We’re recruiting!
We are looking forward to rebuilding and refreshing the choir with our new musical director, Ben Kirk. In particular, under Ben’s leadership, we are on a mission to sing beautiful music from beyond the standard UK choral tradition, as well as some of our audience’s favourite pieces. We start the new season with Brahms Fünf Gesänge, Clara Schumann Drei Gemischte Chöre and Arvo Pärt La Dopo Vittoria.
We are on the lookout for new full-time singers for all parts: perhaps people who have moved to the area and are looking for a high-quality chamber choir, or singers who want to sing interesting music with a small, friendly ensemble.
In particular, we are looking for our next intake of interns. Our interns scheme gives talented young singers the chance to sing with us for a year free of charge, to build their musical experience. Previous interns have joined us during their sixth forms, and before going on to university or music college.
If you are interested in joining The Lea Singers, please email [email protected]. You will be invited to join a couple of rehearsals to see if you like us, before auditioning with our musical director. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings at St George’s School, Harpenden.
Announcing our new conductor
We are delighted to announce that we have appointed our thirteenth conductor, Ben Kirk.
Brahms Requiem on sale
Tickets for our next concert on 21 May are now on sale. We will be performing Brahms Requiem, conducted by the wonderful Quintin Beer. This version of the Requiem has a piano duo accompaniment arranged by Brahms himself for its London premiere.
Last night’s concert, and Brahms Requiem
Last night’s concert of Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil at St Albans Cathedral was a very special occasion for us – our first serious concert in two years, set against the awful background of the current conflict. This is a performance that will linger in the memory for a long time. The retiring collection raised just over £1000 for British-Ukrainian Aid – thank you for your generosity towards this important cause.
Our next concert will be Brahms Requiem in St Nicholas Church, Harpenden – postponed from last year due to Covid. This is on 21 May – tickets to go on sale shortly.
Rachmaninov Vespers in the Lady Chapel
Tickets are now on sale for our next concert, which is only a few weeks away – Saturday 12 March – in the Lady Chapel of St Albans Cathedral. We are working hard on our Church-Slavonic pronunciation… Many thanks to Frank Althaus of The Russian Language Centre for coming to Harpenden to coach us.
We are looking for a new Musical Director
The Lea Singers are looking to appoint a new Musical Director later in 2022. Information on the role and how to apply are in the job description. The deadline for applications is 11 February.
Merry Christmas
We are so pleased to have been able to perform our first concert in two years on Thursday night. Thank you to the Eric Morecambe Centre for hosting us and our lovely audience for their unwavering support.
Between the MerriLea Digital Advent Calendar and raffle sales at the concert we have raised over £1000 for the vital work of the Harpenden Trust. Thank you for your generosity.
We are now looking forward to our next concert in St. Albans Cathedral in March – Rachmaninov Vespers.
Digital Advent Calendar on sale
Last year’s video Advent Calendar was such a success that we are doing it again this year. We are grateful to St. Lawrence Church, Bovingdon and Our Lady of Lourdes, Harpenden for allowing us to use their beautiful buildings to make the recordings which are now being edited and prepared.
We are supporting an outstanding local charity this year, the Harpenden Trust. All our profits will go towards funding their amazing work in our local area.
So if you would like a little bit of pre-Christmas joy to drop into your inbox every morning 1-25 December, head over here to sign up.
Remember concerts?
“a performance of music by one or more musicians or singers”
Sounds good?
We kick off at St. Nicholas Church, Harpenden in November with Brahms Requiem. We also have the absolute pleasure of performing at the brand new Eric Morecambe Centre for our Christmas Concert on 23 December. And we will (finally) be celebrating our 60th anniversary in the lovely, lovely setting of St Albans Cathedral next March.
For those of you unable to join us this year (sadly, it hasn’t gone away), we will also be producing another video Advent Calendar and knowing our supporters’ unfailing generosity – thank you – raising plenty of money for charity.