.co.uk