Fareham Philharmonic Choir is a lively group of some 60-plus local people who enjoy getting together to rehearse and perform some of the most inspiring works by composers through the ages, up to and including modern works. See here for more about our recent concerts, to get a feel for our repertoire.
Our current conductor, Andrew Cleary, took over in January 2018. He is a well-known musician and choral specialist with unbounded enthusiasm, which makes for lively and entertaining rehearsals!
We aspire to a high standard of singing; sight-reading ability is desirable but not essential, and we do welcome those who wish to improve their singing technique. Andrew aims to develop our singing technique and widen the repertoire of the choir, while still seeking to fulfil the Society’s original aims (see below).
To find out who else takes leading roles in the organisation, see our Who’s Who, and if you have any questions, do please get in touch with our Secretary, Susan, by email, or on 01489 589 819.
A little about our history:
Fareham Philharmonic Choir has been singing in and around Fareham for over 100 years. Founded in 1898 by Capt. Eugene Spinney, the choir developed from a group of musically like-minded friends who formed the Fareham Philharmonic Society, with both orchestral and choral members. Local events led to a regular concert programme and an accompanying Fareham Philharmonic Orchestra. Over the years, the relative sizes and fortunes of the two sections have varied: today, we have a strong choir but, unfortunately, no permanent orchestra. However, there is a strong nucleus of local players who regularly support us in major concerts.
The original aim of the Society was to ‘foster public knowledge and the appreciation of classical music by public performance’. The wide range of baroque, classical and modern works performed in the past concerts show that this objective has been achieved with remarkable success.