There was not a spare seat to be found at Grayshott Concerts first Christmas concert featuring the Choristers of St Edmund's and Grayshott's Excelsis Choir at St Luke's Church on Sunday 7th December.

Tickets sold out weeks in advance and a number of hopefuls were turned away as organisers struggled to accommodate the unprecedented demand for seats for the progamme of Christmas music, Carols and Readings.

Grayshott Concerts organiser Vivien Harrison said: "We've wanted to stage an ambitious Christmas event for a while, and now with two new choirs in the village it's all become possible." The St Edmund's Choir was formed less than two years ago and Excelsis barely a year. Both choirs are trained by Grayshott Concerts Director of Music, Robert Lewis, and together performed a programme of favourite Christmas carols and some new ones too.

The concert began with a solo Chorister singing the first verse of 'Once in Royal David's City' in complete darkness save the glow from his candlelit lantern. Later, baritone soloist, Alexander Learmonth, performed in one of the nation's favourite carols, 'In the bleak midwinter'. Spontaneous applause broke out following the Reading by Shoshanah Sievers (aged 7) when she gave a perfect reading of the delightful "A Christmas Story" written by Hollie Simpson (aged 6).

The concert was staged to raise funds for the 'St Luke's Church Organ Appeal', whose Chairman, Gordon Sanderson said: "It was a magical evening, which successfully raised much-needed funds to renovate our wonderful organ. We're well on the way as a result of everyone's generosity. Now we need a final push on the sale of our Christmas Stamps for Christmas Card Deliveries round the village and we'll be almost there!"

Excelsis now begins intensive rehearsals for their next performance for Grayshott Concerts on Saturday 14th March 2009. St Luke's will be one of the first venues in the country to be allowed to stage Karl Jenkins' "Stabat Mater", premiered only in March of this year. Tickets for this major work, featuring Grayshott's largest ever orchestra, go on sale on 10th January 2009. Advance reservations can be made by calling Grayshott Concerts on 01428 606666.