Eclectic and ambitious repertoire sees London’s LGBT+ Chamber choir sing in 5 languages
Taking its theme from varied music styles from the sacred to the inspirational to the downright joyously camp, the 2 hour show sees the 50 strong chorus make their first visit to Sir Christopher Wren’s St Mary-At-Hill Church in The City of London on 1 June.
Beethoven, Vivaldi and Rachmaninov will be sampled – plus lesser known work by Takemitsu and a toe-tapping, hand-clapping crowd pleaser from West End favourite ‘Sister Act’.
In all, the choir will sing in English, Latin, German, Russian and Japanese.
Diversity Choir Chair Corinne Iten said: “Glorious! is a big, bold concert where we will be raising the rafters with an eclectic mix of music – as always, arranged to showcase our diverse 4-part ensemble. There’s something for every taste and we can’t wait to perform together for our audience.”
Diversity Choir Summer Concert: Glorious!
Saturday 1 June 7:30pm at St Mary-at-Hill Church, Lovat Lane, (Tube: Monument) London EC3R 8EE
Advance tickets are £15 and £12 for concessions (students,the elderly, those with disabilities, students and those who are unemployed) ex. booking fees. Tickets on the door £18 and £15 for concessions. Disability access via St Mary-at-Hill.
On 2 December 2023 London’s foremost LGBT+ chamber chorus “Diversity Choir” revealed a brand new repertoire for its winter concert – inspired by the sea.
The evening concert at St Giles Cripplegate, took in Cecilia McDowall’s “Shipping Forecast”; Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Meeres Stille und Glückliche Fahrt”; Cole Porter’s “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”; Disney’s crowdpleaser “Under The Sea”; Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Lass That Loved a Sailor” as well as music by Nadia Boulanger and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Following a successful year which opened with the choir’s 30th anniversary summer concert showcasing female composers, and took in the 50 strong chorus’s three performances at the Various Voices International LGBT+ Choir Festival in Bologna in June, plus a guest spot at the National Hate Crime Awareness Week Act of Remembrance in October – the choir has gained multiple new members and will perform bigger and better than ever.
Choir Chair Corinne Iten said: “Our winter concert was the culmination of a busy and successful year for the choir. From popular crowdpleasers to Beethoven to one of Britain’s greatest composers – our repertoire offers something for everyone. We’d like to thank all our followers for helping us make our 30th year our best ever.”
Hate Crime Awareness
In October Diversity Choir members once again sang at the National Hate Crime Awareness Week Act of Remembrance in central London. The campaign reminds us that there is ‘No place for hate in the UK’ and uses the tag: #SafePlaceForAll.
Sing with us
Our new term started in September, preparing for our concert on Saturday 2 December 2023 at St Giles Cripplegate, Barbican, London. If you’d like to join us, please contact James our membership secretary: membership@diversitychoir.co.uk
Various Voices festival in Bologna
Diversity Choir joined over 100 LGBT+ choirs, and 3000 singers from around the world, for Various Voices 2023 in Bologna, Italy, from 14 to 18 June. We thoroughly enjoyed our magical performance in the wonderful Arena del Sol in the heart of Bologna, Italy.
One of the highlights was our moving performance in the Museum MAMBO. We learnt extra songs to impress our Italian friends, including Pur Ti Miro by Claudio Monteverdi.
We have created a short introduction to our wonderful chamber choir from London, please take a look:
We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 30th anniversary as London’s original LGBT+ chamber choir, and to welcome over ten new members since lockdown. Diversity has a packed and intersting programme of activities including two concerts, a trip to Italy for an LGBT music festival, and a professional recording session to save our sounds for posterity. Come and join the fun.
Contact James our membership secretary: membership@diversitychoir.co.uk
Diversity Choir’s Summer Concert celebrated female composers
As part of our 30 year celebrations, the UK’s foremost LGBT+ chamber choir performed a tribute to female composers spanning nearly 400 years – from Barbara Strozzi to Dolly Parton – in a wonderfully diverse repertoire sung in four part harmony. Click the banner above to see us rehearse!
Taking place at the richly decorated St Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge – a jewel of Victorian architecture and one of London’s most beautiful church buildings – the concert created an evening of musical joy and happiness.
The 50+ strong ensemble sang The Cobbler by Imogen Holst, Psaume XXIV by Lili Boulanger, Dixit Dominus by Mariana de Martines, O Frondens Virga by Hildegard von Bingen, Non c’e piu fede by Barbara Strozzi, alongside Peace I Leave With You by Amy Beach and popular modern standards Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell and I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton.
Painting: The Viola da Gamba Player, c. 1630–1640, by Bernado Strozzi.
Incoming choir chair Corinne Iten said: “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the contribution of female composers at our 30th Anniversary Summer Concert on 20 May 2023.”
“It is a great honour and privilege to bring the work of these talented women to a wider audience whilst showcasing the diverse singing talents and repertoire of the UK’s foremost LGBT+ chamber choir.”
“Over nearly 400 years of history, these women have done much to advance the enjoyment of music across many genres, often against the odds. We hope our audience will enjoy hearing their music as much as we will performing it.”
Diversity Choir can also be seen in Italy at the Various Voices LGBT+ music festival in Bologna, 14-18 June 2023.
Thirty glorious years
And you could join us
We’re inviting interested newcomers and former members to join us. We have space in every section so we want new or returning members to come, see what we do, and get a good impression! We’re planning a Workshop Day on Saturday 2 September 2023 in the City of London to include: some informal coaching sessions; the opportunity to meet up with old friends; and a chance to sing with us.
If you would like to audition for Diversity Choir, please email membership@diversitychoir.co.uk
Marking three decades as London’s original LGBT+ community chamber choir, Diversity Choir held a wonderful 30th Anniversary Concert on Saturday 10 December 2022 at St Giles Cripplegate, singing works by Mendelssohn, Poulenc, Haydn, Cole Porter, ABBA, Mozart, Monteverdi, and a few surprises under the direction of our MD Jan Rautio, and accompanied by Philip Mitchell.
Sing with us in Italy
For the first time since the pandemic we will be joining over 100 LGBT+ choirs from around Europe for Various Voices 2023 in Bologna, Italy 14-18 June 2023. A really fun event where you’re bound to make new friends and hear fantastic singing.
So if you’re thinking you’d like to join us, now is an excellent time to ask for an invite to sing with us, find out what a great bunch of people we are, and prepare for an audition. We rehearse in the City of London on Wednesday evenings, so transport is excellent.
Come and join the fun. Contact Hamish our membership secretary: membership@diversitychoir.co.uk
Music from Stage & Screen
Our summer 2022 concert featured a celebration of music from Theatre, Opera and the Cinema at the beautiful St Paul’s in Knightsbridge.
Entitled Stage & Screen, London’s LGBT+ chamber choir’s summer concert included repertoire from Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Bernstein, Weill, Sondheim and Verdi.
Come and join us
If you would like an invitation to see if you are intersted in singing with Diversity Choir – London’s original LGBT+ chamber choir – please email our membership secertary at: membership@diversitychoir.co.uk
Diversity Choir’s Winter Concert 2021
Diversity Choir’s first concert appearance for two years was at the beautiful St Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge on Saturday 4 December 2021.
It seemed appropriate to entitle this Back Together Again, and we sang some old and new favourite pieces, classical and popular, from Monteverdi and Brahms to Queen, plus a special tribute to Stephen Sondheim with our own arrangement of ‘Send in the Clowns’!
Virtual performances
Visit our YouTube channel for an archive of Diversity Choir performances.
You can hear Diversity Choir perfom with LGBT+ choirs from around the world in a Winter Melody online choir festival hosted by LEGATO.
Previously……
West Side Story
During lockdown Diversity Choir joined the Proud Voices network of choirs from around the UK and Ireland for a virtual festival. This is still available to watch on YouTube.
We are singing a medley of songs from West Side Story recorded in 2016 at the Amasing Choirfestival in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.
You can see the whole of our performance on You Tube here
https://YouTube.be/I3
