- Farewell to Sam Evans, and Best Wishes for His New Role
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Date Posted: Thu, 16 Oct 2025
Sam Evans, our MD for the past three and a half years, has accepted the post of MD to Highgate Choral Society starting in January. Both Highgate and Harrow rehearse on a Monday evening so he will be stepping down as our MD after our Christmas concert.
He is very sad to leave and we are also very sorry to lose him but we fully understand the reasons for this move. We wish him all the best in the future.
Under his inspired direction Harrow Choral has grown and developed immensely and we are confident that we can build on this success as our search begins for the right person to succeed Sam.
- September Workshop starts the new season
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Date Posted: Tue, 23 Sep 2025
Harrow Choral Society opened its season with a Workshop at St Alban's church, North Harrow on Saturday, 6th September when guests joined choir members for an enjoyable day of singing and socialising. Music Director Sam Evans guided the singers through A Season to Sing, Joanna Forbes L'Estrange's exciting choral re-imagining of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
“The event was really well-organised with an efficient and friendly check-in, and clear information about the venue and the timetable for the day. The colour-coded seating helped too, as did the name tags. I settled in very easily and enjoyed the hot drinks and delicious home-made cakes. It was impressive to see how many choir members were actively involved in making the day such a great experience for everyone and the way the whole choir created such a congenial atmosphere.” An enthusiastic Guest!
- Harrow Choral's weekend in Cheltenham
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Date Posted: Mon, 28 Jul 2025
.jpg "Harrow Choral's weekend in Cheltenham")
On Saturday 12th July 2025 some 30 choir members, plus partners and friends, travelled to Cheltenham to rehearse for a concert at St Andrew’s United Reformed Church in aid of their church tower appeal. The concert included John Rutter’s Birthday Madrigals, plus pieces from both our Autumn and Spring concerts.
We had excellent board and lodgings at St. Hilda’s House, Cheltenham Ladies’ College and rehearsed in the historic Lower Hall.
We were very fortunate that, in the unavoidable absence of our MD Sam Evans, Ben Sawyer was available to lead us through the weekend. We enjoyed our rehearsals with him and, despite the extreme heat, the final performance, accompanied by Oliver Lallament, was a great success.
At the concert we were pleased to meet up with our former MD Simon Williams who now lives in Cheltenham.
A weekend of joyful singing, making and deepening friendships and visiting the beautiful city of Cheltenham! Many thanks to Gill Moss for her superb organisation.
- Sponsors and Patrons evening May 2025
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Date Posted: Sun, 8 Jun 2025
On Monday 19th May, Harrow Choral Society invited its Patrons and Sponsors to attend a rehearsal to see and hear how the choir prepares the music for a concert.
This is the second time that we have held this event, and it was clear that the enjoyment felt by members was shared by our guests!
Ian Caley, a true friend of the choir and one of our Vice Presidents, commented “How brave of the choir to invite Patrons and Sponsors to attend a rehearsal so early in the learning process, and of a difficult programme. It was very impressive to see the way everyone responded to difficult musical challenges and, for the visitors, it was so good to see and enjoy Sam Evans in action at the early stages of the rehearsal process.”.
Sam thanked Patrons and Sponsors for their welcome financial contribution to the choir. Refreshments were served in the interval, and we all thought it a very worthwhile evening indeed.
- Christmas at Coteford Infants’ School in Eastcote
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Date Posted: Thu, 19 Dec 2024
After the success of last year’s singing with Coteford School’s Infants, a number of our members, all dressed in their best Christmas outfits, performed carols, with the children joining in with the fun. It was impressive to see some of the children signing - as well as singing - for the benefit of others!
We sang together on three occasions: Year 1’s school assembly (with guests from Hillingdon Chamber Choir), a concert for their parents and last but no means least a concert for the residents at St Vincent’s nursing home, Northwood Hills. All under the expert direction of HCS member, Mary Myzer, Music Co-ordinator at Coteford Infants School.
It is part of our involvement with schools to ensure that the next generation will be ready to take on the baton and continue to pass down the skill of singing which brightens our spirits and improves our wellbeing.
Merry Christmas one and all.
- Christmas Celebration 2024
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Date Posted: Tue, 17 Dec 2024
View_of_Speech_Room_v2.jpg "Christmas Celebration 2024")
What a night! A full programme of choir and audience carols interspersed with brass performances and readings was enjoyed by a full capacity audience, with wine and mince pies served in the interval. Highlights of the evening were Rutter’s All Bells in Paradise, a jazzy version of Ding Dong merrily on high arranged by Stuart Nicholson and two pieces from A Christmas Special by Alexander L’Estrange.
Guest Reader old Harrovian Simon Williams, better known for his role as Justin Elliott in BBC’s The Archers, told our Music Director Sam Evans ‘they just look so happy’ (as though that’s an unusual thing for a choral society!) and his gasp of genuine delight was to be heard at the end of Jesus Child!
So much positive feedback from audience and choir alike:
‘the concert was beautiful’
‘I very much enjoyed singing the audience carols’
‘I am privileged to have found such a wonderful choir’
‘what an amazing experience, it was such a beautiful sound and I could pick out every word'
‘friends really loved it’
Congratulations to Sam Evans and accompanist Paul Ayres, and thanks to everyone involved in the organisation of this our last concert of the year.
- Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem
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Date Posted: Mon, 2 Dec 2024
.jpg "Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem")
Harrow Choral Society held its first Come & Sing, welcoming 40 plus singers from the Greater London area and beyond to join forces with members to work on the glorious Mozart’s Requiem. ‘Just wonderful, amazed at Sam's enthusiasm!’ and ‘So glad we came’ were heard from visitors during the interval. Our day culminated in a run-through performance to a small, select audience.
Members of HCS had been supporting students at St. Dominic’s Sixth Form College, joining forces with students and staff at rehearsals, and then in the College’s own performance of the Requiem on 19 November 2024 (pictured). We were therefore very pleased that some students from the College came to rehearse with us at our Come & Sing.
- Autumn Workshop open to all Singers
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Date Posted: Sun, 8 Sep 2024
On Saturday 7th September Harrow Choral embarked on its 2024-25 season with an open workshop to rehearse selected pieces for our ‘Draw On Sweet Night’ concert, to be held on Saturday 19th October. Members and guests alike welcomed the return to choral singing after the summer break, and enjoyed the enthusiasm and humour of our Music Director, Sam Evans, to rehearse a varied programme of songs from the 16th to the 21st centuries on the theme of autumn and the lengthening nights, all accompanied by composer and arranger Paul Ayres. We look forward to our concert!
- Summer Concert in Winchester August 2023
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Date Posted: Sun, 17 Sep 2023
_(May_2021)_(5).jpeg "Summer Concert in Winchester August 2023")
Harrow Choral Society's first away day since 2019 took the choir to the gorgeous United Church in Winchester. A write up of the concert featured in thier monthly magazine on page 12. For more information, see: https://ucw.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/september-2023-yours-final-online-version.pdf
- Winchester Today interviews Sam Evans about the choir's forthcoming concert
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Date Posted: Mon, 3 Jul 2023
Winchester Today got in contact with us as they heard we were traveling to Winchester to give a free performance at the United Church on Jewry Street. You can listen to the snippet here. (Courtesy of Sarah Archer). YouTube Video URL:
- Coronation singer to bring London classical choir to Winchester
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Date Posted: Wed, 7 Jun 2023
Article from the Hampshire Chronicle about the choir's performance in July 2023. For more information, see: https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/23571876.coronation-singer-bring-london-classical-choir-winchester/
- A snippet from the Pinner Villager
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Date Posted: Fri, 31 Mar 2023
A snippet from March's edition of the Pinner Villager regarding the Choir. Attachment: 
For more information, see: https://www.pinnerassociation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Compressed-Villager-Mar-2023-Redacted.pdf
- HCS appoints new MD
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Date Posted: Wed, 14 Sep 2022
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- HCS first workshop with new MD is a roaring success
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Date Posted: Wed, 14 Sep 2022
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- First workshop with new MD a roaring success
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Date Posted: Tue, 13 Sep 2022
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