Our Story
From Handel’s Messiah in 1984 to Wham’s Last Christmas in December 2024, plus Phantom, The Beatles, Gilbert and Sullivan, Land of Hope and Glory, John Rutter and Abba along the way.
The Hedingham Singers
40 years of making music
40 years of making music
In one form or other, Castle and Sible Hedingham have had a choir or choral society for much of the past century. However, the first record is from a newspaper clipping from the Halstead Gazette published on December 15th, 1972, showing a large choir with the ladies resplendent in pale blue dresses and the men in dark suits and ties.
Unfortunately, the photograph caption is missing but it is thought that this was The Hedinghams Choral Society under the direction at the time of Maurice Nash - but for how long it had been formed and when and why it ceased to exist is not known.
Unfortunately, the photograph caption is missing but it is thought that this was The Hedinghams Choral Society under the direction at the time of Maurice Nash - but for how long it had been formed and when and why it ceased to exist is not known.
A cutting from the Halstead Gazette, Friday May 20, 1994, promised an “outstanding choice for lovers of classics” with a programme of French music at St Gregory’s Church, Sudbury. A week later a review praised “conductor Moira Frize-Williams showed just what can be achieved with inspired leadership – exciting and enthusiastic music”.
When Moira moved from the area in 1995 Priscilla Holland Smith became the new Musical Director and unfortunately the number of members diminished, and it was decided that the Society could no longer operate as a choral and evolved into “The Hedingham Singers” with a wider range of musical genres. Priscilla remained as Musical Director for fifteen years andduring that time we were joined by accompanist Brian Atkinson who came all the way from Thaxted. Brian was not only an accomplished pianist but wrote and arranged many pieces of music for the singers.
Under Priscilla’s directorship the Singers made four trips to Sible Hedingham’s twin town in France – Choisy au Bac – where they were always very well received and entertained. The weekend, the last of which was in July 2010 always included a joint concert on the Saturday night and participation in the Sunday mass.
Under Priscilla’s directorship the Singers made four trips to Sible Hedingham’s twin town in France – Choisy au Bac – where they were always very well received and entertained. The weekend, the last of which was in July 2010 always included a joint concert on the Saturday night and participation in the Sunday mass.
Moira Frize-Williams
- In September 2011 a new enthusiastic MD Chris Peugniez was appointed but unfortunately was only with us for a few months and was replaced by Elizabeth Miller and new accompanist Hilary Morgan in February 2012, who set about widening our repertoire from Abba to John Rutter.
In 2015 a new accompanist, Thomas Duchan was appointed. A year later, following Elizabeth’s retirement Thomas was appointed as our Musical Director, and Moira Frize-Williams returned for a short period as our accompanist. Due to professional demands Thomas had to resign in July 2017 and we welcomed Alexander Binns to take up the role.
Alex had been appointed as Assistant Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral where he trained and accompanied the cathedral choirs at services and concerts, but unexpectedly, he was then appointed Musical Director of Derby Cathedral commencing in January 2019 and had to quickly re-locate! Luckily, for us once again Thomas Duchan came to our rescue and is still with us today as our esteemed Musical Director.
Under Thomas, The Singers are once again a thriving local choir, performing to critical acclaim throughout North Essex and occasionally straying over the border into Suffolk with a wide repertoire of music. We have performed joint concerts with The Essex Police Band, Braintree Male Voice Choir and the Stour Valley Singers and have raised money for local and national charities and local churches.
We also sing at weddings and memorial services, outdoor events, residential homes and even been known to go carol singing at Christmas!
In 2016 we became a registered charity and welcome singers of all voices from all backgrounds. Rehearsals are held weekly and as any of our members will tell you,”making our own kind of music” is a rewarding and therapeutic experience, and a means of great escape from everyday life.
Forty years on The Hedingham Singers are still proud to be making music.
Under Thomas, The Singers are once again a thriving local choir, performing to critical acclaim throughout North Essex and occasionally straying over the border into Suffolk with a wide repertoire of music. We have performed joint concerts with The Essex Police Band, Braintree Male Voice Choir and the Stour Valley Singers and have raised money for local and national charities and local churches.
We also sing at weddings and memorial services, outdoor events, residential homes and even been known to go carol singing at Christmas!
In 2016 we became a registered charity and welcome singers of all voices from all backgrounds. Rehearsals are held weekly and as any of our members will tell you,”making our own kind of music” is a rewarding and therapeutic experience, and a means of great escape from everyday life.
Forty years on The Hedingham Singers are still proud to be making music.
Our Story:
In September 1984 Bert Angier, Head of Music at Hedingham School, decided to put on a performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah” which would involve the school choir, and a request was made for adult singers from the local community to also join in. Following months of rehearsals, Bert’s ambition was realised in May 1985 when two performances were given in St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Clare. This most probably led to the reforming of The Hedingham Choral Society. Bert was therefore the inspiration of us still singing forty years on. However, only a few days after the final performance at Clare Bert died of a heart attack at the age of 47 and the newspaper report of his death mentioned that members of Hedingham Choral Society were to sing excerpts from Handel’s Messiah at his funeral service to be held at Panfield church.
The Society continued until 1990 under the supervision of Margaret Jones, wife of the then headmaster of Hedingham School and had sung solos at the performances of "Messiah"
Moira Frize-Williams from Wickham St Paul was then appointed Musical Director.
Moira was already a member of both the Hedingham and Halstead societies together with her husband and daughter who all took part in various concerts, not only singing but playing a variety of musical instruments! Programmes from the period reveal that concerts, performed in local churches consisted of mainly classical or sacred pieces, with a mix of choral and instrumental numbers.
However, Christmas concerts held in December1992 at Wickham St Paul and Pebmarsh included “Mary’s Boy Child” and “White Christmas”, and in June the following year a concert held in Holy Trinity Church, Halstead included recitals from Mozart, Puccini, Rossini and Delibes in the first half followed by a “semi-staged” Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial By Jury” in the second half.
The Society continued until 1990 under the supervision of Margaret Jones, wife of the then headmaster of Hedingham School and had sung solos at the performances of "Messiah"
Moira Frize-Williams from Wickham St Paul was then appointed Musical Director.
Moira was already a member of both the Hedingham and Halstead societies together with her husband and daughter who all took part in various concerts, not only singing but playing a variety of musical instruments! Programmes from the period reveal that concerts, performed in local churches consisted of mainly classical or sacred pieces, with a mix of choral and instrumental numbers.
However, Christmas concerts held in December1992 at Wickham St Paul and Pebmarsh included “Mary’s Boy Child” and “White Christmas”, and in June the following year a concert held in Holy Trinity Church, Halstead included recitals from Mozart, Puccini, Rossini and Delibes in the first half followed by a “semi-staged” Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial By Jury” in the second half.
Bert Angier – the inspiration behind the reforming of the Hedingham Choral Society
– later to become the Hedingham Singers
– later to become the Hedingham Singers
Press cutting of the Hedinghams Choral Society from the Halstead Gazette – December 1972
Press cutting from the Halstead Gazette December 1972
Elizabeth Miller
On tour – Choisy au Bae 2110
Alexander Binns.
Thomas Duchan
