The Fairhaven Singers is a very accomplished chamber choir, undertaking a busy schedule of concerts and encompassing a large and varied repertoire. I much enjoyed the rehearsal I took; they are able to respond to ideas immediately and sing with a rounded, warm tone. Their intonation is excellent and the training they enjoy on a regular basis is of the highest order.

David Hill

The Blue Skies that Sparkle by the Fairhaven Singers is a tasteful collection of charming songs that reflect the allure and depth of all things natural. This four-part choir under the directorship of Ralph Woodward sing with phenomenal technical ability, presenting a cohesive, balanced and widely expressive sound.

The CD includes works by Britten, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann, Elgar, Stanford, Sibelius, Stevens, Parry, Barber, Sullivan and Pearsall.

Highlights include Britten's Marsh Flowers, The Evening Primrose and his Ballad of Green Broom, Stanford's My Love's an Arbutus and Barber's To be Sung on the Water.

March Flowers features declamatory accenting of the words, astute orchestration of the parts and sophisticated expression. The voices in The Evening Primrose move with serene beauty, the pace measured and effective, while in Ballad of Green Broom, the voices take on a new light-hearted timbre permeated with rhythmic buoyancy.

Stanford's My love's an Arbutus plays tribute to the more traditional style of composition demonstrating that a popular melody can be wonderfully revitalised with fresh beauty and heightened expression.

In Barber's work, the singers demonstrate a rare ability to colour their highly polished and pictorial choral texture with a real feel for watery reflections imbued with rhythmic subtlety.

This is a beautiful collection of elite music suitable for the most grand of occasions or for a quiet evening of contemplation. It is definitely a CD well worth adding to your collection.

Dr. R.J.Westwell (PhD, MA TESOL, MA Ed, B Mus, BA Hons)

As expected, the Fairhaven Singers' Summer Concert was a feast of musical excitement. Rather like a good menu, the programme displayed a variety of styles and colours, both in the choice of pieces and their execution. Opening with a rhythmically incisive and well-paced performance of arguably the hardest choral work in the repertoire, Bach's Singet dem Herrn captivated the audience from the start. As Cambridge audiences have come to expect, Ralph Woodward's programming offered some delightful little-known gems between the main events. Le Fleming's I love all beauteous things was one of the highlights of the evening; the simple, extremely well-shaped and impeccably tuned lines sent the audience out on a high for interval refreshments in the grounds of Queens' College Chapel. Likewise, Samuel Barber's The Monk and his cat was probably unknown to most, if not all, of the audience. Charming and satisfyingly different, this brought the concert to a well-rounded close.

With numerous choirs in Cambridge, the Fairhaven Singers have deservedly built up a wide-ranging and loyal audience base. Their programmes draw on a mixture of the sacred and secular repertoire; not only are they a pleasure to listen to, but they're also good to watch, as the singers all look like they're in it for the enjoyment of singing. It is a credit to their Director that that inspiration never fails to come across in the music.

Daniel Hyde
Director of Chapel Music
Jesus College