Ipswich Arts Association: Lunchtime Concert, The Co-op Ladies Choir, Museum Street Methodist Church, Ipswich, May 8 Covering the years from Purcell to the 20th century musical, every song in this delightful concert had a special resonance.

Ipswich Arts Association: Lunchtime Concert, The Co-op Ladies Choir, Museum Street Methodist Church, Ipswich, May 8

Covering the years from Purcell to the 20th century musical, every song in this delightful concert had a special resonance.

I specifically enjoyed the three contrasting Elgar pieces. The tuneful, gentle lullaby with its beautiful counter-melody piano accompaniment, played so well by Joe Cleary; the prayerful, Speak Music, eloquently sung by Jill Glaister and The Poet's Life, which was originally written for solo voice and orchestra.

Janet Robinson gave a heart-felt rendition of Something Wonderful from The King and I by Rogers and Hammerstein.

The two imaginative arrangements, skillfully arranged for the female voices by Joe Cleary, of Abba's song Thank you for the Music and the My Fair Lady Selection

Performance is about communication. From the choice of programme to the delivery that radiated their enjoyment of singing, under the accomplished guidance of Margaret Morphew, their conductor for the past 18 years, this experienced choir has it down to a fine art.

Judith Newman