{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox organization | name = Southampton Philharmonic Choir | established = {{start date and age|1860}} | registration_id = 1050107 | status = Charitable incorporated organisation | location = Southampton, England | focus = Arts and culture | website = {{URL|https://www.southamptonphil.org}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist | embed= yes | name = Southampton Philharmonic Choir | background = group_or_band | alt = | caption = | alias = Sacred Harmonic Society (until 1873) | origin = | genre = Classical | works = | label = | publishers = | spinoffs = | spinoff_of = | current_members = ~170 | past_members = | awards = | module = }} }}
The '''Southampton Philharmonic Choir''' is a large choral society based in Southampton, England. It has around 170 members and also benefits from collaborating with the students of the Southampton University Philharmonic Choir. The choir regularly performs with a professional orchestra, the New London Sinfonia, and is directed by David Gibson.
The choir is also known as Southampton Philharmonic Society and is a registered charity.<ref name="SPCwebsite">{{Cite web |date= |title=Southampton Philharmonic Choir |url=https://southamptonphil.org/ |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=southamptonphil.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SOUTHAMPTON PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY - Charity 1050107 |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1050107/charity-overview?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_organisationNumber=1050107 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260530024023/https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1050107/charity-overview?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_organisationNumber=1050107 |archive-date=2026-05-30 |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=Charity Commission for England and Wales |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==History==
The choir was founded in 1860, making it Southampton's longest-established music society.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eventseeker.com/artist/3854-southampton-philharmonic-choir|title=Southampton Philharmonic Choir - Artist Profile|last=|first=|date=|website=eventseeker.com|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-07}}</ref> It performs works from the baroque and classical repertoire and also contemporary works. The choir has several "first performances in Southampton" to its name and sometimes commissions new works. In 1985, the choir received an Enterprise Award from the National Federation of Music Societies, now Making Music, in recognition of its varied programme and regular inclusion of contemporary works.<ref name=":0" />
For the Millennium, Southampton Philharmonic Choir, jointly with Leeds Festival Chorus, commissioned a new oratorio ''The Fall of Jerusalem'' by Dominic Muldowney, with libretto by James Fenton. Both choirs performed the work, separately, in March 2000,<ref name=":0" /> the premiere being in Leeds.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Service |first=Tom |date=2000-03-13 |title=Continuing a tradition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2000/mar/13/artsfeatures4 |access-date=2026-05-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
The choir performs major concerts three times a year. Its main venue is Southampton Guildhall. It also regularly performs in Winchester Cathedral and the Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton.<ref name="SPCwebsite"/>
The choir celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2010 with a concert on 24 April in Southampton Guildhall, performing Dominic Muldowney's ''The Fall of Jerusalem'' (see above) and Mozart's ''Requiem''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=150th Anniversary Concert, Southampton Guildhall – Mozart - Requiem; Muldowney – The Fall of Jerusalem {{!}} Southampton Philharmonic Choir |url=http://www.southamptonphil.org/drupal5/?q=node/88 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20110728041700/http://www.southamptonphil.org/drupal5/?q=node/88 |archive-date=2011-07-28 |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=www.southamptonphil.org |language=en}}</ref>
==Recent performances== {{Incomplete list|date=May 2026}}
=== 2010s ===
==== 2010-2011 Season ==== In the 2010-2011 season the choir performed the complete score of ''Peer Gynt'', composed by Grieg as the incidental music to Ibsen's play ''Peer Gynt''. The choir commissioned a complete English translation of the score, given its first performance at this concert, narrated by actor Samuel West. This finished off a memorable concert, which had opened with Mendelssohn's ''Hebrides Overture'' and Delius' ''Songs of Farewell''. The remainder of the season included an accomplished Winchester Cathedral performance of Mozart's Symphony No 29, Solemn Vespers and Mass in C Minor, completed by a summer concert of choral and orchestral music by Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Parry, with the City of Southampton Orchestra.<ref name="southamptonphil.org">{{Cite web |title=Events you've missed! {{!}} Southampton Philharmonic Choir |url=http://southamptonphil.org:80/web/pastEvents |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120621213116/http://southamptonphil.org:80/web/pastEvents |archive-date=2012-06-21 |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=southamptonphil.org |language=en}}</ref>
The 2011-2012 season featured a performance of Handel's ''Messiah'' with the New London Sinfonia. The Southampton Echo described it as an "evening to remember," praising every aspect of the performance.<ref>[http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/music/reviews/9401652.Handel_s_Messiah__Southampton_Philarmonic_Choir__Southampton_Guildhall/ Southampton Echo, concert review] Retrieved 6 December 2011</ref> Other performances included ''The Bells'', along with ''Vocalise'' and ''Piano Concerto No 2'' by Rachmaninov, and Poulenc's ''Gloria'', and Haydn's The Creation.<ref name="southamptonphil.org"/>
==== 2012-2013 season ==== During the 2012-2013 season the choir performed Bach's ''Christmas Oratorio'', followed by Verdi's ''Requiem'' (which was sung from memory so that the full range and power of this work could be heard), and a joint concert with the City of Southampton Orchestra, comprising Walton's ''Belshazzar's Feast'' and ''Te Deum'', along with Elgar's ''Enigma Variations''.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}
== Notable former conductors == Notable conductors of the Southampton Philharmonic Choir include:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concerts |url=https://southamptonphil.org/general/concerts-since-1860/ |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=Southampton Philharmonic Choir |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=History of the choir |url=https://southamptonphil.org/general/history/ |access-date=2026-05-30 |website=Southampton Philharmonic Choir |language=en}}</ref>
* Sir Adrian Boult * Sir Charles Groves * Carl Davis * David Hill * Ian Partridge
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://southamptonphil.org/general/concerts-since-1860/ List of concerts since 1860] <br /> {{authority control}}
Category:English choirs Category:Musical groups from Southampton Category:Musical groups established in 1860 Category:1860 establishments in England Category:Choral societies