Tonbridge Philharmonic Society meets soprano Anna Patalong

We brought together a star soprano and one of the nation's longest-running non-professional choirs.

Across the country, countless non-professional ensembles bring communities together. At the RPS, we’re getting out to meet some of them, to find out why they’re special to their members and their community, and tell their story here on our website, as we do for many professionals.

Tonbridge Philharmonic Society is one of many groups that sprung up straight after the Second World War, as the nation looked to music to lift its spirits. 70 years on, its choir and orchestra are still going strong. As they set their sights on performing Verdi Requiem, we took professional soprano Anna Patalong - no stranger to singing its star part - to sing with them, and share her insights and experiences of the work. It was thrilling to witness how much having Anna sing with them instantly lifted their own collective sound, as captured in this short film. The choir enjoyed Anna's company so much that they invited her back to perform the complete work with them.

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