At a packed Dolphin Centre, the Ardingly Choral Society under Robert Hammersley, The Mid Sussex Sinfonia and the combined chorus of the Copthorne, Great Walstead and Tavistock and Summerhill schools gave a concert in aid of the Royal British Legion.

The concert began with Remembrance, a moving setting of Laurence Binyon's famous poem (They shall grow not old) by Robert Hammersley. Then the school choirs gave us spirited accounts of songs from Karl Jenkins' Adiemus and selections of popular show-stoppers. The first half concluded with a performance of the 1812 Overture in an arrangement by Mr. Hammersley, arranger, conductor, announcer and impresario extraordinaire.

The second half was taken up with a performance of Gounod's St. Cecilia Mass, a sacred work operatic in style with good tunes, but also with moments of reflective beauty. The Ardingly Choral Society sang enthusiastically, sounding well balanced. Sally Harrison's creamy soprano, Tenor Andrew Sinclair and Baritone Johnny Herford were well within the style of the work and made attractive contributions. The Sinfonia, both collectively and a soloists, also made telling contributions, in music that they cannot often have played before.