South Dulwich Chorus and St Stephen’s South Dulwich
South Dulwich Chorus is a community choral society established in 2025 based at St Stephen’s South Dulwich and operates as a programme of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Stephen’s, South Dulwich.
The choir brings together singers from South Dulwich and the surrounding area for inspiring, project-based performances of major choral works. Our aim is to combine excellent music-making with minimal rehearsal demands, making it easy for people to take part alongside work, family and other commitments.
There are no auditions, and we welcome singers from all walks of life who either know the repertoire or are willing to prepare independently. For each project, we arrange two optional evening rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the concert, followed by an afternoon rehearsal on the day of the performance.
Our concerts provide opportunities for local people to participate in music, develop their musical skills and come together as part of the wider community life of St Stephen’s. We also work with professional soloists and instrumentalists to create ambitious and enjoyable performances for both singers and audiences.
Our next main concert is Haydn’s The Creation on Saturday 10 October 2026, featuring professional soloists and instrumentalists. The performance begins at 6pm, with a rehearsal that afternoon from 2pm to 4pm.
Join us and be part of something new, creative and sociable — singing great music with like-minded people in a beautiful setting.
Our Mission
South Dulwich Chorus exists to make choral music accessible, welcoming and enjoyable for people in South Dulwich and the surrounding communities.
We provide opportunities for people of different ages and musical backgrounds to sing together, develop their musical skills and perform ambitious choral repertoire. Through rehearsals, concerts and community activities, we aim to strengthen connections between people, support participation in music and contribute to the cultural life of our local community.
Our Community Impact
South Dulwich Chorus was established in 2025, with our first concert taking place in October 2025. Since then, we have presented three main concerts and a summer community event, with further performances planned throughout the year.
The choir currently has around 160 singers on its mailing list, with an average of approximately 60 singers taking part in each concert. Our project-based approach allows singers to participate when they are able, rather than requiring a year-round commitment. We offer two optional rehearsals ahead of each main concert, followed by a rehearsal on the day, making choral singing accessible to people with busy lives and other commitments.
Our main concerts are open to everyone and are designed to make live choral music accessible to a broad audience. Advance tickets are available at a lower price, while children and students can attend for £5. Our summer event, Summer Songs, was offered on a donation basis, allowing people to attend regardless of their ability to pay. Our singers also participate in concerts and events by suggested donation; contributions are gratefully received but are not compulsory.
Audiences currently number around 120 people per main concert, with capacity to welcome many more members of the local community as the choir develops.
As a charitable organisation, income generated through our activities is reinvested into our music provision. This includes engaging professional soloists and instrumentalists to work alongside our amateur singers, as well as the essential costs of putting on accessible public performances, including music, printing and publicity.
The choir also has a close relationship with St Stephen’s South Dulwich. The church's children's choir is involved in our performances, with many of the children coming from local schools, giving younger singers the opportunity to perform alongside adult singers and professional musicians.
Our aim is to build a sustainable, welcoming choral society that contributes to the musical and community life of St Stephen’s and South Dulwich, while giving people of all backgrounds the opportunity to take part in high-quality choral music.