Listening to Kendal South Choir rehearse the uplifting tunes of the Messiah whet my appetite good and proper.

So, back home, I popped the kettle on, slid the CD into the player and prolonged the moment.

George Frideric Handel’s epic oratorio is the sort of piece that gives you goosebumps.

And Kendal South’s performance of the full, three-hour version at Kendal Parish Church, on November 29 (7pm), has all the hallmarks of an unforgettable night.

The 80-strong choristers are due to bow out of 2003 in a blaze glory.

As well as the prospect of a glorious Messiah, they feature on the bill of one of the events of the year – the Jack Symons Christmas Charity Concert on Saturday, December 13 (7.30pm).

Staged at Kendal’s Westmorland Hall with the Lakeland Sinfonia, Kendal South performs among others works Peter Warlock’s Benedicamus Domino, a traditional carol Angelus ad Virginem, highlights from The Merry Widow, and festive pieces galore in a winter ‘wonderland’ selection.

As usual, Hugh Davies picks up the illustrious Kendal South baton and tells me the choir is singing better than ever, especially Handel’s piece: “It’s a well known work that most of the choir know, so we can really put some polish on it. It’s going to be a really special performance”.

Even so, at rehearsals Hugh doesn’t tolerate any slip-ups. He clicks his fingers and the gathered choristers stop dead in their spirited tracks.

Equally, he offers praise. Particularly after For Unto Us a Child is Born: “Thank you…that was splendid”.

Soloists for Messiah include London-based counter tenor, David Sherringham; Welsh tenor, Malcolm Williams; popular K Shoes Male Voice Choir bass and soloist Brian Lancaster, alongside a first class orchestra plus organists Ian Pattinson and Damien Howard and harpsichord player Ann Bond.

The parish church concert also signals the return to Kendal of one of the region’s favourite young performers – soprano soloist Rachel Little.

Rachel has moved her career base to Kendal.

A former Queen Katherine School student, she spent five years at Glasgow’s Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama (tutored by Patricia MacMahon and Ian Thompson) and a couple of years in London, working with the likes of Opera Holland Park before returning to the region with husband Ian: “I always have to travel with my job so I might as well live somewhere I love”.

At nine, Rachel started with Mary Gordon and Anne Pater’s Kendal Young Singers and, four years later, Mary suggested she should have singing lessons. As a result she was taken under the wing of leading Lakeland vocal coach and Amabile Girls Choir director Charlotte Jackson. And the QKS team of Lesley and Bob Talbot were also instrumental in Rachel’s rise.

Rachel says it never occurred to her to do anything but sing, and parents Marlene and Ian were always 100 per cent behind her.

She tells me that once, following a church concert while living in the capital, a woman approached her offering free coaching to help with the longevity of her vocal chords. She accepted, they became friends and it transpired sometime later that she was the mother of Fast Show and Harry Enfield comedy star Paul Whitehouse: “Enita is Welsh, 71 years old and has an incredible voice. She understudied at Covent Garden with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa”.

With a long list of oratorio performances under her belt, Rachel is in demand and was the soprano on the BAFTA award nominated soundtrack of Channel Four’s film Transition, and sang on the score for American Cousins due out next year - both composed by Donald Shaw.

She has teamed up again with Charlotte Jackson running the Amabile training choir as well as coaching at schools such as Queen Katherine and really enjoying being part of the area’s strong tradition of music making.

Chatting to Rachel there’s not a hint of the prima donna, just a warmth, humility and gratitude to all who have contributed to her career.

Close to her heart is the Council for Music in Hospitals, regularly performing fundraisers and giving recitals to patients, and on January 17, she is the soloist for the big Amabile charity concert at the Westmorland Hall, in aid of Save the Children.

Projects in the pipeline include a tour of Finland, singing at wedding ceremonies and a CD of 1930/40s songs and popular classics.

Is she to be the ‘voice of the Lakes’ on the world stage? She certainly has the ability and persona.

Tickets for Messiah are £10/ £8 OAPs and students/ schoolchildren free and available at the door.

However, buying tickets in advance is recommended on 01524-811579 or from choir members.

Tickets for the sinfonia series Christmas concert are available on 01539-722533.

Rachel can be contacted on 07968-701616.