Come and Sing: Britten

December 2026 marks the 50th anniversary since the death of Benjamin Britten, so we've chosen to make his music the focus of our 2026 Come & Sing event. This all-day choral workshop, led by our Musical Director Ben Sawyer, offers you the exciting opportunity to rehearse and perform Britten's works "Rejoice in the Lamb" and "A Hymn to the Virgin" alongside members of the Oriel Singers and organist Kit Perona-Wright.

Event timings: Registration from 09:30 for a 10:00 start. We'll end the day with a free-of-charge, informal performance for friends and family at 16:00, lasting no longer than 30 minutes.

Venue: Bethesda Methodist Church, 18 Great Norwood Street, Cheltenham, GL50 2AP

Parking: On-street parking near the church is very limited and requires a permit. The nearest pay-and-display car parks are located at Bath Terrace and Commercial Street, approximately 2 minutes' walk from Bethesda Methodist Church.

Dress code: Informal.

Music: We'll provide all music for you on the day. When you book your tickets, you'll receive a confirmation email containing some rehearsal tracks. We strongly encourage you to use these to familiarise yourselves with the music in advance, as we'll have limited time for note learning during the workshop.

Refreshments: Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available throughout the day. We'll break for lunch between 13:00 and 14:00. You can bring a packed lunch and eat it in the church hall, or there's a range of cafes and shops on nearby Bath Road and Suffolk Road. Your audience members are warmly invited to join us for refreshments at 15:30 before our performance.

Tickets: £28 for adults, £14 for students in full-time education (prices include music hire and refreshments). Available for purchase online until 16:00 the day before the event.