Welcome to the Herts & Soul Community Choir
The Choir that Rocks the Herts & Essex Community!
Anyone who has attended a Herts and Soul concert will know that the combination of musical performance, story-telling and laughter all adds to a fantastic evening out – Herts and Essex Observer
Based in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, The Herts and Soul Community Choir is one of the largest, upbeat and most popular Community Choirs in the UK.
Billed by the regional press as ‘The Choir that Rocks the Community!’, membership is available at low cost for anybody who loves or wants to learn to sing across a variety of genres – pop, rock, soul, jazz, folk, traditional, musical theatre and light choral music.
Under the dynamic and skilfully-pitched musical direction of Peter Clayton and Lizzie Howard, Herts and Soul offers ‘Soulsters’ a platform to sing in an encouraging, lively environment whilst also contributing to the local community through fundraising concerts and events.
With a truly inclusive ‘no audition, no requirement to read music’ philosophy, our aim is to encourage individual singers of all ages, confidence levels and abilities to experience how our ‘Soulster effect’ can hone their potential and direct it towards making a positive impact in their lives.
“Singing in a group connects you to something outside normal day to day affairs. Our Soulsters can vouch for the affirming experiences, flourishing friendships and sense of wellbeing that can be shared together through singing,” says choir founder, Chris Humphreys, “to pool such a powerful collective energy and channel it into such well-attended concerts, whilst also fundraising for local community causes, is the icing on our choral cake.”
We rehearse every Friday evening from 7.15pm-9.00pm at the Herts & Essex High School, Warwick Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 5NJ.
Why not come and experience the Soulster sizzle yourself? And in the meantime, please have a look below at some video snippets of Herts and Soul ‘rocking the Herts and Essex community’ with our friends from Cambridge’s fabulous Umbrella Big Band…
Herts & Soul by Numbers
Our Core Values
Treat others how you wish to be treated
Give more to the community than you wish to receive
Always look for the good
Singing is the prescription for all ills – cheaper than therapy, healthier than drinking and more fun than working out
Thank you again for inviting me to conduct a choral workshop with you and your choir… Not only did they sing beautifully, but they were a joy to rehearse and perform with. Bob Chilcott, one of the world's premier composers and choral conductors in Britain today.
I wish you all the very best with your latest concert. It is great to see a choir such as Herts and Soul sitting at the heart of its community and supporting it so positively through the power of singing. Gareth Malone OBE, Britain’s favourite Choir Master
Herts and Soul’s performance was confident, well-paced and passionate with an infectious energy and sense of enjoyment…a big choir with a very big heart. Lovely all round! Judging panel, UK Choir Festival
Herts and Soul’s Christmas concert was a most admired and popular event. It was wonderful to see the choir perform. Our heartfelt thanks go out to you and everyone for supporting this event. Christmas can often be one of the hardest times of the year for the families we support. Everybody got into the festive spirit at the concert while fundraising for a fantastic cause, meaning our Family Support Workers can help those families have the best Christmas possible. Emma Haines, Rainbow Trust’s Director of Marketing and Fundraising
You, the choir and your sizzling band never fail to pull out all the stops. It was so wonderful to be part of such a joyful evening of entertainment. The money raised will cover the cost of 6 home visits by one of the Hospice’s Clinical Nurse Specialists, and is invaluable in helping us to continue to provide home care to local people facing a life-limiting diagnosis. Renee Friend, Chairman of the Isabel Hospice Fundraising Support Group
THANK YOU! We were delighted to receive your donation of £1250 raised at your ‘Herts and Soul Sing the 60s and 70s’ concert. What an amazing contribution. On behalf of all the people assisted, we would like to say a big and heartfelt thank you. What inspirational leadership, what a choir and what a sound! Essex and Herts Air Ambulance
Everyone certainly got into the Groove for Grove Cottage with the Herts and Soul community choir on Sunday. The weather was great, the venue fantastic and the choir and the audience were amazing. It was a brilliant day, enjoyed by everyone and the money raised will make a real difference to local people with learning disabilities. A true example of real community support and involvement. Thank you. Natalie Trapmore, Fundraising Officer, Mencap Grove Cottage
It is good to see how much the Soulsters enjoy what they are doing. It is abundantly evident from the smiles on every one of their faces. The choir provides an emotional link between individuals that transcends language, an intimacy that makes them want to smile and really enjoy each other's company. They clearly have a ridiculously good time and it's infectious. That number of people can make a big noise that washes over you like Mediterranean waves, leaving you feeling great. Chas Gill, Bishop's Stortford Independent