WHATLINGTON SINGERS
WELCOME TO
WHATLINGTON SINGERS
Home of an aspiring and inspiring choir
Whatlington Singers is a friendly, welcoming East Sussex choir originally based in the village of Whatlington but now rehearsing in Battle. Formed in 2018, we currently have over 35 members across the soprano, alto, tenor and bass ranges. We aim to be a democratic choir, and a large part of our repertoire is suggested by members.
​Our choice of pieces covers a wide range of genres and styles. Recent performances have included music from John Rutter, C.V. Stanford, Morten Lauridsen, Sarah Quartel, Dan Forrest, C. Hubert H. Parry, Jacques Offenbach and Richard Carpenter.
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​We sing to challenge ourselves and are keen to develop our singing to be as versatile and accomplished as possible. But above all, Whatlington Singers is about enjoying making music together and sharing a passion for choral singing.
The only thing better than singing is more singing – Ella Fitzgerald
OUR TEAM
LUCINDA SHEPPARD, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Lucinda joined Whatlington Singers as director of music in September 2023. She is head of music at Battle Abbey School, having previously held a senior position at Vinehall School. She trained in music and conducting in the UK and abroad and is passionate about making music and reaching out to all areas of the community to share that joy.
OUR COMMITTEE – AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL
As a charity (registered number 1208052), we have a small group of members who act as trustees, taking responsibility for the choir’s management and steering its direction. There’s often a lot to do behind the scenes, so team effort and the contribution of individual expertise from our members are also much appreciated.
LOUISE WINTER, PRESIDENT
Louise Winter has sung with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Andrew Davis, the Hallé Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder, the Philharmonia Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Carlo Rizzi.
PERFORMANCE DIARY
THE BIG SING
SATURDAY 10th OCTOBER
St John's Church, Brittany Road, St Leonards on Sea
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​​​Whatlington Singers are proud to be taking part in this free event in aid of St Michael's Hospice. We will perform at 6.30pm but local choirs will fill the air with singing from morning to evening. It’s set to be a spectacular celebration of music and community.
JOIN US
We are a welcoming choir with a focus on musical balance, precision and development, and the enjoyment these bring. Our repertoire spans classical and contemporary works, with some songs performed off-copy to deepen musical interpretation and sometimes to convey the musical humour.
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To maintain harmony across all voice parts, we have limited places and seek singers who can read music, confidently hold their own part within four-part harmony and invest some time learning between sessions – we provide teach tracks to help with this. New members join for a settling-in period, after which Lucinda conducts a private, informal assessment to understand their vocal range and ability. While we strive to accommodate all experienced singers, there may be rare occasions when together we conclude the choir is not the right fit.
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If you have strong singing experience, are comfortable reading a score and holding a harmony, please get in touch via our contact page – we’d love to hear from you!
We meet every Monday evening from September to July with breaks for holidays. Rehearsals are from 7.00pm to 9.00pm at Battle Abbey.
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​Fees are currently £15 for each month we sing, subject to six-monthly review