North London Chorus

North London Chorus (NLC) met as The Hill Singers for the first time on 28 October 1976 and, under the direction of Alan Hazeldine, gave its first concert on 10 December 1977. Since then, NLC has established a reputation as a versatile amateur choir, performing a broad range of choral works drawn from the 16^th to the 21^st centuries.

Murray Hipkin was appointed Musical Director in 2003. He has considerable experience of both choral music and opera. His enthusiasm and skills as teacher and conductor have enabled the choir to flourish and develop an exciting and ambitious programme of ongoing and future performances.

In 2005, NLC was proud to welcome renowned soprano Janis Kelly as its patron. Janis’s recent roles at English National Opera include Romilda in Handel Xerxes and Pat Nixon in John Adams Nixon in China. Her performing début with the choir was in April 2006, when she sang Britten Les Illuminations and Fauré Requiem in a concert at St Michael's, Highgate which also included Holst The Hymn of Jesus and Finzi Lo, The Full, Final Sacrifice, and featured Finchley Children's Music Group. Janis has brought her inspirational energy directly to the choir, regularly running singing sessions at our workshops.

North London Chorus recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary in December with an exciting programme followed by a champagne reception. Click here to read more about the choir's history.

NLC’s recent concerts have included sell-outs at St James's, Muswell Hill in March 2009 (Beethoven Missa Solemnis) and, in June 2009, a programme of Purcell, Handel and Haydn to celebrate their anniversaries. NLC was fortunate in featuring a promising quartet of young soloists, one of whom (Sarah Jane Brandon - a pupil of our patron Janis Kelly) is this year's winner of the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Competition.

NLC has supported a number of good causes, including the North London Hospice and the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture.

NLC is a friendly choir and, as well as preparing for concerts, organises a range of related activities, including an annual residential weekend, at least one annual one day workshop, sectional rehearsals and regular social events and visits to concerts and the opera.