About Occam Singers

We are pleased to sing from a wide repertoire, including unaccompanied fifteenth century church music and madrigals, familiar choral works and twenty-first century pieces. Our annual season includes full-scale concerts with professional orchestras as well as smaller-scale performances, sometimes a capella. Some works we have performed:

• Bach: Mass in B Minor, Singet Dem Herrn and Jesu, Meine Freude
• Bruckner: E Minor Mass and Ecce Sacerdos
• Howells: Requiem
• Mozart: Coronation Mass, Solemn Vespers and Requiem
• O’Neill: Music (a poem by Percy Shelley)
• Purcell: The Bell Anthem, Ode to St Cecilia and Funeral Sentences
• Ockeghem: Missa Prolationum
• Schubert: Mass in G

Our rehearsals and concerts are held in the Guildford area and we are always pleased to welcome new members. Singers have a wide range of musical backgrounds and ‘day jobs’ and a hallmark of our choir is the importance placed on friendship and fun.

We have sung at many venues and events across South East England and have sung services at some wonderful cathedrals further afield. For many years we employed a professional Music Director; David Gibson who has worked extensively with some of the UK's leading choirs and orchestras but he has decided to stand down from October 2022..

We have, therefore, appointed Nicholas O'Neill as our new Music Director for the rest of 2023 with an option to extend into 2024 and beyond.  Nick was our Assistant MD between 1998 and 2013 and, over that period, we commissioned and performed several of his own compositions.

The choir undertakes regular vocal training workshops, engaging the services of professional vocal trainers.

Our concerts and events benefit local and national charities; since 1982 the Occam Singers has raised over £100,000. Much of the Occam Singers’ fundraising success reflects the generosity of our sponsors, of our very supportive Friends, and of course of our concert audiences.

 

Patron's Message.

For sixteen years it has been my joy and privilege to be Patron of The Occam Singers. I attend most concerts and depart delighted that I have been present. David Gibson and until recently, Nick O’Neill, exact high standards of singing from the choir and the sound they provide is unique. Not only do they strive for perfection but their repertoire is, while mainly Baroque, quite eclectic and everyone is challenged by the discovery of unusual or seldom-performed works. The camaraderie between the choir members has always been a feature. Not only do they get along well socially and the fact that they relish their singing and do it for charity (with all the behind-the scenes tasks being done voluntarily by members) means a spirit of benevolence prevails. May it continue with full hearts and voices!

Lady Lingfield
April 2013