The choir was originally formed in 1985 - the year of Live Aid, talks between Reagan and Gorbachev, 'Back to the Future' in the cinemas and Maggie Thatcher as our Prime Minister!
In 1985, after the passing of their Conductor Lilian Goss, The Kingsbridge Singers were disbanded and following this two new choirs were formed - The Stanborough Chorus and The Alvington Singers. In November 1985, a small group of singers met at Diana Brown's house in Alvington Terrace, Westville, for the first time - hence our name - and although the choir has often been called The West Alvington Singers, this is the real reason that we are, indeed, The Alvington Singers.
Our founder members included Diana Brown, Yvonne Moysey, Sheila Bendall, Sheila Beaumont, Barry Brookes, David Crispin, Rob Gloyn and Tony Maunder. Altogether, when the choir met later at the West Alvington School room, there were about 20 members present - and the subscription fee was 30 pence per week!
The Alvington Singers were the smaller of the two newly-formed choirs, but this was our strength - the singers could go anywhere and do anything. This led to the first choir engagements singing carols and Christmas music at The Thurlestone Hotel - apart from the Covid years, the choir have sung there on 23rd December every year since.
Our first Conductor was Diana Brown - now Hartley - (1985-89) followed by Liz Packenham (1990-97), Alastair Durden (1997-2013), Tim Matthews (2014-19), Matthew Searles (2021-22), Robin Brett (2022) and Harriet Oakley (2022-26). We have recently welcomed Robin Stubbs as our latest Musical Director.
Alastair is the longest-serving MD - so far! - who worked with the choir over sixteen years and introduced us to a wide range of both sacred and secualr music during his tenure. Tim Matthews took up the baton after Alastair, and again stretched us with an eclectic range of music - our performance of Chilcott's 'A Little Jazz Mass' in Buckfast Abbey was particularly memorable. After the Covid pandemic, we were lucky to work with Matthew Searles, then Assistant Head of the Music at Buckfast Abbey, for two years, but as a promotion then called for Matthew, our stalwart supporter and Assistant Musical Director Robin Brett guided us for a period. Robin has, infact, been associated with the choir for over 30 years, and continues to be regularly involved, for which we are very grateful.
Harriet Oakley joined the choir as Musical Director early in 2022 and challenged us with some wonderful choral music and concerts. She sadly decided to step aside in 2026 as the challenges of other work and family commitments required a change, and we are now lucky to have recruited Robin Stubbs recently, who comes to the choir with decades of choral and musical experience and enthusiasm for our future plans.
The choir has performed in concerts with both the schools in Kingsbridge, the Kingsbridge Silver Band, The Kingsmen and The Stanborough Chorus. A wonderful highlight for the singers came in 1994 when we were invited, along with The Kingsbridge Silver Band, to join the Twinning Society on a very special visit to Isigny, France. Liz Pakenham was our Musical Director at this time, and we performed a well-received concert in Isigny.
On this trip, we were also very honoured to be asked to sing at the opening of The Gardens of Peace in nearby Caen - this was for the 50-year commemoration of the D-Day Landings, and needless to say it was a very moving experience, and something to be remembered with pride and reflection for the choir.
The choir also performed with La Chorale de Cabourg back in the UK in Salcombe, and also visited Shaftesbury to sing 'Humbug Mr Scrooge' - a piece written for The Alvington Singers by composer Barry Ferguson. More recently, the choir travelled to Crediton to join with Tim Matthew's choir, The Crediton Singers, in a well-received local concert.
Over the years, The Alvington Singers have sung in many and varied venues in the local area and beyond, including regular concerts at Buckfast Abbey, performing an eclectic range of music both sacred and secular and building an enthusiastic and loyal audience. The choir now look forward to the next chapter of their musical journey with Robin Stubbs.
WEBSITE UNDER CONTRUCTION - PHOTOGRAPHS TO FOLLOW
In 1985, after the passing of their Conductor Lilian Goss, The Kingsbridge Singers were disbanded and following this two new choirs were formed - The Stanborough Chorus and The Alvington Singers. In November 1985, a small group of singers met at Diana Brown's house in Alvington Terrace, Westville, for the first time - hence our name - and although the choir has often been called The West Alvington Singers, this is the real reason that we are, indeed, The Alvington Singers.
Our founder members included Diana Brown, Yvonne Moysey, Sheila Bendall, Sheila Beaumont, Barry Brookes, David Crispin, Rob Gloyn and Tony Maunder. Altogether, when the choir met later at the West Alvington School room, there were about 20 members present - and the subscription fee was 30 pence per week!
The Alvington Singers were the smaller of the two newly-formed choirs, but this was our strength - the singers could go anywhere and do anything. This led to the first choir engagements singing carols and Christmas music at The Thurlestone Hotel - apart from the Covid years, the choir have sung there on 23rd December every year since.
Our first Conductor was Diana Brown - now Hartley - (1985-89) followed by Liz Packenham (1990-97), Alastair Durden (1997-2013), Tim Matthews (2014-19), Matthew Searles (2021-22), Robin Brett (2022) and Harriet Oakley (2022-26). We have recently welcomed Robin Stubbs as our latest Musical Director.
Alastair is the longest-serving MD - so far! - who worked with the choir over sixteen years and introduced us to a wide range of both sacred and secualr music during his tenure. Tim Matthews took up the baton after Alastair, and again stretched us with an eclectic range of music - our performance of Chilcott's 'A Little Jazz Mass' in Buckfast Abbey was particularly memorable. After the Covid pandemic, we were lucky to work with Matthew Searles, then Assistant Head of the Music at Buckfast Abbey, for two years, but as a promotion then called for Matthew, our stalwart supporter and Assistant Musical Director Robin Brett guided us for a period. Robin has, infact, been associated with the choir for over 30 years, and continues to be regularly involved, for which we are very grateful.
Harriet Oakley joined the choir as Musical Director early in 2022 and challenged us with some wonderful choral music and concerts. She sadly decided to step aside in 2026 as the challenges of other work and family commitments required a change, and we are now lucky to have recruited Robin Stubbs recently, who comes to the choir with decades of choral and musical experience and enthusiasm for our future plans.
The choir has performed in concerts with both the schools in Kingsbridge, the Kingsbridge Silver Band, The Kingsmen and The Stanborough Chorus. A wonderful highlight for the singers came in 1994 when we were invited, along with The Kingsbridge Silver Band, to join the Twinning Society on a very special visit to Isigny, France. Liz Pakenham was our Musical Director at this time, and we performed a well-received concert in Isigny.
On this trip, we were also very honoured to be asked to sing at the opening of The Gardens of Peace in nearby Caen - this was for the 50-year commemoration of the D-Day Landings, and needless to say it was a very moving experience, and something to be remembered with pride and reflection for the choir.
The choir also performed with La Chorale de Cabourg back in the UK in Salcombe, and also visited Shaftesbury to sing 'Humbug Mr Scrooge' - a piece written for The Alvington Singers by composer Barry Ferguson. More recently, the choir travelled to Crediton to join with Tim Matthew's choir, The Crediton Singers, in a well-received local concert.
Over the years, The Alvington Singers have sung in many and varied venues in the local area and beyond, including regular concerts at Buckfast Abbey, performing an eclectic range of music both sacred and secular and building an enthusiastic and loyal audience. The choir now look forward to the next chapter of their musical journey with Robin Stubbs.
WEBSITE UNDER CONTRUCTION - PHOTOGRAPHS TO FOLLOW
