Earliest records of the Society show that it existed as choir and orchestra prior to 1929 when there is the first written evidence of a concert having taken place. It then changed its name to Swindon Musical Society in 1948. In 1985 the orchestra diverged from the singing group and the choir became the Swindon Choral Society under the directorship of Nicholas Riddle.
In April 1998, David Truslove took over as Musical Director. Bringing the experience of a professional chorister, David inspired the choir to take on more and more complex and challenging works.
In 2002, David decided to move on. We thank him and wish him well in all his future endeavours and exploits.
Following a most successful concert, Handel's "Israel in Egypt", under the leadership of Sir Peter Beale, our new permanent Musical Director Robin Nelson has now taken charge. Recently retired as Head of Music at Marlborough College, Robin was looking for a fresh challenge - but seems to have settled for us!
Repertoire In over 70 years of its existence, the Society has performed most of the choral repertoire and many secular works too, the latter including Hiawatha's Wedding Feast and Carmina Burana. We enjoy opportunities to work with other local groups, including Swindon Pegasus Brass who invited us to perform at their rousing Last Night Of The Proms celebration in 2000 at the Wyvern Theatre.
Memorable sacred works performed include the Requiems by Verdi, Durufl, Faur and Mozart, Elijah, The Creation, Handels Messiah and Elgars Dream of Gerontius. Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor and Beethoven's Mass in B Minor have been complemented by Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Rossini's Stabat Mater. We have also performed Britten's War Requiem in which we were joined by choirs from Germany and the USA. We then sang this Requiem, with the German and American choirs in Macon USA.
Our friends overseas The Society sings regularly with two choirs from Germany, namely St Michaelkirchenchor, Salzgitter, and the Altonaer Singakademie, Hamburg.
Society members have also sung in Macon,Georgia,USA and in France.