Putney Choral Society
We are an ambitious, sociable and committed non-auditioned choir that welcomes new members
Putney Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir of mixed ages and abilities that tackles a range of choral works by both modern and classic composers. We put on several concerts a year, accompanied by professional soloists and orchestra. We aim to share our love of choral singing with as wide a range of people as possible. The choir was founded in 1947 by Dr Stephen Rhys MBE, who was our Music Director for our first 67 years.
In the past decade we have performed works by Bach, Britten, Charpentier, Faure, Finzi, Handel, Haydn, Holst, Orff, Pergolesi, Poulenc, Ravel, Rossini, Rutter, Saint-Saens, Vaughan Williams and Vivaldi, as well as by living composers Dan Forrest and James Francis Brown. For a fuller list see here.
We welcome singers of all ability levels. We are also ambitious and aim to achieve high musical standards in our performances, so there is an expectation that people will spend time outside rehearsals having done preparatory work on what is to be sung. We publish rehearsal schedules which help you to see what you should practice and offer support materials in our members' area to help you learn the music.
We rehearse in the hall at Putney High Junior School starting at 7.15pm every Monday. Our 2024 winter concert on 7 December - Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle - will be followed by Mozart's Requiem on 17th May 2025.
Our Music Director - Jamie Powe
After completing his BA degree in Music at Somerville College, Oxford, Jamie was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he achieved a distinction in his choral conducting MA. He was also awarded the Thomas Armstrong Prize for outstanding choral leadership. Jamie was one of the 2018/19 Young Conducting Scholars with Sing for Pleasure, and has worked with Genesis Sixteen as conducting scholar.
Alongside PCS, he is currently Musical Director of The Fourth Choir, The New London Singers, Laurelin Voices and The Aubrey Singers. He was director of The Arcadian Singers 2019-23, Director of the Chapel Choir of Regent's Park College, Oxford 2019-2021 and Associate Director of Ware Choral Society 2022-23. In 2022, he conducted at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall in front of the royal family, and broadcast on BBC 1.
Assistant Music Director - Elspeth Wilkes
Born in Leigh-on-sea, Essex, Elspeth studied at King's College, London, Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music. She has performed at venues including St John's Smith Square; Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House; St Martin-in-the-Fields; Kings Place; Trafalgar Studios; Savoy theatre, West End as well as performing recitals in Greece, Spain, Portugal, France and South Africa. Elspeth has performed at festivals including the Ravenna music festival, Italy, the Edinburgh Fringe festival and the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival where she won the 'Oscar' award for outstanding performance.
Elspeth has worked with BBC Wales, Royal Ballet, Royal Shakespeare Company and Southbank Sinfonia and has performed for HRH The Princess Royal. She also performs regularly for the charities Lost Chord Foundation and Music in Hospitals working with people suffering from dementia.
Elspeth has worked as a repetiteur/musical director with many opera companies including Opera up Close (winning an Olivier award for La Boheme), Opera Brava, Merry Opera, Northern Ireland Opera, Kings Head Opera and Opera de Bauge. She has recently been added to the list of music staff at ENO.
Elspeth is conductor of Thurrock Choral Society and assistant conductor of Barnes Choir and is a member of the Bridgetower Ensemble. In her spare time she enjoys all sports and quizzing and has appeared on Mastermind, Countdown, The Chase and The Weakest Link!