Members

As a recent arrival in London, I was eager to find a community to be a part of while I found my footing in this big, new place. Through Camden Choir, I have found wonderful friends, delicious cakes, and good music to support me and enrich me.

Singing uses both sides of the brain, it combines feeling and intellect, which makes it deeply satisfying. I enjoy being part of a larger musical whole. I am intrigued by, and enjoy the diversity of repertoire that we tackle in Camden Choir. I enjoy being exposed to music I don't know, even music I imagined I didn't like. Julian is demanding as a conductor, which makes you want to sing as best you can. But above all else, singing brings me joy.

As a long-standing member of the Choir, I have sung in the large majority of the list of performed works, which you can find on the Choir website. I thank Julian, our Musical Director, for being patient when I first joined the Choir as a youngster with little musical experience, and for the musical education which his inspired choices have given me, from the C14/15th (Machaut & Josquin), through many of the the major works (Handel, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven & Brahms), right up to the 21st century (world premieres by young composer Dani Howard). Also a poetic anthology, in that so many works are settings of poems. It's been life-enhancing to be part of all this, and I look back through with sense of wonder (how did I do that?) and achievement (actually I, or we the Choir, did it!). All under Julian's wise guidance.

I was looking for a social musical activity to join and found the choir. There was a wonderful atmosphere from the first time I joined - everyone was so welcoming. The difficulty level was just right: accessible enough for me to join not having sung for almost 20 years, yet challenging enough to keep me interested.