Information for singers

Festival rehearsals fall into two groups:

For the Spring concert in March, weekly rehearsals are held in the period leading up to the concert on Saturday / Sunday afternoons. It is expected that all singers will attend most of these rehearsals, which are taken by our Chorus Master and accompanied by our Festival Accompanist. The Festival Conductor usually attends one or two, as well as taking the final mandatory rehearsals on Saturday / Sunday afternoon immediately before the concert.

For the main two-day Festival in April, choirs rehearse and prepare independently for the most part. However, any choir member wishing to participate in a Festival concert must have sung in the combined rehearsals for that concert (below). There are three combined rehearsals lasting two hours for each choir group, each accompanied by the Festival Accompanist. The final afternoon rehearsal on the day of each concert is also mandatory. These rehearsals are the opportunity for the Festival Conductor to prepare the combined choirs for their performances at the evening concerts.

Come and Sing - Saturday 17th Oct 2026

St Martins - Dorking

Will Todd The Promise and three brand new works from Cecilia McDowall, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and Joanna Gill.

Registration from 9.30pm, singing between10am-4pm and informal performance 4-5pm.

Open to Leith Hill Festival choir members all independent singers

BOOK HERE

Future Dates 2027

Future Dates 2028

  • Registration 9:30

    Arrival and Registration 09.30 – 10.00
    Rehearsal      10:00 – 11:15    
    Break                 11:15 – 11:45
    Rehearsal         11:45 – 13:00
    Lunch                  13:00 – 14:00
    Rehearsal         14:00 – 15:00
    Break                  15:00 – 15:15
    Rehearsal 15:15 – 15:45
    Break                  15:45 – 16:00
    Informal performance   16:00 – 16:30                           

  • We are excited to announced that will be singing Will Todd The Promise and three brand new pieces by Cecilia McDowall, Joanna L’Estrange and Joanna Gill, raising money for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.

  • The nearest car park is the public carpark adjacent to the church just a few yards away at St Martin's Walk, Mill Lane Dorking.  

    Sat Nav Post Code: RH4 1UX.

    NB. Remember to use the long stay area.

  • Rehearsals

    16/01/2027, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

    24/01/2027, Sunday, 2:00 - 4:30

    06/02/2027, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

    13/02/2027, Saturday, 2:00 - 4:30

    21/02/2027, Sunday, 2:00 - 4:30

    06/03/2027, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

  • Choirs:

    Beare Green and Newdigate,
    Bookham,
    Buckland and Betchworth,
    Holmbury St Mary,
    Horsley
    Mickleham

    Combined Rehearsals

    30/01/2027, Saturday (early)

    27/02/2027, Saturday (late)

    03/04/2027, Saturday (early)

  • Choirs:

    Capel,
    Dorking,
    Epsom,
    Leatherhead
    Oxshott

    Combined Rehearsals

    30/01/2027, Saturday (late)

    27/02/2027, Saturday (early)

    03/04/2027, Saturday (late)

  • Item description

  • Rehearsals

    15/01/2028, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

    23/01/2028, Sunday, 2:00 - 4:30

    05/02/2028, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

    13/02/2028, Sunday, 2:00 - 4:30

    19/02/2027, Saturday, 2:00 - 4:30

    04/03/2028, Saturday, 10:00 - 12:30

  • Choirs:

    Capel,
    Dorking,
    Epsom,
    Leatherhead
    Oxshott

    Combined Rehearsals

    29/01/2028, Saturday (early)

    26/02/2028, Saturday (late)

    01/04/2027, Saturday (early)

  • Choirs:

    Beare Green and Newdigate,
    Bookham,
    Buckland and Betchworth,
    Holmbury St Mary,
    Horsley
    Mickleham

    Combined Rehearsals

    29/01/2028, Saturday (late)

    26/02/2028, Saturday (early)

    01/04/2027, Saturday (late)

2026 Festival Day 1 - Friday 10th April

Da Vinci Requiem - Cecilia McDowall 

The Lark Ascending - Vaughan Williams

Five Mystical Songs  - Vaughan Williams       

Choirs: Capel, Dorking, Epsom, Leatherhead and Oxshott

Concert on Friday 10th Apr 2026, 19:30 in the Grand Hall, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG

  • Choirs will learn and rehearse with their own conductors. There are also 3 Combined rehearsals which choir members are expected to attend.

    Combined Rehearsals will take place in the morning in the Grand Hall at Dorking Halls on the dates and times below.

    Saturday, 31st January 8:45 - 10:30
    Saturday, 28th February 11:00 - 12:45
    Saturday, 28th March 8:45 - 10:30

  • Music for choirs

    Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:

    i. A piece with accompaniment

    ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)

    iii. A piece written by a living composer

    Ensemble

    There will be an optional Ensemble Competition each day where groups of between 4-12 singers will perform a piece, selected by the Festival Conductor.

    SATB:

    Lower Voices:

    Upper Voices:

    The rules for the Ensemble category:

    A choir can choose to perform up to two pieces out of the three options available.

    Each ensemble doesn't need to be unique, e.g. if a choir chooses to enter more than one ensemble then their tenors could sing in both ensembles

  • Choirs need to confirm their recital pieces, and give the librarian 2 copies of their music by the second combined rehearsal.

    Recital pieces for each choir will be published here in March.

  • Festival Adjudicator: Anita Datta

    Morning

    09:30 - Choirs to be ready in the Grand Hall

    9:35 - Choirs assemble on stage and the draw for the order for choir recitals and ensembles takes place

    9:50 - Warm up including Song for a Spring Festival

    10:05 - LHMF Competition begins

    11:45 - Recitals competition finishes

    11:50 - Ensembles competition begins

    12:15- Adjudication

    12:30 - LHMF Competition ends

    Afternoon Rehearsal

    2:15 Choirs on stage

    2.30 God be with you

    2.35 Five Mystical Songs

    3.10 Da Vinci Requiem

    4.10 Break - Choirs and vocal soloists finished

    4.25 Carwithen

    5.05 Lark Ascending

    Evening

    6:30 - 7:15 Pre Concert talk

    7:30 Concert start

    8:20 INTERVAL

    8:40 Prize giving

    9:00 Concert Part 2

    9:40 End

    Dress Code for Competition

    Choirs are free to choose their own dress code (if any)

    Dress Code for Concert

    • Black suit trousers/long skirt

    • Black long sleeved shirt/top

    • Black shoes

    • No tie

    • No jacket

    • Small black bag if required

  • Stay seated for the first piece (Carwithen)

    Stand as conductor reaches podium for beginning of McDowall

    Sit beginning of No 2

    Stand beginning No 3

    Sit end No 5 as directed

    Stand beginning No 7

    INTERVAL

    Stay seated for Lark ascending

    Stand when conductor reaches podium for Five Mystical Songs

    Sit as directed end No 2

    Stay seated for humming in No 3

    Stand beginning No 5

2026 Festival Day 2 - Saturday 11th April

Zadok the Priest - Handel

Dixit Dominus RV594 - Vivaldi

Dixit Dominus - Isabella Leonarda

The King shall Rejoice – Handel

Choirs: Beare Green and Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Holmbury St Mary, Horsley and Mickleham

Concert on Saturday 11th Apr 2026, 19:30 in the Grand Hall, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG

  • Choirs will learn and rehearse with their own conductors. There are also 3 Combined rehearsals which choir members are expected to attend.

    Combined Rehearsals will take place in the morning in the Grand Hall at Dorking Halls on the dates and times below.

    Saturday, 31st January 11:00 - 12:45
    Saturday, 28th February 8:45 - 10:30
    Saturday, 28th March 11:00 - 12:45

  • Music for choirs

    Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:

    i. A piece with accompaniment

    ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)

    iii. A piece written by a living composer

    Ensemble

    There will be an optional Ensemble Competition each day where groups of between 4-12 singers will perform a piece, selected by the Music Committee tbc.

    SATB:

    Lower Voices:

    Upper Voices: .

    The rules for the Ensemble category:

    A choir can choose to perform up to two pieces out of the three options available.

    Each ensemble doesn't need to be unique, e.g. if a choir chooses to enter more than one ensemble then their tenors could sing in both ensembles.

  • Choirs need to confirm their recital pieces, and give the librarian 2 copies of their music by the second combined rehearsal.

    Recital pieces for each choir will be published here in March.

  • Festival Adjudicator: Anita Datta

    Morning

    09:10 - Choirs to be ready in the Grand Hall

    9:15 - Choirs assemble on stage and the draw for the order for choir recitals and ensembles takes place

    9:30 - Warm up including Song for a Spring Festival

    9:45 - LHMF Competition begins

    11:45 - Recitals competition finishes

    11:50 - Ensembles competition begins

    12:15 - Adjudication

    12:30 - LHMF Competition ends

    Afternoon Rehearsal

    1.30 - Bach Double rehearsal

    2.15 - Choirs on stage

    2.30 - Vivaldi Dixit

    3.30 Leonarda Dixit

    4.00 Break

    4.15 - Coronation Anthems

    5.00 finish for all

    Evening

    7:30 Concert start

    8:10 Prize giving

    8:30 INTERVAL

    8:50 Concert Part 2

    9:30 End

    Dress Code for Competition

    Choirs are free to choose their own dress code (if any)

    Dress Code for Concert

    • Black suit trousers/long skirt

    • Black long sleeved shirt/top

    • Black shoes

    • No tie

    • No jacket

    • Small black bag if required

  • Stand with orchestra as conductor enters for Zadok

    Sit with orchestra at the end

    Stand as conductor reaches podium for Vivaldi

    Sit as directed end No 2

    Stand as directed for No 5

    Sit as directed end No 5

    Stand as directed for No 7

    Sit as directed end no 7

    Stand as directed for No 9

    INTERVAL

    Stand as conductor reaches podium for Leonarda

    Sit as orchestra sits end of Leonarda

    Stay seated for Bach concerto

    Stand as conductor reaches podium for The King shall rejoice

How do I get my music?

For the Spring concert:

When enrolling for the Spring concert you will have the option to include music hire within your fee and you can collect your music at the first rehearsal. It is important to use the correct editions when singing at the Festival which will be advised when the concert is announced.

For the April competitions and concerts:

The music to be sung at the Festival in April is chosen by the Festival Conductor in consultation with professional musicians’

The music is announced well in advance and is sourced and distributed to Choir Librarians by the Choral Librarians, to ensure consistency of editions and fairness for all and to help with the cost.

Competitions

Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:

i. A piece with accompaniment

ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)

iii. A piece written by a living composer

Ensemble Competition:

In addition to the ‘Own Choice’ Recitals Competition there is an optional Ensembles Competition where groups of just 4 to 12 singers may compete. The ensemble categories are upper voices only, lower voices only or mixed voices and there is a set work for each. Each choir can enter ensembles for up to two out of the three categories.