Officers of the Society
President
  The Mayor of Ashford
Vice President
   Damian Green MP
Conductor
  Dr. Mark Deller
Chairman
   Mr. Alan Paterson
Secretary
   Mrs. Virginia Williams
Treasurer
   Mr. Hugh Cooper
 

Ashford Choral Society was founded in 1857, and last season celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special concert held in Canterbury Cathedral. The present conductor, Mark Deller, is a professional musician, and director of the annual Stour Music festival, who has also worked with choirs in France, Belgium, Holland and South America. The Society currently has a membership of approximately 130 singers, and usually gives three to four concerts a year, during the period September to May.

Each season there is an opportunity to perform some of the major works in the choral repertoire, with leading soloists and a professional symphony orchestra. Recent performances have included Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, Monteverdi's Vespers, . Handel's Israel in Egypt, Durufle's Requiem, Tippett's A Child of our Time, Finzi's Intimations of Immortality, Elgar's The Spirit of England and Mendelssohn's Elijah.

This autumn we shall be giving a performance of two of Purcell's most celebrated works - his Ode for St Cecilia's Day 1692 and Come ye Sons of Art - in which the principal soloist will be the internationally famous counter-tenor Robin Blaze. Then in December, in place of the traditional Christmas Carol concert, we shall be giving a performance of Handel's Messiah. Both these concerts will take place in Wye Church. In the New Year we shall be preparing for a performance of Elgar's oratorio The Kingdom, which will be held in the spectacular Saga Pavilion in Folkestone. Come and join us, either as a performer or member of the audience; and remember, if you're under 25 it costs you nothing at all to become a member of the Society!