The summer concert season is in full swing and Barnes Choir is joining the party by performing a programme of French and English choral works next Saturday (June 27).

The concert takes place at All Saints’ Church in East Sheen and the choir’s conductor, Andrew Charity, says the reason for the Anglo-French programme is thanks to fruitful cross-Channel link up.

“Members of the choir went to Paris about a month ago because Barnes is twinned with a suburb of Paris called Le Pecq,” he says.

“They have an association called Les Ami de Barnes. Choir members go over there for walking, painting, and wine-tasting, of course.

“We also gave them a mixed programme of English and French music so the French bit has spilled over into this next concert – the first half is all English music and the second half is all French.”

The French section features three choral pieces written by a young Berlioz and they will be preceded by an unusual work by Delius.

“He was English but lived in Paris for the last 30 years of his life,” explains Charity. “He had a beautiful garden at his home in Fontainebleu and much of his music has a dream-like quality – the piece we are doing has no words and the composer asks the choir to sing it on ‘ah’.”

In the concert’s English section, the choir will sing four madrigals from Shakespeare’s time followed by a piece of text from Cymbeline – Fear No More the Heat of the Sun – which Charity has set to music.

This will be followed by a specially commissioned work called Summer Fallow, with words by poet Lavinia Greenlaw and music by Michael Zev Gordon.

Charity, a freelance conductor, composer and teacher, has been wielding the baton for Barnes Choir since 2000 and the theatrical influence on the opening section of the concert reflects his varied experience of working in the theatre. He has been an assistant musical director for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, as well as a composer and arranger for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Polka Children’s Theatre, in Wimbledon.

“A lot of musicians have to be good all-rounders,” he says. “One minute you might be conducting Bach’s B Minor Mass with a choir and another minute you might be directing a song for a play with a professional theatre company.”

The concert will also feature talented harpist Daniel de-Fry, who will play solos in between the choral pieces and Charity is delighted at having secured his services.

“Daniel is one of the most sought-after young harpists,” he adds. “He used to compete in Richmond arts festivals and win from a very young age, so having him for the concert is a bonus for us.”

Barnes Choir Summer Concert, All Saints’ Church, East Sheen Avenue, June 27, 7.30pm, visit barneschoir.org.uk