We come together from a variety of backgrounds to share our passion for singing.
Many of us are highly experienced choral singers, having sung from an early age through university. Because we are a busy group with many concerts recordings and services in a year, we tend to perform as an ensemble of around 30 singers although our membership number is obviously higher. We recognise that not everyone can sing in every concert, or come to every rehearsal and we also know that many of our members have demanding day jobs. Flexibility is key.
During the pandemic, we have been meeting and rehearsing online, using Zoom. Zoom rehearsals restart from Tuesday 8th September. We are aiming to restart live rehearsals, if circumstances allow, early in 2021. Numbers at each rehearsal will be limited, but there will be the option of participation via Zoom. Depending on uptake, members may need to alternate live and online rehearsals. The situation on concerts remains uncertain, and we have no reliable estimate as to when these might resume.
If you are interested in joining the choir, initially for the pleasure of singing together with a high-quality ensemble and for the prospect of performing again sometime in the future, then please contact the membership secretary, Robert Moffat: membership@englishchamberchoir.co.uk. Membership of the choir is through an audition, which covers a range of skills including sight reading, but we always suggest it is best to come along to a rehearsal first and get a flavour of how we work. Auditions will be restricted by the availability of places at live rehearsals, but we will attempt to fit you in as soon as possible.
Live rehearsals in normal times are in the City every Tuesday between 7:15pm and 9:45pm at St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe in Blackfriars. There may need to be a temporary change of venue when live rehearsals first resume; this is currently under review.
Members pay an annual subscription (but we can offer subsidies). There is also a scholarship scheme for singers leaving university this year. See below.
Members are not required to own their own music as we have an extensive library.
The English Chamber Choir is a Company Limited by Guarantee no: 08198937 and a Registered Charity no: 1153396. The choir is governed by a Board of Directors, elected annually by members at the choir AGM. Day-to-day management is undertaken by our Manager, Ann Manly.
The Choir
Key people
Guy Protheroe
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Rebecca Taylor
Associate Conductor
Scholarships
We have a scheme offering singing scholarships for singers who have recently left university and are looking to join a prestigious London choir. Currently, one scholarship is available, for a bass or baritone. You must have good sight-reading ability and experience of singing in chamber choirs and/or small groups. Singers chosen will be expected to commit to an agreed number of projects over the season, but not to do every concert!
The scholarships will take the form of free membership of the ECC, free lessons from our vocal coach, as well as support for travel and accommodation expenses, as necessary, for events outside London.
If you are interested please contact the chairman Robert Moffat Chairman@englishchamberchoir.co.uk.
New members.
We are always interested in hearing new people and although we may not be able to ask you to join immediately we would still be interested in hearing you sing. We look for experienced singers with good sight-reading and the ability to take part in as many concerts as possible. Potential new singers are welcome to come along to a rehearsal and give us a try.
Joining the Choir is by audition, at which you will perform a piece of your choice together with some sight-reading tests. As with all choirs, it’s important that in addition to musical ability you’re able to blend in with us. That means both timbre and personality. So, if successful in the audition, we tend to ask you join on a short probationary period so that we can both agree that we’re right for each other. And only after that will we ask you to formally join and pay the subscription.
If you have any questions about the process or about whether you think you’ve got the experience, please contact the chairman Robert Moffat: Chairman@englishchamberchoir.co.uk.
ECC Directors
Mark Roper
Chairman
Mark is one of our tenors; he joined ECC in 2016 having previously sung with New Sussex Opera, Sheffield Philharmonic, Brighton Festival Chorus and Twickenham Choral Society. Frequently a soloist with us, Mark is by profession a Business Change specialist and director of a niche Change consultancy.
Tim Johns
Vice-Chairman
Tim is a corporate communications consultant and executive coach based in the City. He has been involved in singing since his days as a cathedral chorister. He has sung baritone with the choir for over 15years although he has the annoying ability (and habit) to sing other parts as well.
Francois Boucard
Treasurer
Francois, who has sung tenor with us for 20 years, is a senior financial controller for a leading hedge fund, hence his appointment as our treasurer. Originally from France, Francois took UK citizenship in 2016.
Simon Archer
Simon, and his wife, have both sung with us for over 5 years. Previously they sang with the BBC Symphony Chorus but both joined the ECC because of the variety of repertoire and the enjoyment that comes from singing with a smaller ensemble. Simon, by profession, is an Assistant Headteacher at a secondary school.
Hugh Joslin
Hugh has sung bass with us for nearly 30 years. Managing Director of Media Contacts, a recruitment agency for the media industry, he prides himself on being possibly the only media recruiter with a music degree and a single-figure golf handicap.
Marianne Aston
Soprano Marianne, has sung with ECC for 18 years. By profession she is an occupational psychologist, and she travels the world working with a variety of global clients. Marianne is also our German pronunciation coach.
Martin Douglas
Martin has sung tenor with us for over 5 years and is librarian for our extensive choral music collection. By day he is an IT consultant for a boutique consultancy, after many years with one of the Big Four accountancy firms.
Anne Johnson DBE
Anne started singing with the sopranos in the 1980s and, after a 20-year sabbatical, rejoined the choir 3 years ago. By day she is a researcher and public health doctor. She has served as a non-executive director of a number of health research charities and of an NHS trust.
Robert Moffat
Membership
Robert is a former general manager of The Sixteen and now works for National Opera Studio. He’s sung tenor with us since the late ‘90’s. His personal passion is for neglected 19thCentury choral works but, despite his years as chairman, has remained thwarted in his attempts to persuade the ECC to sing Hiawatha.
ECC Management
Ann Manly
Manager
Ann is the Choir's manager, responsible for booking external concerts and for administration. She studied music at Oxford and is a musician, singer, arranger, writer and arts adminstrator.
Who else is who in the ECC?
David Lowe
Webmaster and Archivist
Jay Venn
Singing Lesson Administrator
Martin Douglas
Librarian
Robert Moffat
Assistant Librarian
Peggy Hannington
Rehearsal Refreshments
Current Choir Membership:
Sopranos
Hannah Ainsworth
Elizabeth Ames
Nicky Archer
Marianne Aston
Jess Daggers
Julia Daniels
Lydia Gregory
Jocelyne Hurndall
Anne Johnson
Augusta Lees
Ann Manly
Natalia Murray
Anne-Sophie O'Connor
Stella Redburn
Altos
Karen Bloomfield
Sarah Brear
Karolina Czech
Margaret Driver
Peggy Hannington
Katharine Johns
Tamsin Jones
Debbie O'Connor
Jenny Rowley
Robyn Sellman
Jay Venn
David Wheeler
Tenors
Francois Boucard
Roger Carpenter
Martin Douglas
Caspar Gordon
Robert Moffat
Stephen Pritchard
Mark Roper
Michael Roskell
Rob Scales
Basses
Simon Archer
David Elliott
Alejandro Garcia
Tim Johns
David Jordan
Hugh Joslin
Nick Landauer
David Lowe
Maxime Rischard
David Sheild
Neil Thornton
Ken Wharfe
Andrew Wightman