Welcome to South Devon Choir

South Devon Choir began singing choral music together in this lovely area in 1871 and our 2021-22 Season marks our 150th Anniversary.

Throughout the decades we have changed and developed to cope with the challenges we have encountered.

Our first concert in two years, due to the pandemic, was Handel’s Messiah performed in December 2021 and it was also our first under the musical direction of Simon Dunbavand, following the retirement of John Hobbs in 2019.

We have continued our 150th Anniversary Season  with rehearsals in person once again, at the spacious Central Church, Tor Hill Road, Torquay.  Rehearsals take place each week on Thursday evenings commencing at 7.30pm.

In May 2022  we were very excited to be singing works by the contemporary composers,
John Rutter Gloria,
Paul Drayton A Ceremony of Psalms
and our own Simon Dunbavand Gitanjali: Postcards from Bengal
but unfortunately our rehearsal schedule has been severely impacted by the high incidence of Covid-19 during March and April and we have been forced to cancel the concert.

Undeterred we are regrouping and concentrating on a Faure Requiem performance in aid of NHS Torbay Local Charity to remember all those who have been affected by the pandemic. This is to take place on 11 June 2022 at Paignton Parish Church and will take the form of a Scratch Concert open to all singers with an afternoon’s workshop followed by a performance open to the public.

We have already had two successful and enjoyable choral workshops the first was in February  working on  John Rutter’s Gloria, conducted by the inspirational Simon Dunbavand and accompanied by Ian Curror.

The second workshop was held with the composer, Paul Drayton and his A Ceremony of Psalms and this took place in March.

Singing despite the pandemic

Our Online Choir

Over the past two years and following the retirement of our Musical Director, John Hobbs, the pandemic forced us down a path we had not anticipated but nevertheless we found a way to keep on singing.

We took to singing online via Microsoft Teams.  Our lockdown repertoire took us on a wide ranging journey from Tchaikovski’s Tebe Poem and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonnelle to O Waly Waly,  You’ll Never Walk Alone and the James Bond Theme.

We started 2021 in a new lockdown but with plenty of hope and enthusiasm and rehearsing Haydn’s magical and magnificent “The Creation”.  Along the way we had online coffee mornings, an online risotto cook-along with our Director of Music, quizzes and bring your own cream teas and not forgetting our Hon. Secretary who has kept us up to date with a regular weekly newsletter.

Since September 2021 we have been singing together again live and  performed our first proper concert in December 2021.

Our rehearsal hall, originally at St Pauls, Paignton, was too small to spread out so we currently rehearse at Central Church where the ceilings are high and there is better ventilation.

We welcome new members. We are a friendly, non-audition choir and would be very pleased to have you along to try us out and hopefully, to join.

Do get in touch if you would like more information – New Members