About
We are a strong group of singers who rehearse and perform regularly, predominantly a cappella choral works, but sometimes with instruments and including some solo/small ensemble repertoire. We commission new works as well as exploring established CoMA repertoire. We reinforce and supplement the CoMA Voices programme.
Singers are expected to be confident singers with some sight reading experience, prepared to tackle unusual vocal techniques and unconventional pieces. Singers are expected to work and prepare themselves between rehearsals. We are currently looking for one or two new members.
We have shared concerts with CoMA London. In March 2014 “Women’s Work”, celebrating International Women’s Day with works by female composers. In July 2014, we sang works by Paul Burnell and Free Laminator by John White. In October 2014, for the CoMA 21st Anniversary Gala Concerts we performed Joanna Lee, John King, Soosan Lolavar and Janet Oates and joining with CoMA Voices for works by John Tavener, James Weeks and Philip Cashian. In July 2015 we held a concert jointly with Illumination Chamber Choir singing our own repertoire and joining with Illumination for Britten’s Gloriana Dances. In 2016 we have performed at the Festival of Contemporary Music for All at King’s Place, with the Contakt Ensemble at Hoxton Hall add as of the Exaudi Exposure 2016 event. In 2017 we performed at the CoMA Singing Adventures weekend. We recorded videos of CoMA partsongs and sung them at the launch of the publication at the Festival of Contemporary Music for All in March 2018.
In 2018 we took part in the CoMA 25th anniversary gala. In 2019 we performed at Exaudi exposure, In Blackheath Concert Halls and at St John’s Waterloo with CoMA London. In 2020 we performed at the People’s Palace as part of the third Festival of Contemporary Music for All.
During lockdown, we rehearsed using Zoom and gave three online concerts with CoMA London – all still available to watch; Creativity Online in July 2020, Yarn in December 2020 and Chains of Creativity in March 2021. We have enjoyed creating new works that welcome, and even exploit, the aspects of Zoom that make conventional music making impossible. We returned to live performance wioth a concert in St Peter’s Belzise Park in October 2021 and launched choral partongs, CoMA’s new collection of flexibly scored works for larger ensembles, at the Fourth Festival of Contemporary Music for All in March 2022. We performed as part of the Brandenburg Festival in November 2022.
Rehearsals
You do not have to do every project if you’re not available. We have a small number of rehearsals (Tuesday evenings, usually in East London) before each event.
Our next project is performing at St John’s Smith Square on 15-16 July as part of CoMA’s 30th Anniversary celebrations. As well as our own performance, we’ll be joining other CoMA ensembles to perform a new work written for the occasion by Stephen Montague.
Contact
Contact Janet Oates, Musical Director, at singers@coma.org if you are interested in joining.
Information for CoMA Singers members only (password protected)
Upcoming events
no current events