West London Chorus Choral Workshop To Feature Handel
Hilary Campbell to direct a rehearsal of Dixit Dominus
Hilary Campbell conducting West London Chorus. Picture: West London Chorus
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September 8, 2025
The West London Chorus, formerly known as the Chiswick Choir, will host a choral workshop exploring Handel’s Dixit Dominus under the direction of conductor Hilary Campbell. The event offers singers of all backgrounds an opportunity to engage with one of Handel’s most dynamic sacred works in a collaborative afternoon of music-making.
Taking place at St Michael’s Church on Elmwood Road, the workshop will run from 12:00pm to 6:00pm on Saturday 20 September. Participants will rehearse the piece in depth, with the option to join the Chorus for its 50th anniversary performance of Dixit Dominus at Cadogan Hall in July 2026.
Following the singing session, attendees are invited to stay for a relaxed social gathering from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, featuring food, drinks, and informal activities. The workshop fee is £25, which includes music hire. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch; refreshments for the evening are not included.
Tickets and further details are available via TicketSource.
The original Chiswick Choir was founded in 1976 in W4 by John Thackray, a passionate musician who served as conductor for many London choirs. Between 1984 and 2015 the choir was conducted by Alistair Jones and since January 2016 the choir has been under the direction of award-winning composer and conductor Hilary Campbell. In 2021 the choir changed its name to the West London Chorus to reflect its wider reach and appeal.
Over the course of its career the Choir has built a repertoire principally based on the European tradition from the 16th to 20th centuries. The choir has also performed more contemporary pieces, including the world premiere of Alistair Jones’s Stabat Mater in 2006, Will Todd’s Mass In Blue and works by Bob Chilcott and others.
The choir’s repertoire includes most of the major works suited to a group of its size – the Bach Passions, Mass in B minor, oratorios by Handel, works by Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, Verdi’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and so on. Excursions into the 20th century have included performances of Britten’s Saint Nicolas, Tippet’s A Child of Our Time and Stravinsky’s A Symphony of Psalms.
It always welcomes new members, and more information is available on its web site.
The choir also offers a limited number of vocal scholarships each year to nurture the skills and experience of talented singers between the ages of 18 and 30.
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