Central to the work of Friends of the Vox are our two core choirs - Vox Populi and Vox Anima Chamber Choir. You can read more about these ensembles below, and find out how they are integral to our vision.
Our Choirs
Vox Anima Chamber Choir
Vox Anima Chamber Choir is a 14-voice auditioned choir for upper voices, trained and conducted by our Artistic Advisor Dr James Meaders.
The choir actively promotes the music of living composers, with a particular focus on the music of living female composers, both through performing such works and through commissions.
The choir prepares and performs to a high musical standard, with concerts in the UK and abroad, with specific attention given to diverse music and cultural exchange, most recently touring to the US, performing in Atlanta and New York, and hosting a similar chamber choir from Rochester New York.
The choir is also committed to investing in the local community, participating in workshops to encourage young musicians and to ensure that as many people as possible have informed access to the music of today’s composers.
Vox Anima Chamber Choir’s Patron is renowned composer Cecilia McDowall.
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VACC were the lead Consortium member to commission Dan Forrest to arrange LUX for upper voices, mad possible by sponsors Ann and Terry Cloke (in memory of Alan Dyson).
The choir performed the world premiere on 30 October 2022 in the stunning setting of St Augustine's Chapel, Tonbridge. They then participated in subsequent premiere performances in Atlanta, New York and London.
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Being Me is a setting of a poem by Joshua Everett that speaks to the struggles of mental health post-pandemic. Specially commissioned for the occasion, it had it’s premiere performance on 9 July 2023 in Tonbridge Chapel.
Our Recent Commissions
Founded in West Malling in 2017, Vox Populi is a non-auditioned SATB choir which promotes and performs the music of living composers. The choir meets weekly and performs twice a year. Over the years, the choir’s repertoire has expanded to include works by Dan Forrest, Eric Whitacre, Jake Runestad, Elaine Hagenberg, Craig Hella Johnson, Cecilia McDowall, Carly Simon… and many more!
It is an intergenerational choir and there is strong emphasis on community outreach. The Choir often collaborates with other locally-based choral organisations, as well as providing bursaries to talented students in full-time education.
Their latest concert took place on the 4 May at St Mary's Church West Malling, at which they performed “Requiem” by Heather Sorenson and Crux Fidelis by Sarah MacDonald. Several members from the group will be going on to perform the same work at St John’s Smith Square on 12 June 2024 with Vox Anima London.
