Monmouth Choral Society

About the Choir

We are a mixed choir of about 140 voices.

We have set our sights high, both in the variety and number of works we perform.  Since 1992 we have staged at least two major concerts a year in our main venues in Monmouth, with top class soloists and orchestra.  Our repertoire during this period has encompassed some of the greatest works in the choral canon as well as many less well known.

We marked the new millennium with the release of our first commercial recording, 'Music for Christmas', and we have been privileged to give first performances of two new works.

Under the benevolent and musically experienced guidance of conductor Mark Foster the choir has, since 1992, developed into one of the most highly regarded choirs in Wales.  Mark Foster's final concert with the Society in April 2005 was memorable for its performance of Elgar's The Music Makers and Holst's The Hymn of Jesus.  His successor, Benjamin Nicholas, made a successful debut in the summer of 2005 and has gone on to enhance both his and the choir's reputation with performances of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, Handel's Dixit Dominus and a first performance of La Corona by John Caldwell, amongst others.

In the Autumn of 2006 we celebrated the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth with that composer's Great Mass in C Minor.  Spring 2007 we brought Mendelssohn's much loved oratorio Elijah to a Monmouth audience for the first time in many years.  That was followed in the autumn with Berlioz Te Deum and in Spring 2008 a performance of Bach's St John Passion.

Monmouth Choral Society is proud to be part of a rich local musical scene and sets itself high standards of repertoire and performance.  To help achieve these standards we employ a professional conductor and rehearsal accompanist, and engage professional soloists and orchestral players for each major concert.

Such ambitious programming depends on generous public support.  To promote a single concert may cost in the region of £6000.

The limited seating capacity of our regular venues means that money from ticket sales can never cover these costs.  Each major concert results in a substantial loss.  To make good this deficit, and to strive to attain the aspirations defined in our Artistic Policy, we have to find thousands of pounds of additional revenue every year.

We do this through:

Fundraising events and Draws

Sponsorship, grants and donations

Our Friends' annual payments - see Friends of Monmouth Choral Society

Singing at local weddings and other events - see Hire the Choir