About

The City of Birmingham Choir – passionate about great choral music for 90 years!

Since 1921, the City of Birmingham Choir has constantly thrilled and entertained audiences with our wide and often adventurous repertoire.  Singing first in the historic Town Hall and, more recently, in the magnificent acoustics of Symphony Hall we have also enjoyed an enormously productive musical partnership with the city’s internationally famous orchestra, the CBSO.  (See History.)

We are led by our Conductor, Adrian Lucas.  Widely acclaimed for his conducting of choral and orchestral works at the Three Choirs Festival and elsewhere, Adrian brings a wealth of experience as one of the country’s leading choral conductors. 

We include most of the major choral works in our repertoire plus more challenging and newer compositions.  The standard of our performances draws consistent praise from both critics and audience. 

As well as performing with the CBSO, we have worked with other orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Swan, and have had concerts broadcast on Radios 2 and 3.  We joined the CBSO Chorus and CBSO for the much-praised centenary performances of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles and The Kingdom. We have also sung at the Three Choirs Festival and in addition have performed some of the more intimate choral repertoire in ‘out of town’ venues such as Tewkesbury Abbey. 

A highly acclaimed performance of James MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross, our regular Messiah performances and a spectacular collaboration with Birmingham Schools’ Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana have been recent highlights.  We celebrated our 90th birthday in November 2011 with Janáček’s electrifying Glagolitic Mass. 

The Choir is committed to supporting choral music making and has participated in Making Music’s Adopt-a-composer scheme as well as running singing competitions and workshops for people of all ages.  Currently we are helping to develop the next generation of choral performers with Voice Factory – an enterprising scheme providing vocal training for the Choir and encouraging the participation of young people in singing. 

We are very proud to be one of the few independent organisations promoting and financing a full season of major choral concerts with professional symphony orchestras and soloists. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

The Choir is a member of   

 The City of Birmingham Choir

Founded 1921. A company limited by guarantee. Company Registration Number 2081252 England. Charity Commission Registration Number 1049684. 

Patrons   The Lord Mayor of Birmingham and Dr Christopher Robinson CBE CVO 

President    Hugh Carslake 

Conductor   Adrian Lucas  

Rehearsal Accompanist   Colin Baines 

Vocal Coach   Julian Wilkins
 

Contact the choir here.
 

Board of Management 2011-12

President	Hugh Carslake
Chairman	Alison Burslem
Deputy Chairman	Roland Clark
General Secretary	Tricia Bowden
Concerts Secretary	Sue Ward
Treasurer	Michael Price
Marketing Manager	Jill Taylor
Partnership Manager	Bob Crosskey
Membership Secretary	Lynne Davies
Development Forum Manager	(open)

Other roles, not members of the Board

Ticket Secretary	Caroline O’Gorman
Publicity Secretary / Board minutes secretary	Teri Siggins
Audience Development Officer	Naomi Green
Recruitment Officer	Georgina Hardy
Presentation Manager	Colin Hutcheson
Development Forum Chair	Jane Reynolds
Press/Media Officers	Su Whale
Supporters Secretary	Frances Hooper
Librarian	Sue Franklin
Voice Factory Co-ordinator	Gillian Bullock
Dress Secretary	Helen Stammers
Programmes Editor	Bob Casselden
Annual Review Editor and Archivist	David Baxendale
Making Music (NFMS) Delegate	Gwyn Williams
Website team	Mark Lawrence, Naomi Green, Toby Hester, Matthew Somerville

All officers of the choir give their time voluntarily.