This Season
Season Overview
We have six concerts planned for the 2025-2026 season, our 46th.
In September, we performed Verdi's Requiem, in The Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, singing entirely from memory. In the same programme we had planned to host the Kanneh-Masons playing Beethoven's Triple Concerto, but unfortunately Sheku was indisposed, so Isata and Braimah gave an impromptu recital.
In November we commemorated the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War II with a performance of Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man, in the Dorking Halls. Also in the programme was Fauré's ever-popular Requiem.
There were two celebrations of Christmas, one in St Mary's Church, Reigate, and one in St Nicholas' Church, Worth, with seasonal music and readings.
And in March we are presenting Brahms' majestic Ein deutsches Requiem, in Reigate, in Brahms' own four-hand arrangement for piano, along with his Liebeslieder Waltzes.
Our summer concert, on July 4th, will feature works by American composers.
For singers we have a programme of workshops - works by female composers, including McDowall's Da Vinci Requiem, on 25 October, Brahms Requiem on 10 January 2026, and Mendelssohn's Elijah on May 9th.
All singers are of course welcome at our open rehearsals, usually held on the second week of the term - please register here to let us know you are coming.
Scheduled Events
| Date | Event | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21st | Verdi & Beethoven | Congress Theatre, Eastbourne | |
| Sep 29th | Open Rehearsal | Wray Common Primary School | |
| Oct 25th | Open Workshop - Female Composers | St Mary's Church, Reigate | |
| Nov 15th | The Armed Man | Dorking Halls | |
| Dec 6th | Once As I Remember | St Mary's Church, Reigate | |
| Dec 13th | Once As I Remember | St Nicholas' Church, Worth | |
| Jan 10th | Open Workshop - Brahms Requiem | St Mary's Church, Reigate | |
| Jan 12th | Open Rehearsal | Wray Common Primary School | |
| Mar 14th | Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem | St Mark's Church, Reigate | |
| Apr 20th | Open Rehearsal | Wray Common Primary School | |
| May 9th | Elijah Workshop | St Mary's Church, Reigate | Buy Tickets Now ► |
| Jul 4th | Independence Day Concert | St Mary's Church, Reigate | |
Sunday September 21st, 2025 5pm
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne
Elgar Land of Hope and Glory
Beethoven Triple Concerto
with Royal Wedding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, sister Isata (piano) and brother Braimah (violin)
Verdi Requiem
Seohyun Go soprano (finalist in the 2025 Eastbourne International Singing Competition)
Emma Jüngling mezzo (finalist in the 2025 Eastbourne International Singing Competition)
Adrian Dwyer tenor
Grant Doyle baritone
Leslie Olive conductor
English Arts Orchestra
St Mary's Church, Reigate RH2 7RN
Saturday October 25th, 2025 11am - 4pm
Workshop on Female Composers
including McDowall's Da Vinci Requiem
Leslie Olive director
Siobhain O'Higgins accompanist
Dorking Halls, Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1SG
Saturday November 15th, 2025 7.30pm
Jenkins The Armed Man
Fauré Requiem
Karl Jenkins’ 1998 The Armed Man, his engaging “Mass for Peace”, portrays the brutality of conflict through its music. In contrast, Fauré’s celebrated Requiem, when exquisitely performed, distils conflict into perhaps the most profound sense of peace to be found in all Classical music.
Katherine Gregory soprano
Mark Saberton baritone
Ian le Grice continuo
Leslie Olive conductor
English Arts Orchestra
St Mary's Church, Reigate RH2 7RN
Saturday December 6th, 2025 6pm
Christmas
A celebration of Christmas with seasonal music and readings.
Leslie Olive conductor
Jonathan Lilley accompanist
St Nicholas Church, Worth RH10 7RT
Saturday December 13th, 2025 6pm
Christmas
A celebration of Christmas with seasonal music and readings.
Leslie Olive conductor
Ian le Grice accompanist
St Mary's Church, Reigate RH2 7RN
Saturday January 10th, 2026 10am - 6pm
Workshop Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem
Gavin Carr director
Jonathan Lilley keyboard
St Mark's Church, Reigate RH2 0DA
Saturday March 14th, 2026 7pm
Brahms Lullaby
Clara Schumann Romance in B-minor
Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem
Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes
Johannes Brahms wrote his “German Requiem” out of love for his mother at the time of her death, and there is consolation throughout this unusual and radiant work which for some experienced choral singers is among their favourites of the choral repertoire.
Brahms was, however, also capable of a lighter heart, and his two sets of Liebeslieder Waltzes are compilations of fleeting and flirtatious four-part songs intended for choirs to sing, and from such a serious composer they are unexpectedly good fun.
Both works – the German Requiem and the Love-Song Waltzes – were scored by Brahms to be performed with “four-hands” piano – that is, two pianists at the same piano, one playing the higher notes and one the lower. It takes exceptional musicianship to perform this juggling act successfully and we are delighted that on this occasion we have our current and immediately previous EAC accompanists joining us.
Leslie Olive conductor
Madeleine Perring soprano
Ted Day baritone
Jonathan Lilley piano
Ian le Grice piano
Simon Edge-Partington oboe
£22, £17, £12, £6
Carer for Disabled - no charge
St Mary's Church, Reigate RH2 7RN
Saturday May 9th, 2026 11am-4.30pm
Singing Day on Mendelssohn's Elijah
Leslie Olive director
St Mary's Church, Reigate RH2 7RN
Saturday July 4th, 2026 6pm
Independence Day Concert
featuring the music of Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, Amy Beach and others
Leslie Olive conductor