Welcome to the website of

Bookham Choral Society

Registered Charity No. 1058863

We are a very friendly society of about 80 singers. Have a look through the website for information about us, our conductor and our programme. If you like what you see, why not come along and meet us. You can be sure of a warm welcome.

	Conductor/Musical director & Accompanist
BCS - an introduction		Our Next Concert
Current Programme for 2009/10		Contact us
	Links

Bookham Choral Society - a brief introduction

Origins

The Society was formed in 1927 with the general objective of promoting choral music in the locality and the more specific one of taking part in the annual Leith Hill Musical Festival held in Dorking which at that time had already been running for more than 20 years. [Left: Leith Hill tower]

Activities

Participation in the Leith Hill Festival remains at the heart of the Society's activities, but we also give concerts in the early summer and in the autumn, plus up to three carol concerts in the village at Christmas. Most of our concerts are performed in Bookham or Leatherhead but we are now looking at other possibilities. This year's programme.

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Rehearsals

Our season runs from early September through to the end of June or early July and we rehearse during that period on Tuesday evenings from 7.45 - 9.45pm at the United Reformed Church hall in Eastwick Road, Bookham.

Membership

Our membership at present is around 80 and ages range from the twenties to the seventies. New members are always welcome. We have no auditions or other entry formalities; the only requirement is that you enjoy singing and can sing in tune!

Money Matters

Members pay an annual subscription, currently about £70 with concessions for those at both ends of the age range. Various fundraising events are held during the year

More information

We will be glad to answer any questions you may have. You can contact us by clicking on Contact Us

Interested?

Why not drop in on one of our rehearsals without commitment? We rehearse at Bookham United Reformed Church (the corner of Eastwick Road and Keswick Road) on Tuesdays from early September at 8.00pm. We'll be delighted to see new singers at 7.45pm.

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Our Conductor/Musical Director: Keith Willis

Through his work Keith has been associated with youth music in Surrey for many years. Despite the increasing demands of senior management posts in Surrey County Council, he counts himself very fortunate to have shared music making with so many talented young musicians in Surrey County Youth Orchestra which he conducted for 16 years. As pianist and conductor he has worked with many fine musicians-among them John Lill, Colin Bradbury, Jack Brymer, Julian Lloyd Weber, Michael Collins, Emma Johnson, Crispin Steele-Perkins, Meredith Davies, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Charles Groves, Vernon Handley and Christopher Adey.

He has a particular passion for chamber music and is currently involved with a number of group including piano trios, quartets and quintets which perform under the umbrella titles of Surrey Soloists, Aegean Ensemble and Toccata.

He has travelled widely in his performing career and has given concerts in many parts of the world including, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Holland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia ,Turkey, Israel, Egypt, the USA and throughout the UK.

Conducting engagements include the Mahler Orchestra, Dorking Chamber Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, Bookham Choral Society, Reading Bach Choir, Reading University Chamber Choir, St Albans Youth Chamber Choir, Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra, Opera Brava and the Grange Choir.

As a music educator, Keith has been Chair of the National Association of Music Educators and worked with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and Ofsted on a range of projects of national importance. He has been a guest lecturer at Reading, London and North Middlesex Universities and adjudicator for competitions at the Royal College, Guildhall and for the Leith Hill Festival. Having recently left his post as Head of Culture for Surrey County, he now heads Outreach at the Yehudi Menuhin School.

Keith is honorary music adviser to the Gustav Mahler Society UK and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. We are privileged indeed to have him both as the Society‘s President and our Director of Music.

Our Accompanist: Gina Eason

Gina has lived and worked in the Dorking area for many years and accompanies extensively in Surrey and Sussex on both piano and organ. She also directs two church choirs and two ladies' choirs and is accompanist to three choral societies. Gina studied composition with Lennox Berkeley and has composed extensively for church choirs, including a setting for The Common Worship Parish Eucharist.

She is also a keen chamber musician on the cello and plays recorder in an early music consort. Her other interests include painting and drawing, enjoying the countryside and coast, walking and gardening.

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OUR 2009/10 PROGRAMME

AUTUMN CONCERT

CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERTS

Barn Hall	St Nicolas Church

LEITH HILL MUSICAL FESTIVAL

Saturday 17th April 2010

7.30 pm The Dorking Halls

Programme: As part of the Leith Hill music Festival the Choir joins with other Division 1 choirs in the district

Three Songs of Praise - Dyson
The Music Makers - Elgar

CONTACT US

Tickets for concerts may be obtained by:-

Ringing our ticket secretary Pat Hunter on 01372 457705.

Ordering direct from any choir member.

Purchasing from 'Cascade' in Bookham High Street

By email from bandh.maurice@uwclub.net

For potential choir members or any other questions please ring Liz May on 01372 458811

If you would like to be put on our mailing list for future performances please give your name and address to Pat Hunter on the above telephone number, or email us at bandh.maurice@uwclub.net .