A MASSIVE choral concert has been planned to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War.

Ian Jones’ forward thinking Cumbria Choral Initiative is behind the project, which is pencilled in for Saturday, November 8, 2014 – Remembrance weekend.

Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem will be the centrepiece of the Kendal Parish Church performance.

The major choral and orchestral work was written to mark the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral, which was destroyed in an air raid during the war. War Requiem combines the poems of the First World War poet Wilfred Owen with the liturgical text of the Requiem Mass and is a huge statement about the futility of war and the need for reconciliation.

Ian says that they are hoping to encourage other local organisations to join in making the centenary a massive community event: “We are hoping, for instance, that schools and others interested in literature might wish to be involved with poetry readings or similar events,” explains Ian.

“Drama groups such as the Brewery Players might consider staging plays with related themes and local art groups might encourage members to create work relevant to the theme of the centenary.” The CCI idea follows on from Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent announcement that the centenary should be marked appropriately on a national scale and has promised that money will be available to help communities mount suitable projects.

Meanwhile, choral societies from across the region are gearing up for their seasonal shows.

Ian picks up the baton for Eversley Choral, which performs traditional Christmas tunes, including Christus Natus Est by Cecilia McDowall on Monday, December 17 (7.30pm) at St Thomas's Church, Milnthorpe.

He also conducts Levens Choir, which stages Britten's Ceremony of Carols and other seasonal items at Holy Trinity Church, Bolton-le-Sands on Tuesday, December 18 (7.30pm).

Elsewhere, Kendal Choral Society's Christmas show is part of the Festive Favourites concert at the Kendal Parish Church Christmas Tree Festival on Saturday, December 15 (7.30pm) also starring Kendal Millennium Youth Choir.

Amabile Girls Choir’s festive gathering is coming up at Kendal’s St Thomas’s Church on Saturday, December 1, and K Shoes Male Voice Choir’s Christmas cracker will be again at Kendal Town Hall on December 7, joined by Queen Katherine School Big Band.

Vivaldi’s Beatus Vir, Magnificat and Dixit Dominus plus top festive tunes are in the mix for Ambleside and District Choral Society’s Saturday, December 8 (7.30pm) performance at Ambleside Parish Church, with a Christmas feast of Baroque and modern music on the menu for Kendal South Choir’s December 8 concert at Kendal’s St Thomas’s Church (7.30pm).

Kirkby Lonsdale Choral Society will perform Schubert’s beautiful Mass no 2 in G major as well as shorter Christmas pieces and carols at St Mary’s Church, Kirkby Lonsdale, on Saturday, December 15 (7.30pm) and the same night Arnside Choral Society performs This Joyous Night by Alan Woods and traditional carols at Arnside Methodist Church.

Clive Walkely’s Pro Nobis Singers give their Christmas concert at St Mark's Church, Natland, on Sunday, December 16 (8pm); Staveley Choral perform at Staveley Village Hall on Monday, December 17 (7.30pm); Heather Paynes Ulverston Choral Society will be in festive mood on Friday, December 21 (7.30pm) at Ulverston Parish Church, and Cartmel Choral Society’s Christmas concert is on Saturday, December 22 (7.30pm) at Cartmel Priory with profits from the concert donated to St Mary's Hospice, Ulverston and Eden Children's Hospice.