About our choir
The Nantwich Singers is a small chamber choir of about 18 singers whose members are drawn from all over South Cheshire and North Staffordshire. It has established a reputation as an accomplished and versatile group which performs a wide variety of music in venues throughout the North-West and beyond.
The choir was founded in the 1970s as ‘The Tudor Consort of Nantwich’ but changed its name to reflect the broadening of its repertoire which, as well as including music from the 16th century, now extends through baroque, classical and romantic eras into the 20th century where it has performed music by Britten, Tavener, Kodaly, Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre as well as folk song and close harmony arrangements.
The Singers also perform with orchestras and instrumental groups as well as with piano or organ accompaniment, but its core repertoire is unaccompanied music both sacred and secular for four to eight parts.
Because they are small in number and do not rely on instrumental accompaniment they can perform in places which other choirs cannot reach. Thus they have performed madrigals in country houses, popular concerts in local churches and masses in cathedrals.
They have sung in Kedelston Hall and St. George’s Chapel Windsor, and have deputised for the cathedral choirs in Chester, Ripon, Hereford, Lichfield, Derby and Manchester cathedrals. Many of their concerts are in St. Mary’s Church, Nantwich which is also their rehearsal venue.
The choir is involved in circa 6 events every year; these usually include a major concert in the autumn, programmes of carols and Christmas music, a programme of Passiontide music and one or more lighter summer lunchtime concerts and visits to cathedrals. The Singers have given a well-received concert in St. Giles’ Cathedral Edinburgh during the Festival Fringe and have been fortunate to be able to sing a weekend of services in Tewkesbury Abbey.
Vacancies occur in the choir from time to time and the choir has access to a number of reinforcements who can deputise when regular members of the choir are unavailable. Experienced singers who are good sight-readers are invited to introduce themselves to the choir via email: secretary@thenantwichsingers.org
The Singers are always keen to explore new venues and give concerts for charities. Anyone interested in hosting such a concert can contact the Chairperson, Annabel Neilson, in the first instance.
