The Harborough Singers was first formed in 1978 in order to represent England in an International choral competition in Debrecen, Hungary. Since that time the choir has been promoting choral music, developing singing skills and introducing audiences to new music as well as entertaining and raising money for a wide range of charities. In recent years the Choir has travelled widely to give concerts to raise money for charities such as the NSPCC, Homestart, The Royal British Legion and the RNLI. The Harborough Singers is itself a charity, and operates through a thriving committee, a formal constitution and lots of member involvement in all things from marketing to social activities. We are funded solely through subscriptions, donations, fundraising concerts and recordings.
The Choir has been highly successful in achieving its vision to perform music to a consistently high standard and provide a choral musical education for performers and audiences. The Choir’s concerts have attracted some of the most prestigious performers on the world stage including Dame Felicity Lott, Susan Bullock, Martyn Hill and Michael Chance. The Choir has also worked with some of the UK’s leading actors ranging from Prunella Scales to Andrew Sachs and from Janet Suzman to David Kossof, made recordings with Martin Jarvis and Timothy West and through the renowned annual Christmas concert Market Harborough audiences have also enjoyed performances from acclaimed actors including Patricia Routledge and Simon Russell Beale.
The Harborough Singers regularly commission and premiere new choral works. Over the years the Choir has given first performances of works by Edward Gregson, Trevor Hold, David Jepson, Kendal Kirkland and Charles Paterson among others.
"The Harborough Singers are characterised by the commitment of our members. We represent all walks of life and come from a wide range of backgrounds, roles and professions - not to mention very large radius of Market Harborough..! We are passionate about sharing both music (and cake) for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age or background. We work hard and play hard, in pursuit of musical excellence"
Charlie Penn | Musical Director
Charlie graduated from the University of Birmingham where he studied piano with Joseph Middleton. He is a Britten-Pears Young Artist 2013, previously joining the music staff for ‘Grimes on the Beach’ in Aldeburgh, and recently performing on organ, conducted by Semyon Bychkov. He also appeared in Orpheus, an original piece devised and performed by Little Bulb Theatre, and has even made an appearance on the BBC’s One Show, teaching Lee Mack some piano vamping!
Alongside his Directorship of the Harborough Singers, he runs Phoenix Chorale and is Assistant Director of Cantate Youth Choir. Whilst living in Birmingham he was Director of Stone Choral Society and a visiting tutor at the Birmingham School of Acting. He is in demand as an accompanist and works with students at both the University of Birmingham and the Birmingham Conservatoire. He has also worked with a number of soloists including Sir Willard White and Wendy Dawn Thompson.
Charlie’s huge breadth of musical experience have led him to work with many prestigious musical organisations including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Armonico Consort and the national singing programme, Sing Up! He has also assisted with the international Sherborne Summer School of Music and regularly directs the Cambridge Holiday Orchestra Association
Sign up for news
Tim Blades | Chairman
Tim is the principal momentum behind the choir and has been since 1805 when he was just eleven (OK, that is a bit of a guess). The first to arrive and the last to leave from every concert, Tim supports all the myriad of functions necessary in running a chamber choir.
He is a walking encyclopaedia of the choir’s history and its current activities, chairs the committee, organises individuals within the ranks to take on various roles and duties and manages the charity status of the choir - with all that entails.
For his own choral pleasure, Tim enjoys nothing more than singing in the middle of the bass section, whether in a concert or rehearsal. A great advocate of non-choral activities, Tim is usually the one to arrange suppers, walks - even just a quick visit to the pub between a rehearsal and a performance (sensible vocal lubrication, you understand..)
Like all the Singers, Tim is completely committed to the choir, its music, its members and its appetite for cake - of all denominations.
Andrew King | Accompanist
From an early age, Andrew King showed an interest in music and had his first piano lesson at the age of six. Three years later, he became a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral, and shortly after leaving, began learning the organ, passing the diploma of ARCO whilst at school. He moved to Northampton after completing an MA at Jesus College, Cambridge where he was an Organ Scholar.
He has toured widely throughout Europe, the USA, Singapore, Poland and New Zealand, and has been accompanist to the Harborough Singers since 1997. When not making music, he is self-building a major extension to his home which ultimately will accommodate an organ which he has rescued from a redundant Church in Birmingham.
When time permits he also enjoys exploring railways, walking his dog, Toby, and generally pottering around in the garden.
Andrew currently works as a freelance teacher, pianist and organist in Northamptonshire.
