A singing workshop organised by Petersfield Musical Festival in September was a huge success, say organisers.

"Everyone had a spring in their step", said Marcia Fielden from the festival committee. "Indeed, at one point we were treated to the sight of the conductor demonstrating how to trip along in waltz time: ‘ONE two three, ONE two three, not One TWO three, everyone!’."

Almost 80 singers converged on the Methodist Church, Petersfield to take part. Some had travelled from Southampton, Romsey and Chichester to take part, and organisers were delighted in addition to welcome four young Germans who are resident at Brockwood Park School, Bramdean.

The workshop this year centred on the Anglican tradition, and coductor Paul Spicer chose a variety of anthems and motets that reflect each period in its musical history.

Marcia said: "He opened the day’s work with a very accessible mid-16th century piece, composer Anon (what a long life that chap had!) - ‘Rejoice in the Lord Alway’. A good sprinkling of people knew it so we got off to a strong start.

"Next came the wonderfully stirring Coronation Anthem by Purcell, a setting of Psalm 122 ‘I was glad’. Not as familiar as the version by Parry, it presented more of a challenge, but we rose to it magnificently and it was a joy to sing.

"Still in chronological order, Paul’s final choice before we broke for lunch was the sonorous, measured verse anthem ‘Lord, let me know mine end’ by Maurice Greene. This was new to most of us, but we had hit our stride now and delivered it with appropriate solemnity!

"After lunch, a treat awaited. Olivia Brett, who left Bedales last year, was the perfect soloist in Mendelssohn’s much-loved motet ‘Hear my prayer’. The work is famous for the familiar ‘O, for the wings of a dove’, but how lovely it was to sing it in its entirety.

"Olivia, who went up to Clare College Cambridge to study theology, has the perfect voice for the work – pure and vibrato-free. We hope she keeps up her singing.

"Mendelssohn was followed by Charles Wood’s anthem ‘O Thou, the central orb’, unfamiliar to most, but we soon had it straight, with its flowing melodic lines.

"To our delight, Mark Dancer, until now accompanying us on the piano, crossed over to the organ and played the Wood on that instead.

"As a ‘palate cleanser’ after such a thunderous Victorian work, Mark suggested the austere Tallis motet ‘O nata lux’, written for the Feast of the Transfiguration. Perhaps with so many voices, we didn’t quite do it justice, but those hearing it for the first time will have been pleased to learn such a beautiful piece.

"Our final, rousing anthem was the incomparable Samuel Sebastian Wesley’s ‘Blessed be the God and Father’. Olivia sang the treble solos and Mark went back to the organ.

"It was fitting that we should have rounded off our studies with the music of a descendant of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Movement, since the Methodist church looks after us so well every year.

"We ended the day with a storm of applause for Paul, Mark and Olivia, and a happy smile for each other. A wonderful day in every respect."