Experience the thrill of performing some of opera’s greatest choruses under the expert guidance of one of the finest chorus masters in the field.

Hosted by the Thames Head singers, this promises to be an unforgettable day of singing led by Piers Maxim, renowned former Chorus Master at Scottish Opera, La Monnaie (Brussels), and National Opera Company of Belgium to name but a few!

We will be singing choruses from the following selection – Bizet’s March of the Toreadors (Carmen), Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances (Prince Igor), Verdi’s Chorus of Scottish Refugees (Macbeth), Verdi’s Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Nabucco), Tchaikovsky’s Waltz scene (Eugene Onegin) and Handel’s Chorus of Enchanted Islanders (Alcina).

Throughout the day Piers will guide us through the pieces improving our operatic style and culminating in an informal performance to which all are welcome.

Tickets are available here priced £20 to include score hire if required (if you would like to bring your own score we will be using Oxford University Press, Opera Choruses by John Rutter).

All voices welcome – come and sing with us!

Details for the day

9.30 Registration, tea and coffee
10.15 Rehearsal
11.00 Tea, coffee and cake
11.15 Rehearsal
12.00 Break
12.15 Rehearsal
1.00 Lunch
2.00pm Afternoon rehearsal
3.30pm Tea break
4.00pm Informal performance

We would recommend bringing a packed lunch, alternatively there are several cafés and a pub nearby as well as a small grocery store.

The Church is fully accessible.
Entry to the afternoon performance is free with a retiring collection for charity – all welcome.

Directions and parking
There is free parking in Minchinhampton and on the common to the rear of the church.

Piers Maxim – Director of Music

Piers Maxim began his musical career as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral, moving on to study music at Clare College, Cambridge and the Guildhall in London.
He worked as conductor, assistant conductor and chorus master in the opera houses and theatres of Europe and for two years as Chorus Master of Scottish Opera, also assisting conductors such as Raymond Leppard and Sir Richard Armstrong.
From 1996 to 2012 he was Chef des Choeurs for the National Opera Company of Belgium, where he worked on over 40 operas, sometimes as Assistant Conductor to René Jacobs and sometimes conducting in his own right on performances of music by Handel, Gluck and Mozart. He made his debut in the USA conducting Die Zauberflöte in 2007 and in Beijing with Handel’s Semele in 2010.
His role as a conductor continued with his period band, The Pavilion Ensemble.
Piers is now Director of Music and Organist at Great Malvern Priory and Conductor of The Elgar Chorale and he gives organ recitals in cathedrals and other venues around the country.
Piers’ own compositions, including anthems and carols, have been published by the RSCM and in 2020 he recorded People Look East, an Advent and Christmas CD, with Great Malvern Priory choirs.

Julian Elloway – Accompanist

Julian Elloway studied piano in Oxford with Lucy Van-Jung Page, at the Guildhall School of Music with Cimbro Martin, and subsequently specialized in piano accompaniment with Paul Hamburger. At the age of 14 he played a Beethoven piano concerto in the Royal Festival Hall. He was organ scholar at Sussex University and worked in Brighton as keyboard player, choir conductor and répétiteur, before becoming Music Editor and Manager of the Music Department at Oxford University Press. He frequently appeared as organist, harpsichordist and pianist with the City of Oxford Orchestra and the Academy of Oxford, and became chorus master of the choirs associated with both orchestras.
Julian now lives in Minchinhampton where he works as a freelance musician and editor.