{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Somerset Chamber Choir | alias = SCC | origin = Somerset, England, United Kingdom | genre = Classical | years_active = {{start date|1984}} -''present'' | website = {{URL|http://www.somersetchamberchoir.org}} }}
'''Somerset Chamber Choir''' is a choir based in the county of Somerset, England.
The choir was formed in 1984 by former members of Somerset Youth Choir,<ref>{{cite news|title=25 years for Somerset Chamber Choir|url=http://content.yudu.com/Library/A19lca/SomersetTimes41/resources/14.htm|accessdate=22 December 2011|newspaper=Somerset Times|date=July 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sowden|first=Steve|title=Somerset Chamber Choir to celebrate 25th anniversary|url=http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/archive/2009/04/12/Yeovil+News+%28ye_news_yeovil%29/4281545.Somerset_Chamber_Choir_to_celebrate_25th_anniversary/|accessdate=22 December 2011|newspaper=Somerset County Gazette|date=12 April 2009}}</ref> and typically gives two concerts annually. Initially, these were mainly around Taunton, but in July 1992 the choir gave it first Wells Cathedral concert. Since 1994, the choir has staged an annual concert with professional orchestra and soloists at Wells Cathedral every summer, with another at King's College Chapel, Taunton earlier in the year, plus occasional other performances around Somerset and beyond, including a trip to Berlin in 2013 when they joined [http://www.kantorei.de Berliner Kantorei] to sing Haydn’s Creation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Somerset Chamber Choir past concerts|url=http://www.somersetchamberchoir.performers.co.uk/past_concerts.html|publisher=Somerset Chamber Choir|accessdate=22 December 2011}}</ref>
[https://andreabrown.com/ Andrea Brown] took on the role as the choir's musical director in Autumn 2023, succeeding Richard Laing who was the choir's musical director from Autumn 2017 to Summer 2023. Previously to Richard Laing, Graham Caldbeck held the post for the previous 26 years and was made Conductor Emeritus in 2017. Dame Emma Kirkby is Patron of the choir, and has performed with the choir on six occasions, the first being in Bach's St John Passion in King's College Chapel, Taunton in 1988,<ref>{{cite web|title=Somerset Chamber Choir concert archive|url=http://www.somersetchamberchoir.performers.co.uk/1984-99archive.html|publisher=Somerset Chamber Choir|accessdate=22 December 2011}}</ref> and most recently in Taunton Minster in a programme entitled 'The Private Music - Renaissance Music of Utter Beauty and Calm' in February 2024 - also Andrea's first concert with the choir.
Throughout the years, the choir has often enjoyed collaboration with the Southern Sinfonia, their most recent concert together including Fauré's Requiem and the Poulenc Organ Concerto.
The choir will next perform at King's College Chapel, Taunton on Sunday 15th February 2026 at 4pm, with a programme called 'The Line of Beauty' featuring Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli (in celebration of the composer's birth 500 years ago) and music by Carissimi,Tallis, Caldara, Brahms, Gjeilo, Part and Caroline Shaw.
==See also== * Wells Cathedral
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.somersetchamberchoir.org}} *[https://andreabrown.com/ Andrea Brown] {{authority control}}
Category:English choirs Category:Musical groups from Somerset Category:Musical groups established in 1984