Welcome
Welcome to Wimbledon Choral and our website. We are a choir of 180 or so members drawn from a wide range of ages, professions and backgrounds, and have a reputation for giving concerts of the highest quality presented with professional soloists and orchestras.
Rehearsal Accompanist Required :
After 17 wonderful years, Michael Higgins has stood down from the role of accompanist for Wimbledon Choral. Therefore, we are seeking a replacement for him. Please see www.wimbledon-choral.org.uk/accompanist for further details if interested.
Choir Notice :
It's been a great first season with Daniel and we look forward to the start of the new 2025/26 season. Rehearsals commence on Monday 1st September. If you may be interested in singing with us then please do come along to the first two rehearsals in September, which are designated as 'open' sessions for anyone who would like to try us out. Further details on the Join Us page.
Always keep a look out for new versions of the rehearsal schedule in the Quick Links section. This gets updated as certain items get confirmed over the season. An online version is also available on the Rehearsals page.
The new edition for the next season (v1 : 16-Jun-25) is now available to download.
Coming Up
To see what exciting music we had to share with you for this whole past season, just click on the banner above.
The opening concert of the new 2025/26 season sees us return to Southwark Cathedral for a performance of Dvořák's Requiem. Further details about this great work can be read on the event page.
First performed in Birmingham in 1891, it seemed to exceed all expectations with music critics lauding it as one of the most powerful settings of the Mass for the Dead. Look out for the Book Here option to be displayed to get your tickets.
We look forward to welcoming you at this concert.
Our New Commission
Wimbledon Choral is delighted to announce that it has commissioned renowned London-born composer, Tarik O'Regan, to write a new mass, which will receive its world premiere in London's Cadogan Hall in April 2026. Further details about this exciting news can be found here: www.wimbledon-choral.org.uk/criticalmass.
The recording of our previous commission, Cecilia McDowall's Da Vinci Requiem, is now available for sale via streaming channels and on CD.
"An electrifying performance of my new arrangement of the Verdi Requiem, Luminous singing and enormous dramatic impact."
Richard Blackford, composer
"Absolute commitment to every word – fantastic stuff that stirs the soul."
Ben Durrant, soloist
"Last night‘s concert was outstanding. The entire cathedral was buzzing during and afterwards. It was joyous."
Audience member
"Absolutely thrilled with the Wimbledon Choral performance of my 'Salve Deus' last night. Very happy composer!"
Alison Willis, composer
"A magnificent performance of my 'Mirror of Perfection' tonight in Cadogan Hall. Heartfelt thanks to all the performers for an unforgettable evening."
Richard Blackford, composer
"Where some amateur choruses can give the impression of dutiful performers, how heartening it was to see singers of all ages who clearly adore singing."
"... one of the most substantial and formidable choirs in London ... a vigorous and sophisticated choral ensemble ..."
"... the impressive Wimbledon Choral Society ..."
Barry Millington, Evening Standard
"... the superb Wimbledon Choral ..."
Robert Matthew-Walker, The Organ
"Wimbledon Choral Society make a lovely sound - clean, clear and bright."
Anna Picard, The Times
"The Wimbledon Choral Society were magnificent. Nothing seemed out of place - the women angelic, the men monastic - the intonation and timing exquisite."
Marc Bridle, Opera Today
Click here to read more feedback we've had about our performances.
The season runs from September to June and consists typically of three main concerts in major venues in and around London and a local Christmas concert in the Wimbledon area. As well as promoting its own concerts, the choir is invited occasionally to participate in other events with several of Britain’s leading orchestras and in collaboration with other choirs.
The 2024/25 season began on Monday 2nd September with our new Music Director, Daniel Mahoney. The planned schedule of rehearsala and events is available via the Quick Links section to the left. See our Join Us page for further details of when potential new members normally would be welcome to come along. The first two rehearsals in September and January are designated as 'open' and anyone who would like to have a taster of what it would be like to sing with this large, friendly choir is very welcome to come along.
The previous season started with the Verdi Requiem in a newly adapted version by Richard Blackford, sung to a full house in the impressive Holy Trinity Church, just off Sloane Square in SW1. Like many other choirs, we marked the 100th anniversary of Gabriel Faure's death with a performance of his Requiem paired with Blackford's astonishing Mirror of Perfection. The summer concert was our last with outgoing MD Neil Ferris - a programme full of music on a theme of Reflections & Inspirations.
This coming season sees us explore new contemporary composers and blow off the dust on a piece we haven't performed for years. In November, Daniel's debut, we were back in Holy Trinity, Sloane Square - details for the programme can be found here. Then our spring concert sees us in Cadogan Hall performing Dobrinka Tabakova's beautiful Centuries of Meditations that was commissioned by Hereford Cathedral. See the event page for more details. In the same concert, as a complete contrast, will be Haydn's Nelson Mass. The summer concert will be held locally in Wimbledon and feature Rutter's Mass for the Children. So an exciting first season for both Daniel and us to work on and, we hope, for you to enjoy.
The choir also supports the locally organised Merton SingFest - a collaboration of locally-based choirs in the Merton area and the Merton Music Foundation. It is a great opportunity for singers of all ages from across the borough to get together and celebrate the joy of singing. The 2025 SingFest day for WCS participation will be on Saturday 10th May in St Mark's Church.
Clips featuring and about the choir can be found on the Hear Us page. Whether you are interested in hearing us, joining us, supporting us or hiring us, please follow the links above or contact us. If you would like to be kept up to date with all the latest concert news and promotional offers then please join our mailing list.
Please also consider supporting us with your online shopping. It won't cost you a penny but would help us enormously to maintain our high level of quality in our performances and other projects. Further details on how to do this can be found here.
Wimbledon Choral Society (performing as Wimbledon Choral) is a registered charity in England & Wales (No. 263150) with a Constitution, approved by the Charity Commission. The Annual Report and associated annual Accounts Statement are approved at the Society's AGM and are published and made available on the Charity Commission's website for public viewing.
