ABOUT US
The East Sussex Bach Choir is mainly based in Lewes, the ancient county town of East Sussex. Lewes is a hive of cultural activity and the ESBC is part of this cultural landscape, contributing through the engagement and commitment of its singers and by giving audiences the opportunity to hear both well-known works and some less well-known works that may deserve to be better known.
East Sussex Bach Choir
The choir’s aim is to perform a varied repertoire to a very high standard, and professional soloists and orchestral players bring experience and excellence to our performances. The ESBC follows the practice of ‘historically informed performance’, getting as close as possible to the composer’s original intention. While the choir’s repertoire certainly includes the works of JS Bach, it is by no means limited to these. The list of recent concerts listed in the archive gives an idea of the kind of music performed.
Concerts
The choir performs three or four concerts each year. Most of these take place in Lewes. In recent years the choir has been successful in attracting full houses. Occasionally we collaborate with other choirs for special projects.
Rehearsals
Our rehearsals take place in Lewes. Our accompanist is Claire Williams, the well- known harpsichordist with the Baroque Collective. Rehearsals are usually on a Saturday afternoon and are concentrated in the periods leading up to concerts. Rehearsals are enjoyable and sociable, as well as being instructive, and the tea-breaks often feature home-made cake.
Workshops
Sing and Discover workshops usually take place at the beginning of a new rehearsal schedule for a forthcoming season of concerts. Workshops usually take place on a Saturday morning and afternoon. Richard Wigmore (wigmoresworld.co.uk) is often invited to provide a superb narrative on these occasions to enhance the experience.
Workshops are a great opportunity for prospective members to familiarise themselves with the choir and the music that we sing. Workshops are usually OPEN to the public although there may be a small fee payable.
Music Director - John Hancorn
John Hancorn is music director of the BREMF Singers, Baroque Collective Singers, East Sussex Bach Choir and Eastbourne Choral Society and co-director of The Baroque Collective and the Lewes Baroquefest. Performances for the Brighton Early Music Festival include Bach’s St John Passion and B Minor Mass, Monteverdi Vespers, Handel Semele and a staged performance of Purcell The Fairy Queen.
John leads vocal workshops and masterclasses specializing in baroque repertoire including regular visits to Early Music Fora and ‘Sing and Discover’ days and online workshops with Richard Wigmore throughout the UK. He is Associate Lecturer in Choral Studies at the University of Chichester Conservatoire, and is a specialist examiner for Trinity Laban. He directed chamber choir courses at Dartington for many years and was a tutor at AIMS Summer School.
John directed the Orlando Consort in Tarik O'Regan Scattered Rhymes; the world premiere of Orlando Gough's opera The Finnish Prisoner with singers from the Finnish Opera; a critically acclaimed professional recording of Ed Hughes's Buried Flame and Purcell’s King Arthur for New Sussex Opera. He was Artistic Advisor for a large scale concert at Glyndebourne for Homelink in November 2019.
