The South West Chamber Choir, a group of some 25 voices, was formed in 1995.  We have a wide-ranging repertoire of small-scale choral music including Elizabethan madrigals, Renaissance polyphony, Bach motets, sacred music by English and continental composers from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, romantic partsongs, and works by contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt and John Tavener. Much of our repertoire is sung unaccompanied. 

Our next concert: Summer Songs, Fowey Church, Saturday 9th June 2012, 7:30pm

We include commissioned and contemporary works in our programmes, and recently gave the first performance of sacred works written for us by Devon composers Andrew Wilson and Jason Smart, both former Musical Directors of the choir.  

Our annual programme typically comprises a concert of sacred music in March/April, a summer programme of unaccompanied madrigals and partsongs at two venues, and a concert of motets and carols for Advent/Christmas, with a weekend in July singing choral services at a cathedral or abbey.  

There are often vacancies for new singers, who are encouraged to join us at our practices on a trial basis.  The ability to read music to a reasonable standard is essential.  We have weekly rehearsals in Plymouth on Wednesday evenings.

Stephen Trahair, the Musical Director, has sung with the choir since 2003, and was appointed MD in 2008. Although a lawyer by profession, choral music has always been his main interest, and he has sung with many choirs including the RSCM Cathedral Singers and St Martins Singers, as well as having considerable experience of conducting and accompanying choirs. He has written and arranged both sacred and secular choral music, and has published albums of unaccompanied arrangements of partsongs and carols as well as two albums for organ. He has produced several editions of choral works which form much of the choir's repertoire. Details of the editions and arrangements which are available can be found here.

The choir has sung at Hereford, Brecon, St David’s and Truro Cathedrals, and Tewkesbury and Bath Abbeys.  Recent concerts have been given at Topsham, Tavistock, Landrake, Cotehele House, Ford Park Cemetery Chapel and Church of the Ascension at Crownhill in Plymouth. Other venues include Buckfast Abbey and Fowey.

Hear us singing 'The World's Desire' by Stephen Trahair recorded by BBC Radio Devon