Please complete our contact form if you are interested in joining our choir or you would like to join our concert mailing list Contact Us Please contact us if you have a question about: joining the choir (please mention your voice part SATB). Please also let us know how you heard about us. upcoming concerts & tickets sponsorship anything else Our email address is: brockchoir@gmail.com You can opt out from newsletters at any time by emailing brockchoir@gmail.com

The Brockenurst Choir is based in the heart of New Forest. We sing a wide range of choral music and hold at least two concerts each year. Come and join us ! Site Links Click here to access the Brockenhurst Choir Privacy Policy

Our very accomplished accompanist Music Director - Matthew Kelley Matthew Kelley is an organist and composer, born in Worcester, who began work as Music Director of Brockenhurst Choir in September 2024, having previously worked as the choir’s accompanist through 2023 and 2024. He is based at Canford School in Dorset where he works as School Organist, assisting with both teaching and extra-curricular activities within the music department. Away from the school, he has a freelance career playing the organ for services and recitals at various churches across Dorset and Hampshire, most regularly at Wimborne Minster. Matthew started working in secondary schools in 2023, holding the post of Graduate Musician at King Edward VI School in Southampton until August 2024. Before this, he worked as the Graham Rogers Organ Scholar of Chelmsford Cathedral from September 2021 to August 2023, where he also held the position of Acting Assistant Organist from September 2022 to April 2023. He began learning the organ in 2010 under Christopher Allsop whilst he was a chorister with Worcester Cathedral Choir, took on his first playing role as Senior Organ Scholar of Great Malvern Priory in 2015, and was later the 2017/18 Organ Scholar of Guildford Cathedral under the directorship of Katherine Dienes-Williams. Matthew graduated from Durham University in 2021 with a first-class degree in Music. Whilst there, he held the post of Musical Director at St Chad’s College, and directed the Durham University Choral Society through 2020/21. He is recognised as a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) and also has a DipABRSM for Music Performance on the piano. He also enjoys playing jazz, and is in demand as an accompanist, repetiteur, and continuo player. As well as a performer, Matthew is an award-winning composer, winning the junior category of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers Competition in 2015 with his piece Fantasia for Strings. In 2024, his piece Christ Inviting won first prize within the Isaac Watts Composition Competition, celebrating the 350th anniversary of the minister and hymn writer. He has also been commissioned to write for groups such as the BBC Singers and the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir, and has one choral work, Morning Thoughts, published through the RSCM Press. Away from music, Matthew is a keen reader, cook, sailor and cyclist. He lives with his partner, Catherine, in Dorset.

Details about concerts Next Concert - Saturday March 29th, 2025 at 7.30pm St Saviour's Church in Brockenhurst Choruses from The Light of Life (“Lux Christi”) Op. 29 Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Movements from Paulus Op. 36 Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Three Preludes Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) Five Mystical Songs Vaughan Williams Hear My Prayer Mendelssohn From the Bavarian Highlands Op. 27 Elgar Conductor Matthew Kelley Soprano Soloist Isabelle Palmer Baritone Soloist Alan Ford Organist Sean Tucker Pianist Jo Kent

Our chairman Chair - Alan Ford Alan is our enthusiastic chairman and a very experienced choral and operatic baritone. Whilst studying medicine in London, he sang with the BBC Chorus, participating in many Proms. As a soloist, he has performed in the Faure Requiem, Dvorak Te Deum and the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Opera roles have included the Vicar in Oxford Opera Studio’s production of Britten’s Albert Herring, Noye in Noye’s Fludde and Falke in Die Fledermaus in Nottingham. Memorably, he was in charge on the bridge as the ship struck the iceberg in Nottingham Operatic Society’s production of the musical Titanic. Alan regularly attended the AIMS International Summer School between 2000 and 2017, performing operatic solo roles in Falstaff, Cendrillon, Albert Herring, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Trial by Jury, The Bartered Bride, Menotti’s “The Medium” and Sondheim’s “Sweeny Todd”. He has subsequently attended Oxenfoord Summer School where he has had masterclasses with Dame Ann Murray, John Mark Ainsley, and Nicky Spence. He is a member of “Singing Salon”, a group of classically trained soloists who meet under the guidance of mezzo-soprano Pippa Dames-Longworth and invited specialists. He enjoys singing Art Song (especially English) and German Lieder. He has given Recitals at Romsey Abbey, Christ Church, Freemantle, Southampton and Brockenhurst Village Hall. On November 11th 2022, he performed as a soloist at a Military Wives concert at the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop, singing songs written by composers who were killed in (George Butterworth) or hugely damaged by (Ivor Gurney) the Great War. He has given Recitals at Romsey Abbey, Christ Church Southampton, Brockenhurst Village Hall and in Brighton for Sussex Musicians’ Club. Alan also plays the violin and is chair not only of our choir but also the New Forest Orchestra and Brockenhurst Music Society.

Some very important people ! About Us Matthew Kelley Music Director Jo Kent Accompianist Alan Ford Chair Past Soloists Choir History April 2023: Sir Vince Cable has kindly agreed to become Patron of The Brockenhurst Choir

Come and join our choir ! We welcome new members. No need for an audition. Fill in our contact form including details of your voice part (SATB) and we'll get back to you Come and sing with us ..... Please get in touch if you would like to join our choir - we would love to hear from you. It doesn't matter if you haven't sung for a number of years - many choir members have returned to singing after long breaks. You are very welcome to attend a rehearsal before making a commitment. Auditions are not required, but you should be able to sing at the level of the choir ** We are very keen to hear from new (or returning) tenors and basses. Rehearsals We rehearse on Tuesday evenings from 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm in Brockenhurst Village Hall (Highwood Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7RY) and we hold two concerts per year, normally in May and December. There are no commitments over the summer. Membership / Subscriptions We have a choir subscription which, together with ticket sales, funds all aspects of running the choir. This comprises an annual membership and a per term fee. To find out more or to have a chat with someone from the choir, please email brockchoir@gmail.com ** if you cannot read music but think you still have something to offer, please get in touch anyway

Some of the wonderful soloists we have worked with Past Soloists The choir has had the privilege of working with a number of talented soloists over the years Bios coming soon .....

The Brockenurst Choir is based in the heart of New Forest. We sing a wide range of choral music and hold at least two concerts each year. Come and join us ! Subscribe to the Brockenhurst Choir Newsletter Submit Thank you for subscribing. You will shortly receive an email to confirm your subscription

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A brief history of our choir A Brief History .... Click for a more detailed history 2002 : The choir welcomed Paul Colman as music director and his first concert was celebratory music for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Year. The year was also notable as members voted to change the name from Brockenhurst Village Choir to THE BROCKENHURST CHOIR. 2004 : The choir celebrated its 40th anniversary with a performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ – a special guest for the evening was Jane Fish the choir’s director 1973-1994. The following year the choir performed Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man’ to much acclaim. 2007 : In December, the choir held its 100th concert and over the next few years the choir’s repertoire was further enhanced under Paul’s baton with performances of ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’ by Coleridge Taylor, Lambert’s ‘Rio Grande’ and a performance of the Missa Luba African mass. 2010 : On Paul’s departure, Miriam Newton was appointed director of music continuing the tradition of expert musicianship which the choir had enjoyed since its inception. Her debut concert with us was Handel’s ‘Messiah’ followed by programmes of challenging and exciting works from Bach’s ‘Mass in B Minor’ to opera choruses. 2014 : The complex ‘Israel in Egypt’ by Handel was chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the choir in preparation for which Miriam organised a master workshop with renowned authority Will Dawes. This was the first of several workshops 2015: Neil Ferris covered Rossini’s ‘Petite Mess Solenelle’ 2018 : Joanna Tomlinson gave a masterclass on Vaughan Williams’ ‘Sea Symphony’ which the choir performed in conjunction with Total Voice Chamber Choir and Westbourne Orchestra at St. Ambrose Church, Westbourne. 2019 : A Brahms’ ‘German Requiem’ workshop was held with Max Barley. The final performance was in conjunction with Ian Farrington’s excellent Chamber Orchestra, enabling a mainstream 19th century work to be tackled with orchestral accompaniment. For Miriam’s farewell concert on November 30th she selected a mixed programme of music for Advent including Rutter’s ‘Gloria’ and Parry’s ‘Blessed Pair of Sirens’. The Kneller Brass Ensemble added to an evening of fanfare, quality singing and audience enjoyment befitting the end of her tenure and undoubted contribution to the success of the Brockenhurst Choir. 2020 : The choir welcomed Craig Lawton as their new music director. Rehearsals had just begun for the Spring concert and then came the disruption of the pandemic, Covid-19, with all choir activities throughout the country prohibited. The choir did not resume rehearsals until late 2021. Craig’s first concert as our new music director was therefore not until 4th December with a concert of Music for Christmas. 2022 : Alex Eadon appointed as Music Director in October 2022. Alex's first concert will include the Mozart Requiem. 2023 : Matthew Kelley appointed as Choir Accompanist. Matthew replaces Nicola Hargreave, our much loved accompanist of recent years. 2024: Matthew Kelley appointed as Music Director following the final performance as Director by Alex Eadon who is moving away from Hampshire. Jo Kent (nee Corbyn) returns as Accompianist. Details of all concerts performed by the Brockenhurst Choir are available on the website. Updated July 2024

Come and join us ! We are a lively amateur mixed choir based in Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest. We are enthusiastic, friendly and love singing ! We perform a broad classical choral repertoire, holding concerts twice a year working with orchestras and professional soloists. Next Concert - Saturday March 29th at 7.30 pm Tickets available on line via TicketSource (link above), from Streets and PotPourri in Brockenhurst or at the door. Please come and join us a night of glorious music ! Welcome to the Brockenhurst Choir The Brockenhurst Choir is an amateur mixed choir based in Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest. We are enthusiastic, friendly and love singing. We perform a broad classical repertoire. We hold two concerts a year (normally in May / June and December), and we regularly work with professional soloists and orchestras. Recent notable performances have included Charpentier Masse de Minuit, Bach St John Passion, Britten St Nicholas, Zimbe, Little Jazz Mass, the Mozart Requiem, Faure Requiem, Handel Coronation Anthems, Brahms Requiem, Handel Messiah, Vaughan Williams ‘A Sea Symphony’, Bach Mass in B minor, Goodall Requiem ‘Eternal Light’ and Haydn ‘The Creation’. In 2024, we were pleased to welcome new Music Director Matthew Kelley, as well as the return of Jo Kent (previously Corbyn) as our accompanist. New choir members are always welcome. If you would like to join the choir please get in touch - see our ' Join Us ' page.