Choral Workshop

Ashford Choral Society is a choir of over 110 singers, founded in 1857 and with a continuous performance history since then. Ashford Choral Society is thus one of the oldest such choirs in the UK.

After a busy and successful 2025–6 season under the baton of our director, Matthew Raisbeck, the society looks forward to another season of music-making beginning with rehearsals on Tuesday September 1st 2026.

New Season

The first concert of the 2026–7 season will be Mozart’s Requiem and Vespers – performed with professional soloists and orchestra at Wye Church on Saturday 21st November. Our annual carol concert will be on Saturday 19th December, when we will sing carols and Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols at St Mary the Virgin Church, Willesborough. We will also continue our long tradition of fundraising for local charities through our carol singing.

From January 2027 we begin rehearsing Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Haydn’s Missa Brevis ready for a Lenten concert at Wye on Saturday 13th March. After Easter we will be focusing on Mendelssohn’s Elijah, which will be performed in the full orchestral version, with professional soloists, at Colyer-Fergusson Hall, University of Kent, Canterbury on Sunday afternoon, 16th May 2027. It will be a busy but very fulfilling and varied season of music.

New members

Ashford Choral Society is a welcoming choir with singers from their teens to their 80s and new members of all ages and abilities are actively encouraged. Some choir members have sung with us for decades, showing the power of music and the great satisfaction of being part of a community that works together to stage remarkable concerts.

We understand that joining a Choral Society can be daunting but do not be put off even if you have never sung in a choir or have not sung for many years. Over the years Ashford Choral Society has inspired and nourished several young singers who have gone on to professional vocal solo careers. For more detailed information about joining the choir see our FAQs.

The annual subscription from September 2026 is £156, which is excellent value for all the joy that singing together brings – not to mention the opportunity for members to participate in at least three concerts a year, accompanied by a full, professional orchestra and soloists. This is an experience which not all choirs can offer! N.B. Under 25s join for free.

We gratefully acknowledge the generous financial support of our Friends. Anyone interested in becoming a Friend, or being on a Society’s mailing list, should contact the Friends’ Secretary email: friends@ashfordchoral.org.uk or download the application form here.

Our singers, Friends and audiences come not just from Ashford but from all over the Weald, Romney Marsh and the coastal areas, so do come and be part of our long history and our future success.

Ashford Choral Society is a member of the National Association of Choirs and the Ashford Federation of Arts.