What we do

The Village Singers’ back catalogue is divided into two groups which correspond to the two main concerts we do each year: Christmas, and ‘the rest’. In each category can be found a mix of songs, all of them either stand alone or are traditional collections from shows from Broadway, the West End, or the cinema. The majority are in parts – sometimes two, often three and sometimes four parts. These are usually directed from the piano but occasionally feature other instruments.

Christmas music: apart from community carols, mainstream and lesser known, sometimes from abroad, the choir regularly performs works by John Rutter. Other songs include compilations medleys of well-known Christmas songs and carols by various composers, some ‘classical’ and traditional songs from the UK and abroad, and includes songs from the fourteenth century onwards. As our Christmas concerts always include a children’s choir, from the local primary school, there is an emphasis on a song combining both the Village Singers and the children, and an element of the programme will be Christmassy fun songs, often with audience participation. Thus the Christmas concert is often more like a Christmas variety show, with soloists, and where Father Christmas usually turns up and snowballs fly in the finale. Accompaniment is usually a mix of piano and church organ, with guitar and flute also appearing.

The June programme is more really a ‘concert’ in the truest sense. From themed concerts, which became rather restrictive as the choir advanced in ability, they are generally an eclectic mix which can include pretty much anything, cover a range of parts, and feature songs for both the sopranos/altos, and tenors/basses. Genres are mentioned above, with the addition of folk songs, world music, sea shanties, solos, duets, occasional pop favourites, and amusing songs. We occasionally semi stage a costumed dance routine, or in appropriate costume a chorus from Gilbert and Sullivan (usually tenors and basses!). Nothing is ruled out as the choir demonstrates its ability to cover music designed to entertain and is accessible to a wide audience.