Music in Epsom and Ewell

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If you know of any other musical group which is not listed here, please ask them to send a brief description to Internetworks Ltd, POBox 292, Epsom, KT17 4YP and we will add them in.

Epsom Chamber Choir numbers about 25 voices and sings a wide range of music to a high standard. Our programmes are a stimulating mixture of familiar and less well known works. We celebrate our 30th year in 1999 with a special peformance of Handel's Messiah on 13th March and in July we present an award winning programme of music composed within the last few years. For details of all the choir's forthcoming concerts and other activities during 1999 see our homepage at http://www.epsomchamberchoir.freeserve.co.uk./

The Epsom Children’s Orchestra (ECO) is a fun orchestra for enthusiastic youngsters who enjoy making music. Members are aged anywhere between 6 and 13, playing anything from grades 1 to 7. The repertoire consists of short classical pieces, some of which are very well known.

As well as playing in the full orchestra, there are opportunities to split up and be coached in smaller chamber groups. Fees are only £15 a term.

Come and see for yourself. The ECO rehearses every Wednesday (6:00 - 7:15pm) at Parsons Mead School, Ashtead. If you have any questions, phone the Chairman of the Orchestra on 01372 - 456182

Epsom Choral Society - who we are and what we do

Epsom Choral Society numbers approximately 90 voices and sings a wide range of choral music, from such works as Bach's 'B Minor Mass' or the Monteverdi 'Vespers of 1610' to English folk songs and modern compositions. In June 2003 we celebrated our 80th Anniversary with a well-acclaimed performance of Verdi's 'Requiem' in St Martin's Church.

Brief History

Epsom Choral Society was founded in 1922 by Sir Humphrey Milford to give his son Robin experience as conductor and choir trainer by taking part in the Leith Hill Musical Festival.

In 1934 Robin Milford was succeeded as conductor by William Cole, who was later to follow Ralph Vaughan Williams as the Festival conductor, and was the Society's President from 1985 until his death in 1997. Under his three years tenure as conductor the choir did extremely well winning many trophies in the Leith Hill competitions.

Richard Fentiman, the Society's conductor from the end of the war until 1976, instituted the popular Christmas concerts in St. Martin's Church. With his son, also Richard, the Society began regular Summer concerts and under his successor, Peter Chase, appointed in 1980, the Society expanded its programme of concerts to three a year whilst retaining it's link with the Leith Hill Festival. The Choir's repertoire extended further under it's more recent conductors, Murray Stewart and Nicholas Kok, the latter is currently conductor at the English National Opera.

Robin Kimber was appointed conductor in 1991. Under him the Choir has added London venues to it's programme and has achieved great success in the Leith Hill competitions, in particular in 2003 when the Choir very nearly swept the board, winning five trophies.

The history of a choral society must inevitably be dominated by its conductors. However Epsom Choral Society has been extremely fortunate in it's accompanists over the years. The Society's current accompanist Marion Lea was appointed in 1975 and has accompanied the Choir in rehearsals and concerts under seven conductors.

ECS in the Community

The Society helps charities, such as Epsom's Medical Equipment Fund, Breast Cancer Awareness and the charity for Parkinson's Disease by singing carols in the Ashley Centre where substantial sums have been raised.

New Members

Epsom Choral Society is a friendly choir; we not only enjoy our singing but also a wide variety of social activities including a short annual choral tour either in UK or abroad. We always welcome new members in all voice parts, especially tenors and basses. The ability to read music is helpful but not essential, there are no auditions, for the more difficult works voice part tapes/CDs are usually available. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings at 7.45 pm in St. Martin's Church House, Church Street, Epsom. Please contact the Membership Secretary, telephone 01737 813400 or email: membership@epsomchoral.org.uk

ECS website

For further information concerning the choir, its activities and future concerts etc. visit at our website at www.epsomchoral.org.uk

About the orchestra

Darrell Davisontudied music as a scholar at Charterhouse and at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge. He started his professional career as the principal cellist of the Ulster Orchestra before returning to London as a free-lance cellist. In 1979 he won the Sir John Barbirolli Conducting Competition and since then has worked with many different orchestras, both professional and amateur. This has included performances with all four London orchestras and recordings with the LSO and the BBC.

In 1984 he was a prize winner in the inaugral Leeds Conducting Competition and in the same year made his London debut by conducting the RPO at a Royal Philharmonic Society Concert at the Royal Festival Hall. Since then Darrell has made appearances at many of the major venues in England and has also conducted lakeside proms at both Kenwood and Crystal Palace. He is conductor and musical director of The Little Symphony of London and The New Philharmonic Orchestra and also presents the successful Arthur Davison Family Concerts at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. He was appointed Musical Director of the Epsom Symphony Orchestra in 1981.

As a composer he has had his works performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and has written and orchestrated film scores for the London Symphony Orchestra.

Eric Hastingsbegan his career in music, studying first at the Guildhall and later at the Royal College of Music. He was a founding member in 1947 of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra. After three years he left to join the London Philharmonic Orchestra, where he played for ten years. He has also played many seasons with the D’Oyly Carte Company; the Festival Ballet and various other opera companies in London and the home counties.

Eric was violin tutor at St Georges College, Weybridge for many years and for the past sixteen years has been violin and viola tutor at Caterham School. He joined Epsom Symphony Orchestra as leader in 1963.

Come and join us!

Brass and violin players are particularly invited to join the ESO, a leading Surrey orchestra. Other instrumentalists are also very welcome to apply. We give five concerts each season at the Epsom Playhouse, plus one at the Fairfield Hall and a Lakeside picnic concert.

The orchestra rehearses on Thursday evenings during the season at a local school in Epsom. If you play to a reasonable standard and are interested in joining the orchestra, you are invited to telephone Vivienne Freedman (Wind and Brass) 0208 669 8889 or Helen Anstis (Strings) 01 737 352 678

The Friends of Epsom Symphony Orchestral Society

Our Friends are a valuable part of the Society and much appreciated by the playing members. By becoming a ‘Friend’ you would be able to participate in and enjoy the variety of music performed by the orchestra, as well as the attractive discounts and benefits offered to members. ‘Friends’ are named in concert programmes, receive priority booking forms, discounts on concert tickets and invitations to social events and informal ‘Play for Pleasures’. If you would like to help the orchestra by becoming a ‘Friend’ please send your name, address and telephone number, together with a cheque for £15, made out to ESOS, to: Mrs V Parsons, Hon Treasurer ESOS, 2 Trotton Close, Maidenbower, Crawley, RH10 7JP

A bit of history

Epsom Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1951 by John Gale, his wife and three children, John, Jocelyn and Gwendoline (who were all keen string players). John Gale, originally a viola player, conducted the orchestra for twenty years until he handed over to Derek Lucas, who had previously been the orchestra’s prinicpal clarinet. Derek conducted the orchestra for the next ten years. In 1981 Darell Davison was appointed musical director and remains the orchestra’s conductor.

Over the years many well known soloists have appeared with the orchestra. Performers include, in the early days: Cyril Smith and Phyllis Sellick; Eileen Joyce and Semprini. Later on soloists included John Lill (joint winner of the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow) and the clarinettist Gervase de Peyer. Internationally acclaimed soloists to play with the orchestra in more recent seasons have included Philip Dyson; Alan Brown; Marilyn Hill-Smith; Andrew Haveron; Madelaine Mitchell; Tim Hugh and David Pyatt.

The orchestra particularly enjoyed its long association with Johnny Morris, who sadly died in 1999.

In 2001 the orchestra celebrates its 50th birthday and is already planning special events to mark the occasion. WATCH THIS SPACE!!

We have a web site (http://http://www.epsomewellband.free-online.co.uk) which is fairly regularly maintained. We have a busy round of engagements all year - check the web site for details - 1999 engagements will be added early next year. We rehearse at Horton Country Park on Mondays and Fridays 8.00pm to 10.00pm. We also have a beginners band which rehearses on a friday evening from 6.45 to 7.45. We have recently launched a book on the history of the Epsom and Ewell Silver Band - details available on the web site - or alternatively copies of the book are available at Bourne Hall Library or some bookshops in Epsom.

Fitznells is a friendly organisation that has been associated with music in Epsom and Ewell since 1960. We have been based at Ewel Castle Schlool since 1988 and continued to provide inspiration for all ages to enjoy music.

There are individual instrumental lessons, choirs and bands during the week. A wide range of regular concerts give everyone the opportunity to perform if they wish. On a Saturday in historic Glyn House we run the celebrated percussion classes from age 2 upwards. Also lessons in recorder, piano, woodwind, violin, ukulele class, music theory, Starlets and Tenors choir plus a Café with activities for between classes.

Drama classes take place on Saturday afternoons leading to summer and Christmas end of term shows. In the summer holidays we hold musical theatre workshops and Grade 5 Theory crash courses which are very popular.
Website: www.fitznells.co.uk Phone: 07956284172 Email: fitznellsmusic@yahoo.co.uk

Spectrum is a small (at present 18 strong) mixed-voice choir, with a wide repertoire of light popular music.

We rehearse every Tuesday from 7-45 to 10 at the Vale School, Beaconsfield Road, Langley Vale, Epsom.

We enjoy performing - our motto 'we don't just sing, we entertain!' and we aim to put on two major shows a year, plus guest appearances, charity events, festivals and competitions.

We are at present looking for new members - especially in the tenor and bass sections, so if there are any singers out there in the area who would like to try something a little different, why not come along to a rehearsal and try us out. If you then wish to join Spectrum, you will be asked to do a simple voice test carried out by the MD. Sight reading is not essential - tapes of individual parts are available if required - but enthusiasm for our type of music, plus commitment to the choir, certainly are.

If you are interested, please contact our Musical Director, E-mail Musical Director, e-mail richardapsley@lineone.net,  or our Publicity Officer on 01372 723398 or e-mail spectrum.coles@btinternet.com.

For more information on Spectrum, visit our website at http://www.spectrum.coles.btinternet.co.uk/.

The choir was set up over 50 years ago - by a group of fire wardens during WW2 - and has continued ever since to provide a great deal of pleasure to its members and its audiences. SCS is a friendly, non-auditioning choir which draws its membership from throughout North East Surrey. As well as two main concerts each year (Summer and Autumn) plus a Christmas concert, we also sing in retirement homes, hospitals etc, and support our chosen charity (this year it is a kindergarten in a deprived South African township). We also have a series of social events for our members and Friends of Stoneleigh Choral Society and invited guests.

We meet on Monday evenings for rehearsals from 7.45 to 9.45 at the United Reformed Church, London Road, Ewell. For further details contact the Secretary at 020 8287 4791 , or e-mail richards_elai45@hotmail.com

Instant Sunshine is a unique musical comedy team who have a delightfully fresh and understated approach to singing their own brilliantly crafted songs. With hilarious self-parody and acute observation they take a sideways look at every day events in a beguiling and very funny style all their own.

They play regularly at festivals and theatres throughout the United Kingdom and have delighted audiences on their travels round the world to New York, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Bermuda where they returned for the Millennium Festival. On their first appearance to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe over 20 years ago they were voted Hit of the Fringe and return regularly to this wonderful carnival to savour the delights and meet old friends. One year a collection of comedy shows called The Lunatic Fringe transferred to London's West End for a season and Instant Sunshine took part in this.

Over a hundred Instant Sunshine songs are on record, cassette or CD and a number of songs are on the EMI compilation of hilarious recordings entitled British Comedy Classics where Instant Sunshine are described as following in the great British tradition of humour typified by Flanders and Swann. However it is the group's visual humour that enhances the songs and which adds a unique touch to their live shows. Several other groups have recorded Instant Sunshine's songs all written by Peter Christie including the King's Singers and one of these recordings has been reissued recently. The Lords Taverners CD of cricket songs issued recently includes Instant Sunshine as does the BBC's Princess Dianna Memorial CD. The BBC radio collection series of recordings has also Instant Sunshine on 'Today' a history of the Today programme

Instant Sunshine have written and performed many signature tunes for a variety of radio and television programmes including Oneupmanship, One is Fun, Money Box, Constant Hot Water, and for their own series of Jackanory. Over the years there have been several Instant Sunshine series on BBC radio and a number of these recordings are in the BBC archive and have been included on BBC compilation CDs. A recent recording of the history of the Today programme includes a song by instant Sunshine.

It was the long association with the BBC Radio's Stop the Week that gave Instant Sunshine the opportunity to reach a wide audience but it is in their live concerts that their talents are fully appreciated both in cabaret and in theatre concerts. They enjoy the intimate venues particularly but have had audiences in the Albert Hall singing along in Christmas concerts and a packed house at Chichester Cathedral shouting for more.

The three founder members with Tom Barlow on Double bass have a busy programme of concerts and Festivals ahead with The Bermuda Festival early this year and new a CD recording will be available soon.

9 Ashdown Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 3PL. Tel 01372 720727

Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra - who we are and what we do

The Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra is an independent orchestra, born out of the Stoneleigh Music Society 50 years ago, and administered by a committee of volunteers from members parents and orchestral members. We are very fortunate to have had the services of Adrian Brown, ARAM, as musical director for many years; his professional musical experience and enthusiasm has enabled the orchestra to undertake an ever-increasing and demanding repertoire. Adrian celebrated 25 years with the Orchestra with a concert at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon at Christmas 1997, when the orchestra performed a work commissioned by SYO & given its first performance on that night - "Overture - 7 Ages" by Richard Sisson

Orchestral rehearsals take place every Sunday evening at the Tolworth Girls School hall, just near the Tolworth Tower on the Kingston by-pass. Most members of the orchestra live within a 20 mile radius of there. Any young musician wishing to join SYO and of approximately grade 6 standard should contact the Administrator on 0181-943-2661 to arrange an audition.

The orchestra's links with Epsom are preserved with one or two concerts annually at the Epsom Playhouse. In recent years, there have been one or two concerts a year at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank, and each summer the orchestra goes on tour. Recently, the orchestra has performed on tour in Dublin, Prague, Edinburgh, and last summer, in Denmark, to capacity audiences in the Tivoli Hall & National Museum in Copenhagen, and in Roskilde Cathedral. In 1998, it tours in Poland, basing itself and performing concerts in Krakow, and hopes to visit Boston, Toronto & Niagara in 1999.

SYO celebrated its first 50 years with a concert at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon in April 1995 in which present members joined with many past members who are now professional and famous musicians to present a memorable evening. And in December 1995, we joined the celebrations of Sir Michael Tippett's 90th birthday with a concert which he attended at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

In 1996 SYO was selected to perform two concerts in the BBC Grand Musical Extravaganza on the South Bank in April, and was seen later in that summer on television in the filmed documentary of the day's events.

SYO keeps its membership fees low in order to give as many musicians as possible the opportunity to play in a professional atmosphere. This means that we have to fund the orchestra through ticket sales, through sponsorship and through fund-raising. Any help you can give by coming to our concerts, by giving a donation, or by arranging for your company to sponsor one of our activities would be very much appreciated. Please contact Christine Blake, Administrator, at 52, Manor Road, Teddington, Middx, TW11 8AB (telephone: 0181 - 943 2661)

Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra - a bit of history

The Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra is an independent youth orchestra, and registered charity, born out of the Stoneleigh Music Society 50 years ago and administered over the years solely by a committee of volunteers from members' parents and orchestral members. Members are accepted by audition each year.

It has, over the years, developed into an orchestra of high musical achievement to a professional standard performing concerts on tour abroad and in the UK at venues such as the Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Festival Hall, South Bank, the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, Epsom Playhouse, Kingston Parish Church, the Royal Albert Hall, London and the Stevenson Hall, Glasgow. It has been fortunate for the last twenty five years to have had the services of its present Musical Director, Adrian Brown, ARAM, whose professional musical experience and enthusiasm have enabled the orchestra to undertake an ever increasing and demanding repertoire.

Foreign tours have been undertaken with great success to Vichy, Salzburg, Vienna, Stockholm, St Petersburg, Moscow, Prague, Cesky Krumlov and in the UK to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and York. In 1996, SYO visited Dublin, in Ireland raising money during its concerts at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin and at Kilkenny Castle for the Cathedral Choir Foundation & the National Museum Instrument Music Trust. During 1997 SYO played to capacity audiences in the Tivoli Hall and the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen and at Roskilde Cathedral during its Danish tour. Planning is going ahead for the 1998 tour to Krakow in Poland. It has won many national awards and played at the invitation of Music for Youth and the National Association of Youth Orchestras. It celebrated its 50th year in 1995 with a concert in the Fairfield Halls, Croydon in which present members joined with many past members who are now professional and famous musicians to present a memorable and exciting evening, also inaugurating the 50th Anniversary Fund set up for the benefit of those members who may now or in the future experience financial difficulties. The orchestra was honoured at Christmas 1995 to be able to perform the last event in the year long celebrations held for Sir Michael Tippett's 90th birthday in the presence of the composer himself at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

It has broadcast several times on BBC Radio and Television and taken part in musical education films. Most recently it took part in the BBC Young Musicians' All Day Extravaganza on the South Bank, London, performing two concerts on the 6th May 1996. The documentary film of the day was broadcast on BBC 2 TV in the summer of 1996.

The orchestra has adopted a policy, as a charity itself, of pinpointing relevant charitable causes and performing regular concerts for them. It has been able to help the Leukaemia Fund, ChildLine, Croatian Orphans, the Rotary Club, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Kingston Hospital and the Barnes Music Society in recent years.

It enables many of its present and past members to perform as soloists on a professional stage by annually playing concerto concerts and also gives them the opportunity to play in concerts with professional musicians such as Evelyn Glennie, Hugh Bean, Richard Watkins, John Wallace, Kathryn Harries, Erich Gruenberg and Douglas Boyd. The orchestra rehearses approximately 40 times a year during term-time in Tolworth, Surbiton and gives four concerts annually in London and locally in the community. In our endeavour to give as many young musicians as possible the opportunity to play with SYO, we maintain our membership fee as low as possible and seek to fund the orchestra by ticket sales at concerts, by sponsorship and by fundraising as an organisation and individually.

July 1997

Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra - key dates