Meet the choir
Who We Are |
Sussex Voiceworks is a mixed voice, well established choir with members from Brighton to Worthing and inland to Henfield. It is open to all who love singing, no audition is needed.
Under its dynamic young musical director, Sarah Forbes, the choir learns and performs a mix of choral favourites, classical pieces and contemporary songs. It typically holds two major concerts during the year, with workshops, smaller recitals, tours and combined performances with other choirs, plus social events. Rehearsals take place on Mondays, 19.15-21.15 at St Peter's Church hall, Shoreham-by-Sea. The choir helped to support professional singers during the COVID lockdowns by engaging some of them to support its activities. Founded in 1974 the choir is a registered charity, a member of Making Music and of Brighton & Hove Arts Council. |
Our Performances |
25th anniversary celebrations included special appearances at Wells, Bristol & Clifton Cathedrals, as part of "BBC Music Live". In 2002 the choir hosted a Gospel Workshop led by Karen Gibson and performed a special concert series in Norfolk, including both Norwich Cathedrals, as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations. In addition to annual Christmas and Summer Concerts, Sussex Voiceworks has regularly appeared at Festivals in Surrey and Brighton. The choir has toured Dorset and Hampshire with performances including Winchester Cathedral, as well as Worcestershire, with concerts at Great Malvern Priory and Worcester Cathedral. In 2008 the choir performed at Bath Abbey during the Bath Festival in addition to St Gregory's Cheltenham and Bristol Cathedral. In 2010 the choir performed at the University Church of Great St Mary's, Cambridge and London’s famous St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden. In 2012 choir presented recitals at Christchurch Priory, Bournemouth's Sacred Heart Church, as well as Winchester Cathedral. 2014 highlights included recitals at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Nottingham and Lincoln Cathedral. 2016 featured performances at Wales Millenium Centre and Wells Cathedral
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Music Director
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After graduating from a music degree at the University of Birmingham, Sarah Forbes started her career as an animateur leading workshops in schools to promote choral singing. She also secured her first conducting job as Musical Director of Stone Choral Society. Sarah then went onto study singing as a postgraduate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD) where she continued to work as a conductor for both the Pentland Singers and Pentland Junior Singers. She then moved to London and increasingly specialised in training young voices, working as a singing teacher and also as a conductor for children’s choirs including Finchley Children's Music Group, London Youth Choir and Trinity College of Music Junior Department. After 10 years of experience working with children's voices, Sarah decided to establish her own children’s choir in Croydon called Addiscombe Children's Choir. She leads energetic and creative sessions and is passionate about welcoming children of all abilities and giving them the skills to be part of a choir. Alongside her conducting and education work, Sarah is also a professional singer with operatic roles including Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Governess (The Turn of the Screw), Barbarina (The Marriage of Figaro) and Gianetta (The Elexir of Love). Education work is also an important part of Sarah's singing career with recent projects including schools concerts for the LSO at The Barbican and her own show for babies commissioned by Celebrate Voice Festival called 'Over the Moon', which weaves classical song, nursery rhymes and sensory play.
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Accompanist |
Lesley Anne Sammons is a conductor, répétiteur, arranger and vocal coach based in the UK. See Lesley's cv at lesleyannesammons.com
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