SOUTHERN VOICES was founded in 1984 and rapidly gained a reputation for performing challenging and original programmes to exceptionally high standards.

Under the direction of its founding conductor, Graham Caldbeck, the choir performed a variety of new works, including pieces written by Graham himself. Other composers whose work has received world premieres on the Southern Voices stage include the Hampshire millennium composer, Martin Read, and Andrew Simpson, whose Magnificat was commissioned to mark the choir’s 20th anniversary in November 2004.

Philip Scriven took over as musical director from 2000 until 2002, joining as the Assistant Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral and leaving when he was appointed as Organist and Director of Music at Lichfield Cathedral. Our current musical director Charles Stewart was appointed in September 2002.

Southern Voices prides itself on tackling a wide repertoire of works large and small, introducing both singers and audiences to little-heard pieces by well-known composers and new works by less familiar names. With a membership of around 40 voices, the choir has given memorable chamber performances of works including Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater, Bach's Mass in B minor, Handel’s Messiah and Dixit Dominus, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Bach's St John Passion and, most recently, Monteverdi's Vespers, working with distinguished organists, vocal soloists and orchestras as well as frequently including young instrumentalists in its programmes. The choir has also established strong links with Southern Sinfonia, a regional professional orchestra based in Newbury.

As well as both quire and nave performances in Winchester Cathedral, Southern Voices performs in churches and other venues around the city and has sung in the Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton Art Gallery, Romsey Abbey and Arundel Cathedral. In the spring of 2006 the Duomo and Basilica della Santissima Annunziata in Florence were added to the list following an extremely successful trip to Italy. The choir hopes to undertake a similar sojourn in the Loire Valley in 2009.

Back in Winchester, Southern Voices concerts have become an established part of the city’s musical calendar and the choir has been associated with a number of prestigious musical events. In 1990 it was invited to give the opening concert of the Southern Cathedrals Festival and in July 1998 gave a concert in St John’s Church, Alresford, as part of the first Winchester Festival. This led to the Festival’s annual Music by the River slot on the banks of the River Itchen at St Cross being filled by Southern Voices in 2001, 2002 and 2004. From 2005 to 2007 the choir’s contribution to the Festival was a special late evening performance in the Cathedral quire. In 2008 this was expanded to a performance of Monteverdi's Vespers to a packed audience in the Cathedral nave. In March 2005 Southern Voices was involved in the Festival of Religion, Art and the Brain and gave a world premiere performance of John Tavener’s Marienhymne with the King Alfred Singers.

Southern Voices is committed to undertaking charity performances whenever the increasing cost of staging concerts allows. The traditional Christmas concert at St Cross, Winchester, has benefited numerous local charities and major performances have also been staged for Macmillan Cancer Relief and the victims of the Beslan atrocity, when an audience of all ages filled Winchester Cathedral at a few days’ notice to hear Rachmaninov’s Vespers performed in September 2004.

In November 2008 we released our first CD, A Winchester Christmas, a collection of pieces that celebrate the Advent season. As with our live performances, music for our first CD has been carefully selected to take listeners on a journey of emotional and musical discovery.

Although making music is the main activity, Southern Voices also has an educational aim which has been fulfilled in recent years by holding a choral workshop at Avington Park and by hosting illustrated lectures and Study Days in advance of major concerts. In addition Southern Voices encourages young singers by reserving one or two subsidised places in the choir for talented local students.

Southern Voices is available to perform at private functions including parties and weddings. For further information about this or any other enquiries please drop us a line.