MUSIC lovers were taken on a spirited journey from nothing to the Garden of Eden as a celebrated choir and orchestra performed a classic score.
Barnard Castle School Choral Society and Orchestra, which combines the talents of a whole community, staged The Creation by Haydn to a sell-out audience.
The 60-strong choir, comprising members of the public, students and staff, aged 17-90, was conducted by the school’s director of music Richard Dawson and supported by a full orchestra.
Big School reverberated to the sounds of soprano Penelope Randall-Davis, tenor Austin Gunn and bass Peter Coulson, as well as the choir, strings, brass and woodwind.
Mr Dawson said: “The oratorio is an incredible piece of music depicting the seven days of creation, a host of angels and Adam and Eve. The choir, soloists and orchestra performed beautifully and really did it justice.”
Mr Dawson took over the choir when he joined the school in September and has seen numbers virtually double, meeting every Thursday at school from 7pm to 8.30pm.
“I have worked with many choral societies over the years but this one is brilliant and has so much energy,” he added.