Like many good things, the choir began in the pub! Back in 2011 after a few drinks and songs in Sutton Benger, a small group decided to perform at a local flower festival and The Village Singers was born under the musical directorship of Rachel McCorry.
Thirteen years later, the choir has has gone from strength to strength, with members coming from many of the villages and towns around Chippenham, and our ages range from teens to over 80.
Having nurtured the Village Singers to the force that it is today, Rachel made the difficult decision to pass on the baton following our Amsterdam tour, and the choir will be forever grateful for her energy, leadership and encouragement but most of all for her sense of fun!
Jen Bamford, previously our Assistant MD and long-standing member of the choir, has now taken on the role of Music Director and we are looking forward to many more years filled with music and laughter.
With no audition necessary, the choir is open to all and we rehearse together weekly during term time. We love to sing but we also love to have fun; friendship and socialising is a really important part of our ethos and is what makes our choir so special.
Although we come together to sing for fun, we take our singing very seriously, and Jen has the highest expectation of musical excellence with a strong focus on improving individual musicianship and the quality of our performance and repertoire. Our programmes range from sacred and choral pieces, classical and opera to spirituals, folk, pop and show tunes. Within the principal choir there are also smaller auditioned groups so that there is always something for everybody.
We generally perform two programmes twice a year in various local halls and churches. We have also travelled on three European tours to Bruges, Paris and Amsterdam. On 21st January 2019, as part of an international choir, we performed the US Premier of Symphonic Adiemus, in New York’s Carnegie Hall with composer, Sir Karl Jenkins in residence. It was an amazing experience and a testament to our hard work and Rachel’s to have been invited to perform in such an historic venue.
To see details of our forthcoming concerts and to book tickets, please visit our Events Page.
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