DESPITE the road being closed between Nailsworth and Horsley, a capacity audience turned out to enjoy an exciting evening of Spanish music and dance entitled España ¡Olé! at the 3-in-1 space at St Martins Church, Horsley. The evening was brilliantly organised by Liz Johnson of The Cappella Singers, and featured The Cappella Singers, together with Sally Jenkins, harp, and Stroud’s own popular flamenco group, Suspiro Flamenco. The high demand for tickets meant that it was sold out a week before the event, but by some rearrangement of seating and tables, those on a waiting list for tickets were able to be accommodated.

The doors opened early and there was opportunity to take full advantage of obtaining delicious tapas, which was provided by Star Anise Café, and a bar featuring Spanish wine and beer ably run by Stan Burridge and Mike Hewitt.

The Cappella Singers, lead by their musical director, Philip Colls, performed a varied programme of music with choral pieces from the 16th century Spanish Renaissance, Andalucian villancicos, and finishing with three exciting pieces from Cuba and Argentina, featuring solos from Ken Lawrence and Liz Farley. Harpist Sally Jenkins played a harp solo from the 16th century, arrangements of pieces from Falla’s ballet ‘El sombrero de tres picos’ (The Three-cornered Hat), and joined in with the sopranos of The Cappella Singers to perform ‘La virgen camina Egipto’, a traditional song from Andalucia.

Suspiro Flamenco featured flamenco dancers Raquel Alvarez and Vicky Clifford, singers and guitarists Kotska Garcia and David Butcher, and cahon percussionist Senan Clifford. They performed an exciting programme of flamenco, which featured a range of emotions and moods, in the variety of dancing, singing, guitar playing and rhythms. One particular highlight was when both dancers performed a co-ordinated ‘Martinete’ to which they accompanied themselves with rhythmic drumming of walking sticks on the stage whilst performing increasingly complicated percussive footwork.

The Cappella singers are now preparing for their next concert, which will be at 6.30 on Sunday, May 11 at Gloucester Cathedral featuring choral music of the 20th & 21st centuries, together with Stephen Power, organ.

By David Butcher