About UsWho are we?
The Leighton Buzzard Festival Singers was formed in 1951, the year of the Festival of Britain. We normally perform two or three concerts each year in Leighton Buzzard, often with orchestral accompaniment from professional ensembles. We also frequently perform at the town's annual May Fayre, summer events and even in the pub! We rehearse every Monday evening at St. Barnabas church during the school term and we always welcome new members – no auditions are needed. Our professional Musical Director is Samuel Huston. You can find out more about Samuel here. Our professional Accompanist is Thomas Moore. You can find out more about Thomas here. What do we sing? Mainly choral works, but our repertoire is varied. We always try to achieve the highest possible standard in our concerts and often engage excellent professional orchestras and ensembles to perform with us. Recent concerts have included Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Fauré's Requiem, alongside programmes of opera choruses and broadway songs. Who's in charge? The Leighton Buzzard Festival Singers is run by a committee who manage the day-to-day organisation of the choir, plan concerts, and support the conductor and accompanist. We are also very proud to have the internationally-acclaimed composer Philip Stopford as our President and Mr M Hardy, Mrs M Hardy, Mr J Oxley, Mr P Dickens, Mr R Watts, Mr N Woolford as our Vice Presidents. The current committee includes: Chairman – Paul Dickens Deputy Chairman – Richard Watts Secretary – Stephanie Mann Treasurer – Ros Mennie |
Members of the choir singing Stainer's Crucifixion at All Saints' Leighton Buzzard
Our MD, Samuel Huston, directing the choir at the Leighton Linslade May Fayre
Members of the choir after singing at St Edmundsbury Cathedral
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The Choir's Early History
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The Festival Singers was formed by Denis Bignell to celebrate the Festival of Britain and perform a Concert Version of ‘Merrie England’ by Edward German. This took place on May 17th, 1951 at the Old Vic in Hartwell Grove, Leighton Buzzard. The Old Vic no longer exists.
Concerts continued at the Old Cedars School Hall, now Leighton Middle, after the closure of the Old Vic. Denis Bignell continued to lead the Festival Singers until his retirement due to ill health in 1981. Richard Burrell took up the baton from 1981 to 1988 when the baton was passed to Tony Philpott who held the role until his retirement in 1998. The choir then continued successfully under Alan Childs who held the post of Music Director until 2020 when Covid struck and the activities of the choir came to an abrupt halt. We are now, thankfully, back in full swing again! The Festival Singers has achieved much in the last 70 years. The choir has given Leighton Buzzard at least two concerts every year, with music ranging from the sublime to the frivolous, Bach to Gilbert & Sullivan, from Grand Masses to Christmas Carols. The choir has made four European Tours – Paris, Salzburg, Bruges & Cologne. These tours give rise to much fun and pride, especially when singing in such places as Notre Dame Paris and Chartres Cathedral. |
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