HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY


STRATFORD CHORAL SOCIETY was founded in 1836 and thus shares with the Huddersfield Choral Society the distinction of jointly being among the oldest in Britain.

A fascinating book on the history of the Choral Society was written by Diana Brownhill. It is called "An Illustrated History of Stratford-upon-Avon Choral Society. A Celebration of the first 150 years 1836-1986 by Diana M. Brownhill" ISBN 0 9511104 0 3. The 201 pages are packed with pictures, programmes, facts and anecdotes and give a wonderful view of Stratford, the Choral Society and all related matters over the period. Diana is still a key member of the choir and will gladly provide information about all this. The book, though out of print now, is available on the Web and through book-sellers. Many members of the present choir still have copies of it.

Apart from short interludes during wartime, the Society has given regular concert performances in the Stratford Town Hall, Holy Trinity Church, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Civic Hall, the Levi Fox Hall at King Edward's School and more recently the High School Hall.

The choir presently numbers about a hundred amateur singers - sopranos, altos, tenor and basses - and has achieved a sound reputation in the region, offering audiences a varied repertoire of classical and contemporary music, some of the latter being specifically commissioned for the Society.

The Society promotes and delivers three concerts each year. Two of the three will be major choral works from the periods 1600 to 2000.

Of the more recent pieces, the choir has sung in the first performances of Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem", "The Beatitudes" by Sir Arthur Bliss, "This Airy Day" by James Walker, Howard Goodall's "Let Us Be True to One Another" and Stephen Dodsworth's "Time's Glory". There have also been other shorter works by the Choir's conductors John Cook, Peter Summers and Stephen Dodsworth.

The Society has undertaken four concert tours, to the Netherlands, Austria, The Loire Valley and Venice.

An important aspect of the choir's programme involves engagement with the community in and around Stratford. Individuals and groups of singers from the choir take part in various other choral activities in the area. These include local churches and schools as well as joining other choirs in Stratford. The Society offers free membership to students as well as two scholarships per year which provide free membership and singing lessons. Soloists are drawn from the choir itself as well as engaging professionals for the major roles.

Various local orchestras play for the Society. Our regular orchestral partner is The Regency Sinfonia which is based in Cheltenham and is composed of freelance musicians many of whom also have positions with such orchestras as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Swan.

Anyone is welcome to join the choir. You can join as a Patron to offer long term support. Or as a singer. You do not need to be a wonderful singer to be able to take part and enjoy partcipation in the concerts. If you are interested, please follow the links in the relevant pages.