History
Crowthorne Choral Society was started in the late 1960s by Jared Armstrong, then Director of Music at Wellington College. His intention was to provide adult support for the boys choir, and a link between the College and the village. It began life in 1968 as ‘Crowthorne Music Society’ but by December 1969 had become Crowthorne Choral Society, which in later years began to perform additional concerts without student singers (see Past Performances).
The Society has continued to be ‘inherited’ by Directors of Music, and still receives invaluable support from the College, in terms of rehearsal facilities and concert venues. Virtually all our concerts still include some student participation, either as instrumentalists or singers.
Crowthorne Choral Society now performs three concerts a year, from a wide repertoire of oratorio in the Autumn and Spring, with lighter works in the summer. The Autumn concert is normally in Wellington College Chapel, with either organ or small orchestra, while the Spring concert, in the Sports Hall, combines the resources of the Choral Society, Wellington College students, staff and parents, to perform a large-scale work with full orchestra. It usually includes a concerto performed by a College student. The summer concert takes place in the Dining Hall and is informal in style, with a lighter music programme.
The choir has twice ventured abroad to perform, in Bruges (2005), and Lille (2007). In 2009 the choir recorded a CD (details). We also host occasional choral workshops, sing Carols for charity, and meet socially at Christmas and in the summer. (see Future Events)