Festival audiences were so impressed with John Andrews’ performance conducting the English Symphony Orchestra, he has been asked to close the English Music Festival this year.

A conductor much in demand with prestigious organisations such as the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne and the BBC Concert Orchestra, John is musical director of Harpenden Choral Society.

For its next concert, the society has chosen a cantata by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Poulenc’s Gloria, featuring the talents of soprano soloist Sarah Redgewick, baritone Simon Lobelson and The King’s Sinfonietta.

Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem enlists the power of Walt Whitman’s poetry and Old Testament psalms in its heartfelt plea for peace among nations. In addition, The King’s Sinfonietta will be performing Faure’s Pavane, one of the shortest and most popular of his works, which ebbs and flows from a series of harmonic and melodic climaxes.

The concert is on Saturday, March 17 at 7.30pm at the Harpenden High Street Methodist Church. Details: 01582 419379, harpendenchoralsociety.org