About Us

The Chigwellian Choral Society is an amateur choral society. The choir is traditionally conducted by Chigwell School's Director of Music but is currently under the leadership of Lindsay Benson. The choir currently comprises about 50-60 singers, drawn from a wide area including Epping, Loughton, Woodford, Ilford, Romford, and further afield.

The Society started in the autumn of 1952 with 15 singers under the baton of John Auton, Director of Music at Chigwell School. Membership grew steadily and subsequent Directors of Music have built on this firm foundation.

Lindsay Benson
Our current musical director is Lindsay Benson. Born in Ilford, Essex, Lindsay began his musical studies at the North East Essex Technical College, Colchester (now known as The Colchester Institute). He won an open scholarship for singing to the Royal Academy of Music, London, and while there won many prizes for oratorio, lieder and English song. On leaving the RAM, he started singing with Welsh National Opera, Cardiff and The Royal Opera, Covent Garden. He also joined the Ambrosian Opera Chorus and took part in many opera recordings.

As well as the classical music, he became involved with the lighter side of music and began singing with the Nigel Brooks Singers. Regular broadcasting on both radio and television with the group led to solo broadcasts on programmes such as Friday Night is Music Night, Among Your Souvenirs, Songs from the Shows, etc. He eventually joined the Cliff Adams Singers and for many years sang for the legendary Radio Two Sing Something Simple programme. While all this was going on, he was also a member of the Swingle Singers and for four years travelled the world with them, leaving only due to the arrival of his daughter.

Travelling over, he resumed his career in the London session scene, once again combining opera with musicals including Cats, Grease and Hair, as well as becoming involved in many television commercials. At present, he is giving evening classes for singers in the Borough of Newham and directing the Newham Academy Big Band. Before joining the Swingle Singers, he was musical director of the Epping Phoenix Choir and he has enjoyed the opportunity to come back to his roots in working with the Chigwellian Choral Society.

What we sing
We sing a variety of choral works for four and eight part harmony (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) ranging from major oratorios to shorter modern pieces. Most recently we have performed Handel's Israel in Egypt, Puccini's Messa di Gloria, Mozart's Requiem Mass and Mass in C Minor, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Vivaldi's Gloria, and pieces by Charles Wood, Elgar, Charles Villiers Stanford, Parry and Arthur Sullivan.

Where and when we rehearse
We rehearse in New Hall, Chigwell School from 7:45 - 10pm each Wednesday evening during term time (with a short break for tea or coffee).

Where and when we perform
We perform a major concert each term. Over the past few years we have been joined for our spring concert by the Chigwell School choirs. We also perform a concert at Christmas, which is traditionally followed by mulled wine and mince pies.

Concert venues are typically local churches. We perform regularly in St. John's Church, Epping and in Waltham Abbey. Sometimes we perform further afield, for example in Brentwood Cathedral or St James' Church, Clerkenwell.

Usually two concerts each year are performed with a full professional orchestra and soloists.

How to join
If you would like to sing with us, please contact the membership secretary. You are very welcome to come along to rehearsals and sing with us for a few weeks to see if you like it before deciding whether you want to join the Society and become a member (see Membership).

Do I have to audition and be able to read music?
An audition is not required. It is not necessary to be good at sight-reading, provided you have a good ear to learn music quickly.

The dress code for concerts
Men - "black tie" - dinner jackets and dress shirt
Women - blue concert dress with scarf, dark grey/black tights and black or dark blue court shoes

Other activities
There are a number of other activities in which you may wish to become involved:

Choral tours abroad: these are usually long weekends. The choir has visited Wales, Bruges, Antwerp, Dublin and Cyprus

Social events: theatre trips, concerts, barn dances, an annual summer barbeque, and drinks in the pub after rehearsals

Fund raising events: quiz nights, auctions, boot sales.