The NORTH CAMDEN CHORUS is an amateur choir in the true sense: we sing for pleasure. We have rehearsals on Tuesday at 7.30pm during two or three terms each year.

Membership of the choir is open to anyone with or without choral experience. We aim for high standards, and of course strong singers are always valued — but you don't have to be able to read music, and there are no auditions (if you're not sure whether you are a soprano or alto, just ask our director to make the call). Students are particularly welcome.

We're now in the summer break before our autumn term of rehearsals, which will culminate in our concert on 4th December 2010.

The next chance to join the choir will be in September: do contact us to ask advice, and at least join our mailing list so you get a reminder for next term.

Our choir is friendly. Our musical director is Ian Gibson. But we remain true to the philosophy of our former director Neil Bowman, who instructed us: If you can make your mistakes loud enough, you'll get better...

We learn each piece of music thoroughly. Sectional rehearsals (you never have to sing on your own) help you to learn the music one part at a time; then we come together as a full choir to put it together.

We sing a rather eclectic mix of classical music — as you might see from a list of past Concerts. We do a short summer season of less-classical pieces.

We're based in North London. We meet at William Ellis School, which is on Highgate Road, London NW5 1RN (click for map), between Kentish Town and Highgate (Tufnell Park is the nearest tube).

Or get a map from google. On foot or by car, come in through the school entrance opposite Croftdown Road. Follow the drive up until the school main entrance is on your right. Go in, turn right and immediately up the stairs. On the first floor you'll find the school hall in front of you, and that's where we'll meet.

If you come by car there is parking in front of the school and by turning right from the entrance drive, just before the school buildings. There's also parking available on Croftdown Road (opposite) and other local roads.

We moved in early 2009 from Parliament Hill School, where we met for many years — William Ellis' site adjoins Parliament Hill School's, to the north. We're grateful that William Ellis are so helpful to a community (rather than a school) organisation.

Turn up at William Ellis school on one of the first three Tuesdays of any rehearsal period (from 14th September 2010 in the Autumn 2010 term): please contact us to be put on our email reminder list for next term.

It takes forever to do the paperwork on the first evening if we're having to hand-write contact details. If you sang with us recently and you're sure your details are unchanged, we need nothing except you and your money. Otherwise please either fill in the online form when it goes live in September. Or (lower-tech) download, print and complete a paper details form, and bring it with you. Why not do it right now?

There is a per-term subscription: for 2010's autumn term it will be £30 (but we're free to full-time students). Bring cash or your cheque payable to North Camden Chorus.

We meet to rehearse on Tuesdays from 7.30-9.15pm. But we open at 7pm on the first week of a new program for singers to pay fees and get music.

Bring a pencil and eraser so you can make notes on the score.

Rehearsals will start on Tuesday 14th September, then every Tuesday at 7.30pm until 30th November except for 19th October when our regular venue is closed for half-term. All rehearsals except for the 5th October will be at our standard home, William Ellis school (where will we be on the 5th October? more news later.) We'll open at 7pm for registrations on the first three weeks: please come early unless you've already registered and paid.

We'll be singing pieces which go well with a brass accompanient (says Ian): Jubilate by Bob Chilcott, Te Deum by John Rutter, Hodie christus natus est by Giovanni Gabrieli, and Ecce Sacerdos by Bruckner.

Bob Chilcott's music is very approachable, easy on the ear and written sensitively for singers. Jubilate has several movements: some are extrovert representations of praise, others more intimate. Lasting about 17 minutes the accompaniment includes brass, piano and percussion.

Rutters Te Deum is a 7 minute piece full of his ubiquitous energetic rhythms and lyrical melodies.

Gabrieli's piece comes from the venetian tradition. Choirs and brass were often employed in an extravagent demonstration of devotion and wealth and in Hodie christus natus est short phrases are exchanged between them before a grand finale involving all performers.

Bruckners dramatic motet is accompanied by trombones and organ.

At 7.30pm on Saturday 4th December 2010 at June 11th at All Hallows Church, Savernake Road, NW3 2JP.

Performances

We put on two public performances a year, at the end of our spring and autumn terms, usually accompanied by a small orchestra. The evenings are informal and great fun but it's real music done well. We often mix the choral pieces with performances from local students, and end the evening with food and drink.

In addition to our two major concerts we have a social evening in the summer where we eat, drink and do some singing. Many choir members take part in an annual evening of carol singing in Hampstead, raising money for the children's Christmas party at the Royal Free Hospital.

You can see and marvel at all we've sung in the last many years.

Our leaders

Ian Gibson has been our musical director since 2006, and was our accompanist and occasional conductor for the previous decade.

Ian's interest in singing began as a chorister at the Parish Church Choir in Enfield. He was educated at the Latymer School and was a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal Academy of Music. Ian studied music at St Catharine's College, Cambridge where he was President of the College Music Society and a Choral Exhibitioner. Here, he conducted the College Orchestra and was soloist in Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto.

Ian is Assistant Director of Music and a Year Head at University College School, Hampstead where he conducts the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. He is also Director of Camjam, a Saturday morning music centre run by Camden LEA.

Ian plays in the Enfield Chamber Orchestra and aside from his musical interests enjoys foreign travel, watching football and playing tennis.

Mark Denza is our regular rehearsal pianist and section director (which seriously understates his remarkably wide range of musical skills).

Philip Godfrey is well-known to us as a stand-in pianist and section director, and the composer of one of our Autumn 2009 pieces.

Choir History

The North Camden Chorus was formed around 1978 to allow parents and students of William Ellis and Parliament Hill Schools to perform major choral works. We're less connected with the schools these days and don't have many school-age members, but local school students still perform solos in our concerts.

The choir has benefitted from a sudden surge of interest in choral singing (TV programmes may have helped) and we have had up to 140 members registered this year. We have an age range from under twenty to over seventy (we're pleased to have many more younger singers than a couple of years ago).

Previous conductors have included Colin Durrant, John Madden and Neil Bowman. Soloists have included Andrew Carwood, Mark Wilde and Michael Palin!

Email or call our secretary on 07960 337 130 or 020 7226 0032. Or you could join our facebook group, which is also called "North Camden Chorus".

This section is for events in the near future which may be of interest to members. I will post pretty much anything that anyone mails to me.

Other organisations

Local choir the Royal Free Music Society has an excellent web site with help for singers. I particularly like the look of their music guide aimed at beginner and less-experienced singers.
Nordoff Robbins is a charity which uses music in music therapy and community building. Their UK centre is at 2 Lissenden Gardens, NW5 1PQ — just round the corner from the school where we rehearse. They run concerts, usually pretty classy, benefitting the charity, a few times a year. Finchley Chamber Choir: regular concerts in Trinity Church, North Finchley, N12 7NN with this smaller and more expert choir. A good local place to hear choral repertoire.
music&friends run choir festivals and international meetings.
RunBySingers set up musical holidays, which always sound very tempting.
The London Sangerstevner is a series of choral festivals.
Small Choirs Website claims 200+ free pieces of music for church choirs, and occasional festivals.
Philip Norman Music Services do a lot of internet/email promotion of amateur music events — several of the above are from them.
Marije Rommes runs individual and join-in group singing courses.
The IMSLP / Petrucci Music Library is an excellent place to find free downloadable music scores.

Local Singing practice and tuition

Debora Collister runs a singing group every Wednesday 7pm-8.30pm at Kings Cross Baptist Church, Vernon Square, London WC1X (close to Kings Cross Station). To book call Debora on 07985-439-657.

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Website built and maintained by choir member Dominic Sweetman. Thanks to Ralf Bächle for hosting us for free.