We are a very friendly group of about 60 members of varying abilities and ages who share a love of singing. We give four concerts a year, frequently with soloists and an orchestra. Wherever possible our soloists are up and coming young soloists from one of the London music schools at the start of their career. And they are fantastic, a real inspiration to the choir.
And afterwards if you fancy coming to choir rehearsals to see if it is for you then you are very welcome.
Our next concert is on Sunday 5th July
Our next concert is in Sudbury Arts Centre once again and it will be a mainly light hearted affair to welcome in the warm summer months. Lots more detail to follow so please keep an eye out.
Our last big concert was on:
Our last big big concert was on Sunday 19th April at 7 pm in Sudbury Arts Centre. It was a wonderful selection of our (and hopefully your) favourite opera choruses plus much loved excerpts from a selection of choral works as well.
With a professional orchestra and the stunning Madeleine Perring as our soprano soloist it was a really great event. Madeleine’s Jewel Song from Gounod’s Faust was the highlight of the show but the choir was not to be outdone and really gave it their all. Great performane and a great evening for a packed in audience at the Arts Centre.
We are talking Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Faure’s Pie Jesu, Brahms’ Wie Lieblich, Verdi’s Hebrew Slaves, Mozart Lacrimosa and some pure orchestral masterpieces including Mascagni’s Intermezzo and more. It was really splendid.
Our last Christmas concert was on:
Saturday 13th December in St Gregory’s Church, Sudbury. It was a really lovely community concert in a lovely ancient church – all the details here.
In addition to full concerts we also perform around Sudbury and you can hire us for your special event. And in June or July of each year we also have a fun summer concert of lighter music.
Our last event was on:
A Come and Sing rehearsal in Friars Hall, School Street next to the old URC building was held on Monday 12th January 2026 from 7 pm until 9:30. This event was open to anyone and everyone – either to sing or to sit and listen – and it was free and newcomers met a very nice and friendly bunch of people. People just turned up but they could also email us on info@sudburychoralsociety.co.uk to say they are coming or to ask a question.
And afterwards if you fancy coming to choir rehearsals to see if it is for you then you are very welcome.
What we do
As well as large choral works, our programmes feature a variety of music, from Bach to the Beatles, and include folk music, madrigals and carols. There are no auditions, but an ability to read music is an advantage.
Although we take our music seriously, there is also room for fun and friendship. There are singing days, social and money-making events such as a summer barbecue and an annual quiz. Rehearsals are now being held in Friars Hall, School Street, Sudbury which is the church hall attached to what was the URC now renamed the Joy Abbot Hall(School Street, Sudbury CO10 2HA). We rehearse on Monday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Interested in joining, want to know more? Get in contact with us here. You are welcome to come to three rehearsals to see how you like it before any subscription is due, and we are not good at counting! Well, except when we are singing. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
Our Conductor
John has been Musical Director of Sudbury Choral Society since June 2020. John is a cellist, organist, pianist, orchestral and chamber music coach, conductor and arranger. He is also a theory, instrumental and composition teacher. He studied the cello and organ at the Royal College of Music and continued his studies with William Pleeth, teacher of Jacqueline du Pré. For seven years, John was the cellist of the Guadagnini String Quartet with whom he was an Artist-in-Residence at Southampton University and then Lancaster University and performed and broadcast all around Europe and Canada. For two years, he was Assistant Principal Cellist of the BBC Philharmonic and then was Principal Cellist at English National Opera for twenty five years. He has also worked as a guest principal cellist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Opera North, Northern Philharmonia, London Mozart Players, London Sinfonietta, BBC Welsh Orchestra and Camerata Ireland.
John lives in Suffolk and is the conductor of Lexden Choral Society and Music Director of Southend Symphony Orchestra. He has recently formed a cello and piano duo with prominent pianist, Tim Carey giving concerts all over East Anglia and they are planning to play piano trios with the violinist, Nadia Myerscough. John is in the process of founding a professional big band made up of some of the finest musicians in East Anglia and is much in demand as a teacher, adjudicator and guest conductor. A busy man!
Our Accompanist
Jill Garrett studied music at Trinity College, specialising in the recorder, harpsichord and piano. She was then invited to join a newly established Piano Accompaniment Course and gained experience working primarily with vocal students.
After Post Graduate studies at Roehampton, Jill taught for 36 years in secondary schools in Essex and Suffolk before taking early retirement in 2019. Now, she has time to practise and enjoy making music with friends, The Aquarius Singers, Madrigalia, St Edmondsbury Male Voice Choir and now, Sudbury Choral Society.
Our President
PDFs of our policies are included below:
Sudbury Choral Society 