Belper Singers

Concert History


2024


2023


2022

2019

Friday 13th December 2019 at 12 noon and 2pm

Haddon Hall, near Bakewell, DE45 1LA

Christmas songs and carols, sung in the mediaeval Great Hall at Haddon, by a roaring fire! See Haddon Hall for more details.


Wednesday 18th December 2019 at 7:30pm

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH, location details

Free to customers, an informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!


Saturday 7th December 2019 at 7:30pm

St. Catherine’s Church, Cossall, Nottingham, NG16 2RT, location details

A traditional family Christmas concert.


Saturday, 8th June 2019 at 7:30pm

St Peter’s Church, Belper, DE56 1EZ,  location details

A joint concert with the Norwegian choir Brandalskoret, piano and string quartet. Belper Singers will perform during the second half, and the programme will end with the choirs singing together.

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Friday 12th July 2019 at 7.30pm

Strutts Centre, Belper, DE56 1UU, location details

Programme to include Mozart’s Requiem, accompanied by Beate Toyka and Gillian Bithel at the piano, and the first performances of motets composed by our director, Olivia Shotton. 

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Saturday, 25th May 2019 in the afternoon

Various venues in Belper

Busking in Belper as part of Belper Arts Festival  “Voices in the Valley”.______________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, 13th April 2019 at 7:30pm

Christ Church, Belper, DE56 1BA, location details

Concert and raffle in support of the charity  “Give for Good”

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Saturday 8th December 2018 at 12 noon and 2pm

Haddon Hall, near Bakewell

Christmas songs and carols, sung in the mediaeval Great Hall at Haddon, by a roaring fire! See Haddon Hall for more details.

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Friday 14th December 2018 at 7:30pm

St. Catherine’s Church, Cossall, location details

“Mother and Child”

Our Christmas concert will focus on the Virgin Mary, and will include four settings of the Ave Maria (plainchant, Bruckner, Parsons and Rachmaninov), Britten’s “Hymn to the Virgin” and Praetorius’ “Es ist ein Rose entsprungen”. Carols new and old will include “My Lord has come” by Will Todd, “The Lamb” by John Tavener and “A Babe is born” by Mathias, and the audience will be invited to join in some favourite carols.

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Wednesday 19th December 2018 at 8pm

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH, location details

Free to customers, an informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!

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Saturday 22nd December 2018 at 12 noon and 2pm

Haddon Hall, near Bakewell

Christmas songs and carols, sung in the mediaeval Great Hall at Haddon, by a roaring fire! See Haddon Hall for more details.

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Saturday 20th October 2018 at 7:30pm

St. Clement’s Church, Horsley, location details

Songs for an English Autumn

A selection of madrigals and songs by English composers, including three settings of poems by  Robert Bridges by Finzi, Shakespeare Songs by Vaughan Williams, and “The Evening Primrose” by Britten. Other composers represented are Elgar, Stanford, Weelkes, Morley, Gibbons and Wilbye.

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Sunday 29th July 2018 at 12 noon and 2pm

Haddon Hall, near BakewellBelper Singers are pleased to have been invited to join the Summer Music Series for a third year. We will be singing a varied programme of folk songs, anthems and madrigals in the Courtyard or the Long Gallery.

Saturday 14th July 2018 at 7:30pm

St Peter’s Church, Belper, DE56 1EZ,  location details

“Voices and Brass”

Belper Singers are delighted to join forces with Derventio Brass and Andy Storer (organ) for this exciting programme, including Rutter’s “Gloria”, “Blest Pair of Sirens” by Parry and the setting of “The Old Hundreth” by Vaughan Williams. This will be our first concert with our new musical director, Olivia Shotton.

Saturday 17th March 2018

St Clement’s Church Horsley 

“Sweet Lovers Love the Spring” A programme of English songs and madrigals including pieces by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Morley and more… Location details

 Tickets £7 on the door or for reservations call 07990 658071, or contact us. 

Wednesday 13th December 2017 at 8pm

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH, location details

Free to customers, an informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!

 Saturday 18th November 2017 at 7.30pm

Christ Church, Belper DE56 1BA Location details

“Songs of Light” This programme of unaccompanied choral works will include music from the 16th to 21st centuries by Tallis. Byrd, Whitacre and others.

Tickets £6 on the door or Contact us.  In aid of Treetops Hospice.

 Read a review of this concert: Artsbeat blog: Edmund Hunt

 Friday 14th July 2017 at 7.30pm

Strutts Centre, Belper, DE56 1UU, location details

“Summertime” – an evening of music from both sides of the Atlantic including Vaughan Williams’ “Shakespeare Songs”, Tippett’s “Five Negro Spirituals” from “A Child of Our Time” and works by Finzi, Parry, Eric Whitacre and others.

We are delighted to be joined by guest artist Beate Toyka, who will perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”.

Tickets £10, please call 07990 658071, or contact us. 

Saturday 3rd June 2017 at 12 noon and 2pm

Haddon Hall, near Bakewell

Belper Singers are pleased to have been invited to join the Summer Music Series for a second year. We will be singing an enchanting programme of fine English songs, anthems and madrigals in the Courtyard or the Long Gallery. See Haddon Hall’s website for further information: Haddon Hall

Saturday 29th April 2017 at 7.30pm 

Unitarian Chapel, Field Row (off Green Lane), Belper, DE56 1DH, location details 

The gift of re-birth and renewal is our theme for this concert in Belper’s historic Unitarian Chapel. Our programme of English and European a capella music of the 16th Century includes well-known favourites, Allegri’s Miserere and Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus, with works by Tallis, Palestrina, Tomas Louis de Victoria, Orlando de Lassus and others.

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Saturday 8th April 2017 at 8pm

The Priory Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Tutbury,  location details.

An evening of sublime English and European music from the Renaissance period in this beautiful Norman church. We will be joined by Dr Gareth Williams playing his lap harp.

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Saturday, 17th December, 2016

St. Luke’s Church, Church Street, Heage, DE56 2BG, location details

A wonderful evening of Advent and Christmas music in this beautiful setting. Entrance by ticket only; be sure to book early as there is limited space.

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Wednesday 14th December 2016 at 8pm

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH, location details

Free to customers, an informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!

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Saturday 19th November 2016 at 7:30 pm

Christ Church, Church Street, Holloway, Matlock, DE4 5JP Location details

“Behold! The Sea”

An evening of music representing the source of life: water. The concert will include music by Parry, Palestrina and more.

Tickets £8  Proceeds will be given towards funds for roof repairs.

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Saturday 23rd July 2016 at 5:15pm

Derby Cathedral, Irongate, DE1 3GP, location details

Belper Singers will be singing Evensong at the cathedral.

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Sunday 19th June 2016

Haddon Hall near Bakewell

During the afternoon we will be singing in the gardens or in the Long Gallery.

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Saturday 9th April 2016 at 7:30pm 

Unitarian Chapel, Field Row, Belper, DE56 1DH, location details Tickets £6 at the door

European Sacred Music – a journey through 400 years….. Our programme will include Palestrina’s Missa Aeterna Christi Munera and works by Monteverdi, Bruckner, Casals, Stravinsky and Poulenc. Takings from this concert will be shared with the chapel.

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Wednesday 16th December 2015 at 8pm

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH,location details

Free to customers, an informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!

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Saturday 28th November 2015 at 7:30pmStrutt Centre, Belper, DE56 1UUAdmission £10 (students £8)

Durante: Magnificat;Pizzetti: Messa di Requiem; Monteverdi: Beatus Vir; 

Schubert Psalm 23

with string ensemble and Guest Artist, Beate Toyka (Piano)

Ildebrando Pizzetti’s Messa di Requiem was composed in 1922, but is based firmly on the Gregorian chant of much earlier times. The setting of the Magnificat by the eighteenth century composer Francesco Durante, likewise refers back to an earlier polyphonic style.

Tickets available from 07990 658071, or contact us and on the door.

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Saturday, 11th July, 2015, 7:30pm

Holy Trinity Church, Brackenfield, DE56 6AN, location details.

Admission £10, including a glass of wine/soft drink and light refreshments

Anniversaries: From Renaissance to Rutter

A celebration of summer through the finest English choral music and some favourite choral classics.

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Saturday, 23rd May, 2015, 1:30pmHoly Trinity Church, Brackenfield, DE56 6AN, location details.Free admission; donations to Well Dressing charities most welcome

Well Dressing weekend: Flower Festival Concert

Unaccompanied choral works from the “pops” of the classical repertoire to some more contemporary pieces. Join us in celebrating a summer festival in this lovely village. If the weather is suitable there will also be al fresco singing outside the village hall from 12 noon to 12:30pm.

Refreshments available in the village hall tea room.
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Saturday, 14th March, 2015, 7:30pm

St John’s Church, Hazelwood, DE56 4AL, location details.

Admission £6 

From Schubert to The Salvation Army.

Schubert’s elegant and prayerful Mass in G will be followed by a selection of songs from The Salvation Army tradition, and some music from the repertoire of The King’s Singers.

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 Saturday, 20th December, 2014, 7pm

St. Luke’s Church, Church Street, Heage, DE56 2BG, location details

A Christmas concert with a selection of traditional and more modern seasonal music, including readings and a chance for you to join us singing carols. Rosemary McChesney will be our accompanist.

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Wednesday, 17th December, 2014

Tiger Inn, Ashbourne Road, Turnditch, DE56 2LH, location details

Free to customers

An informal evening of carols, all of your favourites and some that you may not know … come along, join in and have fun!

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Saturday, 1st November, 2014, 7:30pm

St. Mary’s Church, Cromford, location details

Tickets £5

“Lyrics and Stories”, an autumn concert.

A programme of two halves! Acknowledging the season of remembrance, the major work will be the Office for the Dead, Officium Defunctorum, by the Spanish composer Tomas Luis de Victoria. Composed in 1605, this requiem was his last work, and is a triumph of Renaissance polyphony.

In a lighter mood, we move from the seventeenth century to settings of traditional songs by Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Rutter, including Linden Lea, The Owl and the Pussycat, Monday’s Child and Sing a Song of Sixpence.

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Saturday, 17th May, 2014, 6pm to 7pm

Number 28, The Market Place, Belper, DE56 1DD, location details

A “Pay what you can afford” event

As part of Belper Arts Festival, we present a selection of Music for Springtime. This will include church anthems by Tallis, Victoria, Gibbons and Bruckner, madrigals by the best Elizabethan composers, poetry settings by Elgar, Stanford and Finzi, and some beautiful recent settings by Rutter and Chilcott.________________________________________________________________Saturday, 24th May, 2014, 1:30pmHoly Trinity Church, Brackenfield, DE56 6AN, location detailsAdmission free; donations gratefully acceptedJoin in the Well Dressing celebrations at this lovely village. Our programme will be the same as at Belper on 17th May. We shall also sing on the village green at about noon for half an hour.

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Wednesday, 18th December, 2013, 7:30 pm

St. Peter’s Church, Belper, DE56 1FD,  location details

Retiring collection 

Music and readings for Christmas, including “On Christmas Night” by Bob Chilcott and familiar carols.

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Saturday, 26th October, 2013, 7.30pm

Christ Church, Belper, DE56 1BA,  location details 

“Songs for Peace”

A programme by English composers (and an American) on the theme of peace and tranquillity, including excerpts from Karl Jenkins “The Armed Man : A Mass for Peace”, and motets by S. S. Wesley (“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace”), John Tavener (“Song for Athene”, as sung at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales), Sir Arthur Sullivan (“Evening”), Stanford (Peace; come away”), Rutter (“A Gaelic Blessing”), Chilcott (“I lift my eyes”) and Eric Whitacre (“Sleep”).

This concert was in support of The Red Cross.

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Sunday, 4th August, 2013

Lichfield Cathedral,  location details.

Belper Singers will be singing at Sung Eucharist at 10:30am and at Evensong at 3:30pm in the Cathedral. Movements from Stainer’s Mass in F and the anthem “View me, Lord” by Richard Lloyd will be sung in the morning. In the afternoon the responses by Philip Radcliffe, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Stanford in C, and Gibbons’ anthem “Almighty and everlasting God” will be sung. Visitors will be most welcome.

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Saturday, 13th July, 2013, 9:30 am to 5 pm

Strutts Community Centre, Derby Road, Belper, DE56 1UU,  Strutts location details.

Cost for the day will be £12, finger buffet lunch available to order at £4.50

“Come and Sing”   — —    Fauré’s Requiem and John Rutter’s “Gloria”

A choral workshop on these two contrasting pieces  in the classical repertoire, led by our music director Mitchell Holland. Everyone with an interest in singing is welcome. Copies of the music can be provided.

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Saturday, 20th April, 2013, 7:30 pm

Strutts Community Centre, Derby Road, Belper, DE56 1UU, Strutts location details.

Vivaldi’s joyful “Gloria” will form the centrepiece of this concert, in which the Belper Singers will be joined by Wirksworth Music Centre Chamber Ensemble. Other works will include Stanford’s Te Deum in C, Finzi’s “God is gone up” and Parry’s stirring anthem “I was glad”.

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Saturday, 22nd December, 2012, 7:30 pm

St. Peter’s Church, Belper, DE56 1FDA Christmas programme, including modern settings of traditional texts and new songs by Will Todd, David Blackwell and Jussi Chydenius, “On Christmas Night” by Bob Chilcott and familiar carols. Our soloist will be organist David Redfearn.

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Friday, 19th October, 2012, 7:30 pm

Christ Church, Belper, DE56 1BA

Programme included the Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd, and motets by Lassus, Tallis, Gibbons and Will Todd. Cello soloist Tim Roberts played suites by Bach and Shostakovich.


Friday, 11th November 2011, 7:30 pm

Christ Church, Church Street, Holloway, Matlock, DE4 5AY

Admission £6, which includes interval refreshments.

From Buxtehude to Brahms

German sacred music in a variety of styles, including Schubert’s famous setting of “The Lord is my Shepherd”, performed by The Belper Singers and a string and recorder consort from Wirksworth Music Centre.


Saturday, 16th July 2011, 7:30 pm

St. Mary’s Church, Cromford


Saturday, 2nd April 2011, 7:30 pm

Christ Church, Belper, DE56 1BA


Saturday, 18th December 2010, 6:30 pm

Holy Trinity Church, Tansley

Christmas carol service, with seasonal carols for congregation, featuring the Belper Singers in carols and motets by Weelkes, Britten, Hadley, Rachmaninov, Arensky, Willcocks and Walton.


Saturday, 17th July 2010 3 pm

Birmingham Cathedral

Choral Evensong, with introit by Tallis, preces and responses by Radcliffe, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Wills, anthem “Seek Him that maketh the seven stars” by Jonathan Dove.


Saturday, 6th March 2010, 7:30 pm

St. John’s Church, Hazelwood

A mixed programme of secular madrigals and ballets, and sacred motets from 16th. to 19th. centuries.


Saturday, 4th April 2009, 5:45 pm

Southwell Minster

Choral Evensong.

Belper Singers rehearsing for Evensong in the cathedral.


Sunday, 20th July 2008, 3 pm

Coventry Cathedral

Choral Evensong, with introit by William Mundy, preces and responses by William Smith, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Stanford, anthem “From the east unto the west, who is so wise as Solomon” from the oratorio “Solomon” by Handel.

Belper Singers rehearsing for Evensong in the cathedral

Concert History

 2000  March       BELPER – Herbert Strutt School     Belper Festival

          April          BELPER – Christ Church                European Sacred Music

          May           BELPER – River Gardens              Madrigals & Songs

          August      BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL           Morning & Evening Service                                                                                                                             Murrill

          October    SHEFFIELD CATHEDRAL              Evensong – Purcell & Howells

          November GLOSSOP Church                         Madrigals, European Sacred                                                                                                                          Music & Tudor Anthems

          December  BELPER – St Peter’s Church         Seasonal Music

2001  April           BELPER – Christ Church                Brahms, Buxtehude, Bruckner & Mozart

          May            BELPER – St Peter’s Church          Seiber Hungarian Folk Songs, Madrigals

          July             BELPER – St Swithun’s Church      Walmsley, Palestrina & Weelkes

         October       DERBY – St Peter’s Church            Poulenc, Rachmaninov & Palestrina

         December   WIRKSWORTH – St Mary’s             Britten “Ceremony of Carols” and others

2002  April            BELPER – Herbert Strutt School    Madrigals

          August        BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL           Morning & Evening Service – Howells

          December   BRADBOURNE Church                  Carols & seasonal music

2003  March          BELPER – St John’s Chapel           Madrigals

            ?                MUGGINTON Church                         (?)                                

            ?                BRADBOURNE Church                      (?)

            ?                HADDON HALL                                   (?)

            ?                KIRK IRETON Church                         (?)

2004  October        BELPER – St John’s Chapel         Motets & Madrigals

          December    TISSINGTON HALL                       Carols

2005  July               DUFFIELD – Wesleyan Chapel     European Sacred Music & Madrigals

          December     HOLLOWAY Church                     Motets & Songs         

2006  February       BREADSALL Parish Church         Motets & Songs

          May               BELPER – Herbert Strutt School   Vivaldi “Gloria”

          June              WILLERSLEY CASTLE                 Mozart, Haydn & Madrigals

          October         BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL          Choral Evensong – Jackson in B

          December      BREADSALL –  Parish Church      Motets & Carols

2007  March            CHILWELL – Christ Church            Songs & Madrigals

          June              MUGGINTON – All Saints Church   Songs & Madrigals

          July                BRADBOURNE Church                  Dowland, Vaughan Williams

          November      WIRKSWORTH – St Mary’s             Elgar – Sacred Music

2008  March            BELPER – Christ Church                French Sacred Music – Fauré, Poulenc &

                                                                                      Duruflé “Requiem”

          July                COVENTRY CATHEDRAL             Choral Evensong – Stanford

          November      CROMFORD – St Mary’s Church    Byrd Mass, Tallis & Handel

          December      HOLLOWAY – Christ Church          Advent Music & Carols

2009  April               SOUTHWELL MINSTER                  Sung evensong

          July                CROMFORD – St Mary’s Church    “Zadok the Priest” & Madrigals

          November      BELPER – Christ Church                 Purcell, Britten, Holst & Finzi

          December      BELPER – Osmaston Grange          Carols

2010  March             HAZELWOOD Church                     Bruckner, Byrd & Tallis

          June               WILLERSLEY CASTLE                    Madrigals & Songs

          July                 BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL            Choral Evensong – Tallis & Wills

          December       TANSLEY Church                           Carols

Belper Singers sang for the services during two days in 1991 at  Lincoln Cathedral, and earlier at Beverley Minster and Derby Cathedral.