Alton Choral Society raised more than £300 for Alton Foodbank with its autumn concert at the Church of St Lawrence.

Under the direction of Wendy Busby the choir sang a varied and engaging programme that left the audience entertained and inspired.

The evening opened with a rendition of Johannes Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer (numbers 1-9, Opus 52), a collection of love songs for voices and piano duet.

Pianists Jane Palmer and Patrick Busby accompanied the choir with great sensitivity, bringing to life Brahms’ heartfelt melodies and the folk-inspired lyrics of Georg Daumer.

A change of pace followed with Claude Debussy’s atmospheric Syrinx for solo flute, performed with finesse by Kathy Starkey. The haunting tones of the flute captivated listeners and showcased Kathy’s technical skill.

The concert continued with five contrasting Spanish Dances by Moritz Moszkowski, played as a piano duet by Chris Gardner and Patrick Busby. Their lively and dexterous performance added a splash of Spanish flair to the evening’s proceedings.

The choir returned to the stage with medleys from the musicals My Fair Lady and South Pacific. Stuart Nash’s solo performance of This Nearly Was Mine was a particular highlight, earning warm applause from the audience.

Sian Mills gave an informative talk about the vital work of Alton Foodbank, emphasising the importance of community support for those in crisis.

Alton Choral Society’s festive concert The Wonder of Christmas - for which they will be joined by the Alton Concert Band and the Ancora female voice choir - will be held at the Alton Maltings Centre on December 6 at 7pm in aid of Home-Start. To book tickets visit www.altonchoral.org.uk

New members are welcome and rehearsals are held on Wednesdays at 7.45pm in the Salvation Army Hall. For more information visit www.altonchoral.org.uk, email [email protected] or call Wendy Busby on 07799 475974.