St John Singers

 

 

Background

St John Singers, Salisbury, (President: Dr Richard Seal, MA, FRCO, FRSCM former Organist and Master of the Choristers Salisbury Cathedral, Vice President: Robert Key, former M.P for Salisbury),  has its origins in the church choir of St. John the Baptist, Bishopstone, a village six miles outside Salisbury, after which it takes its name, its roots going back to the early 1930s. Today, it has a membership of some 45 mixed voices who come from all around the Salisbury District and also further afield. It's repertoire covers a broad spectrum of sacred and secular works from the Tudor period to the present day.  The choir is a member of Music in Salisbury.

Purpose

The Choir exists to sing services in cathedrals and churches and to support different national and local charities through its concerts. It raises substantial amounts each year for charity. For twenty five years it  staged a 'Wassail Party' in the City Hall, Salisbury which raised a significant sum each year for a different national or local charity. It is continuing to do so with its "Wassailing" now in The Guildhall, Salisbury

Singing Venues

It has sung in most of the churches and halls in and around Salisbury as well as further afield including Cambridge, Chelmsford, Chichester, Christchurch, Isle of Wight, London, Oxford, Poole, Portsmouth, Sherborne, Swanage, Wimborne and Winchester.  The picture shows the St John Singers in St Paul's Cathedral London.

First Performances

In 1986, the choir gave the first European performance of John Rutter's 'Requiem' in Salisbury Cathedral, conducted by the composer.  In 2006 it celebrated the twentieth anniversary with a repeat performance of the 'Requiem' , again in Salisbury Cathedral , this time with the international artiste Wayne Marshall conducting.

The St John Singers also took part, with other local choirs and orchestra, in the world premiere performance of a major work composed by Bob Chilcott titled 'Salisbury Vespers' in May 2009 in Salisbury Cathedral.

Overseas Tours

In 1987, the St John Singers sang in Berlin as part of the English contribution to that City's 750th anniversary celebrations. Other overseas visits include a visit to Eire in 1995 when the choir sang the weekend services in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

In 2000, the choir made a short tour to Belgium singing in different venues including Antwerp Cathedral.  In 2001 the choir went to France and sang in St. Etienne Caen  and Lisieux Cathedral.  In 2005 it toured Northern Italy joining up with an Italian choir 'Coro Calicantus' and in 2007 both choirs joined again giving concerts in Padua and Venice. This year the choir is visiting Saintes, France, which is twinned with Salisbury.

Personalities

Several well known personalities have appeared as guests of the choir including Mary Archer, Peter Goodwright, Esther Rantzen, Roger Royle, the late Donald Swann, (of 'Flanders and Swann'), composers Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and Richard Shephard, author Leslie Thomas, Richard Stilgoe and the late Desmond Wilcocks.

 

A leading choir in Salisbury