News

The Best Choirs In London – Our Top 6

22nd May 2023

The Best Choirs In London – Our Top 6
Georgia Carter

Georgia Carter

Are you a singer and looking for a regular choir to join each week? Then we have the article for you as we have collated the best choirs in London right here! We’ll give you the lowdown on where you can find them. In addition, what nights of the week you can really sing your heart out. From modern, west-end musical songs to baroque and gospel, we’ll give you the best choirs in London. So let’s get started. 

What Is A Choir?

A choir is a musical ensemble of singers. A choir may perform music from the classical music repertoire. This may span from the Medieval era to the present, or popular music repertoire. Most choirs are led by a conductor, who leads the performances with arm and face gestures. 

Joining a choir has many benefits. It can be a great way to make friends, develop teamwork skills, and learn to work together. Singing in a choir can be a great way to improve your vocal skills. You can also explore different genres of music. 

Finally, it can also be a great way to relieve stress, boost your self-confidence. Moreover, you can enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from performing in front of an audience.

From the best church choirs in London to the best gospel choirs in your area, we’ll share with you those who do all of the above.

What Makes London Choirs Special?

London is home to some of the most renowned choirs in the world. It has a long and rich history of choral music. Have you heard of the world-famous London Symphony Chorus or the West End Musical Choir? London offers a wide variety of choirs and vocal groups that cater to all types of musical tastes. 

London also boasts a large number of choirs that specialize in a variety of genres. Ranging from classical to gospel, jazz to hip-hop, and even world music. 

This diversity of choirs and vocal groups makes London an ideal destination for anyone looking to explore the world of choral music.

So which ones made our list of the best choirs in London, let’s find out, shall we? 

Best Choirs In London

West End Musical Choir

The West End Musical Choir West End Musical Choir is London’s adult non-audition musical theatre Choir! They host weekly rehearsals learning the classic and new hits from the West End & Broadway. Uniquely led by a range of professional Musical Directors from the West End.

Looking to join a choir that will make you feel good and sing with others who love musicals? Join this one! 

They perform at a number of venues. Hampton Court Palace, the V&A Museum, the London Marathon, ‘This Morning’ ITV, ‘Good Morning Britain’ ITV, ‘The One Show’ BBC. Even Abbey Road Studios, West End LIVE at Trafalgar Square, Disneyland Paris, Notre Dame Paris and many more!

There is a fun and social environment and you have the freedom to explore your voice. Build your musical repertoire, singing hits like ‘Hello Dolly!’ from Hello Dolly, or ‘You Will Be Found’ from Dear Evan Hansen. Ever fancied singing ‘I See The Light’ from Tangled? Singing with The West End Musical Choir you can do just that and more. 

There is no audition and no need to be able to sight-read. There is no need to really perform. As long as you have a passion for musical theatre and want to meet like-minded people you will fit right in. 

There are even weekly social events, regular theatre trips, and special big-scale events. So it is not just your normal choir, but a real musical community. 

Membership

So if you chose to join the West End Musical choir, then you will pay on a term-by-term basis and you can just renew this each term. It will cost you £120 per term. 

You can learn more about the choir on their website here

Best Choirs In London

London Symphony Chorus

The London Symphony Chorus is a professional symphonic chorus based in London, England. It was founded in 1904 and is one of the world’s oldest and most renowned symphonic choruses. 

The chorus has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

The chorus has also appeared in numerous films and recordings, including the soundtrack for the Harry Potter films.

In terms of auditions, they ask you to prepare a song of your choice to sing or they can provide you with a list of songs as suggested audition pieces if you prefer.

Membership 

They do not charge a fee, but they ask for a refundable music deposit of £30 to cover lost or damaged music scores.

Never to Forget – Howard Goodall

The London Symphony Chorus (LSC) has launched a special project called ‘Never to Forget’, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, which was devised and led by LSC director Howard Goodall, will involve the chorus recording a series of specially commissioned works that will be released in the coming months.

The works will be created by composers from around the world, and will explore themes of resilience, hope and remembrance, in response to the pandemic and its effects. The project will also include a series of online events, where the composers and their works will be discussed and celebrated. The project is funded by the Arts Council England and is part of the LSC’s commitment to using its voice to help those affected by the pandemic.

You can learn more about the choir on their website here.  

City Academy Choir

The City Academy Choir in London is a community choir based in Central London. The choir is made up of a diverse range of singers, from all backgrounds and all ages. This choir has been performing together since 2006 and has performed at many prestigious venues and events, including the Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican and the BBC Proms. 

The choir has also performed at a range of international events, such as the International Festival of Sacred Music in Jerusalem. The choir is committed to providing a fun and supportive environment for its members and encouraging them to explore their musical potential.

There are six choirs you can join. Three mixed-repertoire choirs (Voices, Singers, and Vox), a pop and rock choir (Amplified), a musical theatre choir (Encore), and a ladies-only mixed-repertoire choir (Songbirds). 

If you’re interested in joining a choir you must attend a taster class. This an informal audition session where you will take part in a choir rehearsal, enabling you to meet the group and give the Musical Director a chance to hear your voice and assess your suitability.

Membership

You can pay in numerous ways; £45/monthly, £243 for a 6-month Membership, or £486 for a 12-month Membership. 

You can learn more about the choir on their website here

Some Voices

Some Voices is a London-based community choir that was founded in 2010 in London with just seven choir members meeting up to sing and socialize. This has grown to over 1,300 members meeting in 10 rehearsal venues across London and locations in Brighton, Cambridge, Newcastle, St Albans, Stroud, Wimborne, and York. It is a non-audition choir that is open to anyone over the age of 18. 

Some Voices has developed a distinctive style of performing and arranging popular songs from a variety of genres. Their interpretations of classic tunes from artists like David Bowie, Bjork, Stevie Wonder, and Stevie Nicks are infused with elements of folk, hip-hop, and other musical influences. The result is a unique twist on beloved songs that is unmistakably Some Voices.

You can book a free taster before joining this choir. Their summer term 2023 begins on 8th May and you can look forward to songs by artists such as Dua Lipa, Florence + the Machine, Harry Styles, Beyoncé, Tina Turner and many more. 

Membership

If you are interested in joining this choir, you would pay £100 per term. Here is the link

You can learn more about the choir on their website here.  

Best Choirs In London

The Vox Fusion and Gospel Style Contemporary Choir

This may just be one of the best gospel choirs in London. The Vox Fusion and Gospel Style Contemporary Choir is a group of singers and musicians that blend traditional gospel music with contemporary styles of music. The choir is dedicated to creating inspiring and uplifting music that celebrates the diversity of the human experience. 

This choir strives to bring together people from all backgrounds and cultures to create a truly unique and powerful sound. The choir has performed at numerous events and festivals around the world, including the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Members of the choir have had the honor of performing with artists such as Justin Timberlake, Sigala, Rod Stewart, Rag’n’Bone Man, Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith,

Ella Henderson, Joss Stone, Laura Mvula, Jason Derulo, Beverley Knight & Nicole Scherzinger to name a few.

You can learn more about the choir on their website here

London Oriana Choir

Is this one of the best choirs to join in London? Well, we added it to our list for a reason. 

The London Oriana Choir is a choral group comprising around 120 singers, based in London, England. It was formed in 1973 by Leon Lovett, who acted as conductor and musical director.

‘From baroque to rock, sacred to secular, a cappella or accompanied in venues great and small in London, around the UK and abroad, we welcome you to listen, support and join us in making and appreciating great music.

In 2016, the choir launched its five15 initiative in support of women composers, a five year project which included increased programming, commissions, recordings and much more.’

Upcoming Events

Their next event is in May and it is called Immortal Fire. Here are more details below. 

Friday 12th May 2023, 7.30pm: St Clement Danes, Strand, London WC2R 1DH

Organist – Richard Hills

Celebrating the 110th anniversary of his birth, London Oriana Choir presents a programme of choral music by Benjamin Britten juxtaposed with his influences and contemporaries, including Imogen Holst, Francis Poulenc, Dobrinka Tabakova and Aaron Copland.

You can learn more about this choir on their website here or if you want to audition, then you can use this link

Summary – Best Choirs In London

So there you have it! Do you agree with our top 6 choirs in London and are you thinking of joining one of them now? We do hope so, because singing in a group & being part of a musical community is so special. We hope we have inspired you and maybe you will share these choirs in London with others as well. 

Share this article

Articles

sign up to
center stage

Register for the pre-launch!