about the choir

The Ovingdean Choral Society is a friendly amateur choir. Anybody can join us, no experience or audition necessary! We perform three concerts a year in various local venues and rehearsals are held in Ovingdean Village Hall each Monday evening, 7.30-9.15pm, during term time. Our repertoire is varied, ranging from Mozart and Handel to G&S and Abba!

a bit of history

OCS started back in 2000 under the leadership of Mary Cadogan who had been Director of the Brighton Youth Orchestra. It was a Millenium community and project as part of the new and very active Ovingdean Arts Club. It spread across the Deans after Mary had retired, and the new Director, Greg Moore, took the choir to new and exciting places when it became the Ovingdean Choral Society.

The choir under Greg’s leadership survived the complications of Covid and retained loyal audiences, and in 2021 he retired. James Geer, from Glydebourne and the Royal Opera House , became the third Director of Music and the choir is in good heart. In recent concerts we have sung Faure’s Requiem, Elgar’s Sea Pictures and the Jazz Mass by Bob Chilcott. In the autumn term we are focusing on Mendelssohn, along with the usual Christmas Carols.

meet the team

Music Director

James Geer

James is a singer, conductor and teacher. He is equally at home standing in front of a choir, a pupil or an audience. If he isn't to be found on the Royal Opera House stage or in a recording studio, he'll be training a local choral society or coaching a student. He was an academical clerk at Magdalen College, Oxford and spent ten years singing as a member of the chorus at Glyndebourne. He's a member of the Academy of Ancient Music, conducts the Lewes Chamber Choir and teaches at several preparatory schools in the South East of England. He also performs and records 20th century British art song with his longstanding colleague, Ronald Woodley.

Accompanist

Colin Hughes

Colin trained at Trinity College of Music, London, where he studied violin and piano. He has played in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Glyndebourne. Whilst living in London he held positions as choirmaster and organist at a number of churches. He rehearsed and conducted choral societies, as well as playing in orchestras and chamber groups, giving solo recitals and even drumming for a rock band. Colin subsequently moved to Eastbourne where he has become well-known and as a respected teacher, accompanist and performer. He is currently organist and Director of Music at St Mary’s Church, Eastbourne.