Exmouth Choral Society

Exmouth Choral Society in Holy Trinity, February 2013
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Laurence Blyth was educated at the University of Exeter and graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music with an MA in Choral Conducting in 2011.
At RWCMD he studied with Simon Halsey, Adrian Partington and Neil Ferris, supported by the Busenhart Morgan-Evans Foundation and the EMI Music Sound Foundation. He has taken part in masterclasses with conductors including Eric Whitacre, John Butt and Robert Dean, and spent time in Germany at the Rundfunkchor Berlin International Choral Conducting Masterclass.
Past appointments include work with Exeter University Singers, Exeter University Brass Ensemble and the Chapel Choir of Bramdean School. Recent projects have included outreach work funded by Making Music as well as a recording and performance project for iconic saxophonist Raphael Ravenscroft.
Laurence directs choral societies in Exmouth, Exeter and Wellington, is a member of staff at the International A Cappella School and is an alto Lay Vicar in Exeter Cathedral Choir.
He regularly leads workshops and rehearsals for groups around the South West and has recently worked with the RSCM Voices, Reading Bach Choir and the choir of Bishop Wordsworth's School, Salisbury.

> Visit Laurence's own web page

Exmouth Choral Society is a mixed voice choir of approximately 60 members who rehearse during the autumn and spring terms, for two concerts a year. The repertoire is based around masses and oratorios. We rehearse in Glenorchy Church and Hall on Exeter Road.
Our concerts are held in Holy Trinity Church which has good acoustics for choral music. Our concerts are usually held with orchestras and always with good soloists. We have purpose made staging for the church so that visibility for all choir members is good.
Members also have the opportunity to join in with the social events that we hold during the year.
More information: contact Alan Thompson on 01395 273491 or by e-mail - click here

Read a review of the concert of May 4, 2013

Our Accompanist - Sandra Jepps

Sandra has been our accompanist since 1995 when she answered our advertisement, in order to escape three toddlers! She now accompanies two other choirs and is the organist at the Royal Marine Training Centre in Lympstone while teaching in a local primary school as her day job. She obtained her music degree from the University of Huddersfield and her piano teaching diploma from Trinity College of Music. She studied piano with Peter Donohoe and composition with Richard Steinitz.

Brief history of the Society

The Exmouth Choral Society was founded by William Vinnicombe, who was organist of Withycombe Raleigh Church, in 1867. It was reorganised in 1896 by Raymond Wilmot and by 1910 the Society had performed 37 different works. During the First World War concerts were abandoned but from 1920 to 1934 regular performances were given in the Church Hall, Exmouth. However, support waned after that and no more concerts were given until 1937, when Archibald Marcom took over as conductor. There have been no further gaps in continuity of performances. The Society performed regularly during the Second World War and in the immediate post war period hosted two music festivals. We only had two musical directors from 1948 till 2009; Donald White 1948 to 1983 and Brian Northcott 1983 to 2009.