Welwyn Garden City Chorus and Orchestra is the town‘s oldest society. We were founded in 1921.
Usually we put on 4 concerts a year plus an open rehearsal. In addition we regularly engage with primary age schoolchildren and give very popular school concerts. We are open to all and welcome singers and musicians, as well as those of course who come to listen to our music. Unusually for a Music Society we are both an orchestra and a chorus, rehearsing separately but performing together which gives us great musical flexibility. Our lead professionals are Music Director, James Ross who rehearses the orchestra and conducts, our Chorus Master Crispin Lewis who rehearses the Chorus and sometimes conducts at concerts, accompanist Barbara Manning and Leader Phillipa Hanson. In addition, both orchestra and chorus have some professionals and students from London Conservatoires playing and singing with us. We are privileged to have as our President, Andrew Watkinson, leader of the internationally renowned Endellion String Quartet. Andrew has performed with the orchestra on a number of memorable occasions.