Profile

The Bingham and District Choral Society was formed in 1972 from a choral class at Toot Hill School, Bingham, Notts., U.K. The original membership of forty has now increased to around 80, with its membership coming from a wide area of South Nottinghamshire, north Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

Under the direction of Neville Ward, musical director from its inception, the society has taken part in many major concerts with orchestras such as the Orchestra of St John's, Smith Square, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, English Sinfonia and East of England Orchestra. The choir has performed by invitation with the Halle Orchestra under James Loughran at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall and with the Cory Band for its centenary concert in St David's Hall, Cardiff, which was recorded for radio and television by BBC Wales.

Bingham & District Choral Society is a registered charity (Registered Charity No. 503557) In 1997, the Choral Society celebrated its 25th anniversary with a thrilling performance of Verdi's Requiem, augmented by Southwell and Ruddington Choral Societies in the Albert Hall, Nottingham. Recent concerts have featured the popular Requiem by John Rutter and the more traditional Gloria by Vivaldi and a performance in December 1998 of Handel's Messiah in Newark. Concerts during the last four years include a stirring performance of Tippett's Child of Our Time (ably supported once again by the Orchestra de Camera), Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs and Dona Nobis Pacem, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle, Faure's Requiem, Haydn's Creation and Honegger's King David. In May 2004, the Choral Society performed Haydn's Harmoniemesse and Mozart's Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore KV 339.