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 twentieth century, romantic partsongs, and works by contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt and John Tavener. Much of our repertoire is sung unaccompanied.
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. Although a lawyer by profession, choral music has always been his main interest, and he has considerable experience of conducting and accompanying choirs. He has written and arranged music for secular and church choirs, and has published albums with a capella arrangements of partsongs and carols as well as two albums for organ.
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 and Ford Park Cemetery Chapel in Plymouth. Future venues include the Church of the Ascension at Crownhill, Plymouth, Buckfast Abbey and Fowey.
The South West Chamber Choir at Bath Abbey, July 2010
The South West Chamber Choir at Cotehele, Cornwall at Christmas 2009