Exciting times for Petworth’s Leconfield Singers
“The Leconfield Singers are friendly and welcoming, inclusive yet with high aspirations, hardworking – but also great fun,” Rachel says. “My aim is to keep it that way!
“I joined the choir about four years ago, and after being there for about six months, the role of librarian came up. I thought it would be a good way to get to know more people and become more involved. My original training was in music and so it seemed an appropriate role, and so gradually I became more and more involved.
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Hide Ad“I started expanding the librarian role beyond purely supplying the music. I was becoming more interested in the choir and I thought it would be good to spread it even more, and when (previous chairman) Jeannie said she was thinking of retiring from the role, I thought it would be good to become officially involved in all the sorts of things I was unofficially involved in!”
For Rachel, it has been a natural development – all based on her complete enjoyment of every aspect of the choir.
“My original training was in music, but I was not a singer and never had been a singer. My instruments were piano and flute, and in a way I left the music world behind me. After my degree, I worked in the music industry for a couple of years and then had a complete change and went into the film industry and then we had children and we moved out of London.
“I was not involved in music specifically, but I was still doing music. I realised that I hadn’t left it behind as much as I thought I had. But I always wished I could sing. It is frustrating if you are musical in many ways, but you have not really developed your voice. I used to think that I wished I had done. But a friend on the committee kept telling me about this wonderful choir and why didn’t I join. And I thought if I am going to do this, I am going to have singing lessons. It has been a wonderful springboard.
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Hide Ad“The choir is a non-audition choir, but (musical director) Graham (Wili) works incredibly hard to achieve fantastic standards for a choir that comes from that non-audition starting point. We have achieved things that you really would not expect. We do work hard – and we have to work hard if we are going to keep to the level of pieces and the standard of performances that we are aspiring to. But we also have great fun.
“I believe that choirs, and possibly perhaps especially rural choirs, are a vital part of our society. People come to choirs for a multitude of reasons, from a multitude of backgrounds and in our case covering the full spectrum from trained musicians to those who don’t read music. What is on offer for all is the opportunity to be part of a team, to belong, to form new friendships as a result, to challenge yourself, to learn and enjoy the sense of achievement in that learning and not least of all to enjoy the music itself!”
As for future plans: “I am delighted to be working with the other members of the joint choirs committee in planning our next exciting venture for a London venue in 2022. For us to be able to sing to this level is testament to Graham’s endless enthusiasm and sheer talent and the commitment of the choir membership.”
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