International Choir Festival Harmony 2015-Harmanli,Bulgaria Photo:Katerina Mindova

Kingston Choral Society are celebrating their 75th anniversary on March 29th 2025 alongwith two of the brightest stars of the British singing firmament, Sophie Bevan and Roderick Williams, at Cadogan Hall, in a programme suffused with musical colour and p...  moreKingston Choral Society are celebrating their 75th anniversary on March 29th 2025 alongwith two of the brightest stars of the British singing firmament, Sophie Bevan and Roderick Williams, at Cadogan Hall, in a programme suffused with musical colour and profound emotion. Brahms' A German Requiem and Poulenc's Gloria, composed a century apart, express the joys and sorrows of being human. His mother's death, compounded Brahms' raw grief at the loss of his friend and mentor Robert Schumann nine years earlier to inspire this beautiful musical meditation on the tragedy of death. Brahms' intensely personal 'Requiem for Humanity' responds to the tragedy of mortality with a radiant affirmation of the consolation of faith. Poulenc's Gloria has astonished, delighted and shocked audiences since its 1961 premiere: joyous and playful, charming, strident and sombre, Poulenc's musical pyrotechnics are stunning. Performers Sophie Bevan soprano Roderick Williams baritone Kingston Choral Society Thames Sinfonia Andrew ...    less

Recorded at the Bentall Centre, Kingston, Surrey on 14th February 2015 as part of Love Kingston Day. Love Kingston is supporting five local community projects committed to ‘pathways out of poverty’ and building a Legacy Fund for the future. Please give...  moreRecorded at the Bentall Centre, Kingston, Surrey on 14th February 2015 as part of Love Kingston Day. Love Kingston is supporting five local community projects committed to ‘pathways out of poverty’ and building a Legacy Fund for the future. Please give generously to this worthy cause by visiting our fundraising page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/northkingstonchoir To find out more about our informal non audition choir check out our website http://www.northkingstonchoir.org.uk  

Leatherhead Choral Society singing Eric Whitacre's Seal Lullaby live at the Menuhin Hall, Stoke D'abernon Surrey in November 2015.

Over the last 13 years Barisons Chamber Choir has built up a reputation for excellence, versatility and sensitivity in both live performances and recordings. The choir gives and annual Easter and Christmas performance, an annual Summer Concert and Euro...  moreOver the last 13 years Barisons Chamber Choir has built up a reputation for excellence, versatility and sensitivity in both live performances and recordings. The choir gives and annual Easter and Christmas performance, an annual Summer Concert and European Tour. Their repertoire ranges from Handel’s Zadok the Priest to Karl Jenkin’s The Armed Man. The Choir has performed in many major venues around in Europe, including St Nicolas Church Prague to St Mark’s Venice, and has sung in many commercial concerts including premiere of James Brett’s Book of Dreams and performed for the Queen’s arrival at Bushy Park during her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee, where the choir also deputised for the Opera Babes. The singers in the choir are experienced musicians, many having sung with other choirs and choral societies and many are instrumentalists and instrumental music teachers. The choir has regularly performed with the Prague Conservatoire String Quartet and have performed and recorded with the London Metropolitan Or...    less

Rushmoor Odd Fellows male voice choir sing for Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Heart to Heart appeal to raise £1.5 million for a regional heart attack centre for Surrey, East Berkshire and North East Hampshire.

Christmas concert December 2022

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...