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We are delighted to announce the appointment of Rodney Earl Clarke as the new Director of Music for the Forest Row Choral Society. With his extensive experience and unbridled passion for music, Rodney is all set to lead our beloved choir into an exciting new era.
Rodney’s vision for our choir is to create a vibrant, inclusive community of singers, embracing both our existing members and welcoming new voices with open arms. He strongly believes that music should be accessible to all, irrespective of their level of musical training.
One of Rodney’s key objectives is to invite younger members to join our choir, infusing it with a fresh energy and dynamic spirit. He recognises that not everyone may be familiar with reading sheet music, but he firmly believes that dedication to learning music and the joy of creating harmonies together are the essential ingredients for success. Under Rodney’s guidance, we are confident that the Forest Row Choral Society will continue to thrive and grow, exploring new musical horizons and creating magical moments through our collective voices.
Are you ready to embark on this melodious journey with us? Whether you’re an experienced singer or just starting out, we welcome you to join our choir family and experience the transformative power of music. Come and be a part of something extraordinary!
Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming rehearsals, performances, and exciting projects. Help us spread the word by sharing this announcement with friends and family who are passionate about music and ready to embark on an unforgettable musical adventure.
The choir rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 8pm to 10pm during term time at Forest Row Primary School. We welcome anyone who wishes to sing with us. There are no auditions and rehearsals are paced so that learning can be by ear. The ability to read music is desirable. Our terms broadly align with Forest Row Primary School’s term dates.
Forest Row Choral Society is a friendly, non-audition choir of around 55 members that rehearses on Tuesday evenings, 8pm – 10pm, at Forest Row Primary School and holds most of its concerts at Holy Trinity Church in Lewes Road.
The Autumn term starts on September 12th 2023 when we welcome new musical director Rodney Earl Clarke who has taken over following Tom Scratchley’s retirement. We also welcome new accompanist Anthony Zerpa-Falcon who replaces Sylvia Trench.
The choir was founded in 1962 as the Michael Hall School Choral Society under its first director Cecil Cope. In 1988 Tom took over and, with Sylvia, moved the choir into the centre of the village. Under their direction and guidance FRCS developed into a true community choir open to all ages.
Our two main concerts, normally held in April and November, feature either major choral works or a selection of items linked by theme or composer. Professional soloists and musicians work with us ensuring a high standard of concert performance.
The choir holds a traditional Carol Concert in December and in the summer term we like to try something a little different.
We are delighted that top British tenor Mark Padmore – who lives locally – is our president and has performed various key roles in FRCS concerts since 2013.
We welcome new members, whether from Forest Row or the surrounding areas, so if you would like to join us come to one of our Tuesday rehearsals and give it a try. For more information click here
You will receive regular notifications about rehearsals, concerts and events