Menu Close

About the Choir

NC3 – the North Cotswold Chamber Choir – is based in the Chipping Norton area. We are known for the high standard of our concert performances with wide-ranging and engaging programmes. Our concert formats are varied, sometimes including readings and cake, and are given in the historic churches of north Oxfordshire. We are a long-established group, who sing together for enjoyment and to share the wealth and delight of choral music with our audiences.

NC3 was formed in 1992 and has performed over 180 concerts. The pool of over 50 singers live within a 20-30 mile radius of Chipping Norton. Some have sung with the choir for many years; others have joined more recently. Singers are auditioned and are expected to be competent sight-readers, able to hold a line, and to prepare music between rehearsals. There is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and many lasting musical connections and friendships have been made.

We generally give four concerts a year, mainly performed in the churches in Adderbury, Bloxham, Chadlington, Charlbury, Chipping Norton, Deddington, Enstone, Hook Norton and Shipton under Wychwood. We are not professional or semi-professional singers, but an amateur choir who rehearse and perform for our own enjoyment as well as to entertain and inspire our audiences. We are capable, however, of producing performances of a high standard and quality. If you’re interested in joining the choir, find out more at Join Us.

The choir is run by a committee, but everyone is encouraged to help make the rehearsals and performances run smoothly. We engage a Principal Conductor to lead and train us, and we also work regularly with guest conductors. We have been fortunate to sing with many very-talented conductors over the years.

Our repertoire is wide-ranging and varied with a significant focus on ‘a capella’ unaccompanied music, although we often perform with piano/organ accompaniment, a small ensemble or, for certain performances, a larger orchestra of period instruments. We sing sacred and secular music, combining works to give a seasonal or themed programmes, sometimes with readings, and sometimes with tea and cake! Read more about our repertoire at Concerts.

For more background detail see our Choir History, Conductors and Concerts pages.

If you are interested in singing with us, attending one of our performances, or hiring us to sing for an event such as a wedding or funeral, please see our Join Us and Contact Us pages.