Review: Ruby Doot Dat, Castlegate Singers
The Castlegate Singers recently performed their Ruby Doot Dat 40th anniversary concert at Christ Church, Cockermouth, accompanied by Sethera Brass, and received resounding applause from a large audience.
The programme included a mix of favourites from the 40 years the choir has been singing, plus some new work from the Gareth Malone's Military Wives In My Dreams song collection.
Music included: a Gershwin medley, ballads from Carole King, Burt Bacharach, and the romantic You Are So Beautiful/The Wind Beneath My Wings arrangement by Greg Gilpin.
The classic Rodgers/Hart Blue Moon was a highlight, also a piece written by former choir director Dr Philip Wood, as a musical setting for Shakespeare’s Full Fathom Five.
For the ruby anniversary concert, director Val Hetherington challenged the choir to sing accompanied by Sethera Brass, with Puttin’ On The Ritz, Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
The members ramped up their performance brilliantly to provide a fitting climax to an excellent concert.
Sethera Brass performed two sparkling sets, with a superb baritone horn solo from David Gallagher and a dazzling drum performance by Sam Hunter.
The choir’s chair, Liz Jackson, thanked the Christ Church clergy, volunteers and the audience, presenting bouquets to Val Hetherington and accompanist Anne-Marie Kerr.
Elizabeth Stott
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