Wallingford Parish Choir
Wallingford Parish Church Choir is a thriving collection of adults and juniors based in the Oxfordshire Market town, situated on the Thames, midway between Oxford and Reading. The choir currently consists of 33 adults and 19 juniors, with ages ranging from 6 to over 70.
Wallingford is, in fact, home to the fictional town of Causton, a most notoriously dangerous place which features in ‘Midsomer Murders’. Many of the choir have appeared on the programme as extras, and when a choir is needed for the programme, Sue Ledger (Conductor and Director of Music) is asked to provide it. The choir enjoys being the Midsomer Choir; appearing in many episodes - they’ve sung carols, been sent death threats, witnessed untold horrors and won a choir competition... all in a day’s work!
Following a nationwide search, Wallingford choir was announced as Britain's Favourite Parish Choir and release their CD 'The Hymns Album' on 18th April on the Deccca Record Label. The CD will fittingly comprise of The Nations Favourite Hymns as voted for by Classic FM listeners and includes No.1 hymn Cwm Rhondda: Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer . The wonderful collection of popular hymns also includes How Great Thou Art, Jerusalem and Love Divine All Loves Excelling.
The choir is a genuine market town parish choir, open to anyone in the area who wants to join. There are no auditions to enter the choir, so it consists of people with a huge range of backgrounds and abilities. They all work really well together as a team. There are many strong soloists, but also a large number of people who are simply passionate about singing in the church choir. It’s known as a second family – once you’re in, no-one wants to leave! Members actively undertake chorister training, both adults and juniors, with well over half the choir now having taken Bishop’s Choristers exams to increase their musical and liturgical knowledge.
The parish of Wallingford is part of the Wallingford Team Ministry, which also includes the parishes of Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell and Crowmarsh Gifford. The Team Rector is David Rice. There are two churches in Wallingford which are used regularly for worship: St. Mary-le-More, the Civic Church, in the Market Place, and St. Leonard’s, which is tucked away in the older part of the town. These churches at one time formed separate parishes with their own choirs, but these were combined into one parish many decades ago. Both churches have had a long history of church choirs with very separate identities. However, once the parishes were combined, the choirs followed suit. The choir sings the service at St. Mary’s Church every Sunday morning, and evensong every week at St. Leonard’s Church. This is quite unusual, with many parishes only having evensong monthly or on special occasions; this again only highlighting why they are one of the UK’s best parish church choirs in existence.
Dr Sue Ledger, Conductor and Director of Music , serving within the choir for 19 years (11 as a soprano, and 8 as director) reflects on her role within the choir:
“I moved to Wallingford to take up a Medical Partnership as a GP at Wallingford Medical Practice in 1992. However on moving into the area I joined Wallingford Parish Church Choir, a decision which totally changed my life … eventually I decided to leave medicine and make music my full time career! In addition to my work with the church choir I set up the Wallingford Children’s Choir 12 years ago, and later the Wallingford Singers, for adults. I am so proud of all my choirs and particularly proud that the church choir has achieved such recognition”.
The Hymns Album is released on 18th April . Pre-order your copy now from Amazon .
Wallingford Church Choir at Classic FM Live
Tim Lihoreau catches up with Wallingford's Sue Ledger ahead of their Classic FM Live appearance at the Royal Albert Hall.
