KCS is a charity that is committed to bringing high quality music to the local community. KCS performs four concerts a year, adding to the cultural richness of the borough, and the rehearsals are open to the public for free. Students are eligible for a substantially reduced subscription to encourage the participation of younger singers. KCS has also engaged with the community in a number of other ways, and some examples are listed below.
Carol Singing at Bentalls / Bentall Centre for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices – Annual Event
For many years, initially Bentalls department store, and latterly, the Bentall Centre has kindly hosted KCS carol singers each December to raise money for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This has over the years raised thousands of pounds for this charity. Many thanks to Wendy Faulkner for conducting and the accompaniment on the keyboard each year. December 2023 was a record-breaking event with £550 raised!
Carol Singing at John Lewis, Kingston – 9 December 2023
A recital of carols was performed as part of the John Lewis Members’ Week celebrations.
Carol Singing at the Staywell Bradbury Centre, Kingston – 27 November 2023
The audience enjoyed the performance and joined in with well-known carols. Entertaining readings were given by David Syrus and Ruth Bolton. Many thanks to Margaret Turner for leading us and the accompaniment on the piano.
Singing at the Staywell Raleigh House, New Malden – 30 October 2023
A recital consisting of a mixture of songs from musicals, madrigals, canons, hymns and other songs was performed. The singing and the amusing readings by Ruth Rees were much enjoyed by the audience, who joined in with the well-known songs. Many thanks to Margaret Turner for leading us and the accompaniment on the piano.
Singing at the Staywell Bradbury Centre, Kingston – 12 June 2023
A recital consisting of a mixture of songs from musicals, madrigals, canons, hymns and other songs was performed, which was enthusiastically received. Many thanks to Margaret Turner for the accompaniment on the piano.
Carol Singing at All Saints Kingston for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices – 18 December 2021
An outdoor carol singing event took place in the Market Place next to the gates to All Saints Kingston to raise money for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. Many thanks to Wendy Faulkner for conducting.
Carol Singing Outside All Saints Kingston for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices – 19 December 2020
In this unprecedented year, concerts and carol singing had to be done differently. All Saints Kingston invited us to do carol singing on the lawn outside the church. We decided to collect for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices again, in memory of Richard Clift, a long-standing member of the choir who died in December, as he previously organised the carol singing events. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to sing together, albeit in a socially-distanced manner, and are pleased to report that we collected over £300 for this excellent cause.
Performance and Carol Singing at the Staywell Bradbury Centre, Kingston – 23 October and 6 December 2019
On 23 October, as part of activities within the local community, around 20 choir members (referred to as the KCS Singers) presented an eclectic mix of madrigals, folk songs and modern pieces at the Staywell Bradbury Centre for active senior citizens. It must have gone well as we were invited to return on 06 December to sing carols, several of which were on request by the audience. Many thanks to Wendy Faulkner for conducting and to Margaret Turner for playing the keyboard.
Singing at the Hollyfield School “Hollyfest”, Surbiton – 6 July 2019
A recital consisting of madrigals, spirituals, hymns and other songs was performed as part of the school’s summer fair.
Peace at Last – The Boys Come Home at All Saints Church, Kingston – 7 July 2018
This was a collaborative concert to commemorate the end of World War I, with North Lakeshore Chorus including members of Kingston Choral Society, Ontario. The Canadian choir were on a 16-day tour of WWI sites in Europe and performed a concert with some members of KCS in Kingston. The concert included a selection of period pieces from the choirs and two minutes silence to remember the 66,000 Canadians lost in WW1, followed by “Flowers of the Forest”, played on the bagpipes by a talented young Canadian, Garret Rodgers who played several other classic bagpipe tunes. The concert was attended by Father Martin Hislop, The Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, and Councillor Olivia Boult, Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Carol Singing at John Lewis – 6 December 2017
On Wednesday 6 December some 20+ members of KCS sang carols at the John Lewis, Kingston, shoppers’ evening. The singers performed for about an hour and were positioned next to the Christmas tree in the soft furnishing area. In addition to the passing shoppers, a small audience accumulated taking advantage of the sofas in the soft furnishing area! Thanks to Wendy Faulkner for leading and playing the keyboard.
Jo Cox ‘Get Together’ Event at All Saints Kingston – 17 June 2017
Singers from KCS were one of the groups performing at the Jo Cox ‘Get Together’ Event at All Saints Kingston. The performances included many different musical and dance groups from Kingston, including Euphonix Community Choir, the Lovekyn Consort, Paul Medlicott (baritone), Sally Mays (piano) and Simon Desorgher (flute). The KCS Singers performed in the final slot, with Mozart’s Ave Verum, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine with Richard Thompson playing the organ. KCS also performed a Song for Jo Cox, words by John Elsom, music composed by David Sutton-Anderson. Claire Day from KCS was the wonderful soloist, accompanied by Sally Mays (piano) and Simon Desorgher (flute). Everyone then joined in the resounding finale of Jerusalem. It was a very moving event.
A link to the performance of the Song for Jo Cox can be found here.
Musical Workshop at St Matthew’s School, Surbiton – 6 June 2017
Singers from KCS took part in a musical workshop at St Matthew’s Primary School in Surbiton on Tuesday 06 June. KCS were accompanied by Margaret Turner on the piano and the workshop was lead by the inspirational Charles MacDougall, Choral Animateur, who, within moments, transformed the children into animated singers. He taught them about the different voices in the choir and they then participated in a roundel with the choir, singing the alto part. The choir also performed some different style pieces. It was a truly uplifting experience for the members who took part and it introduced the children to a choir of adult voices singing in harmony, which they would most probably not have encountered before.
‘Till the Boys Come Home at All Saints Kingston – 10 July 2015
This was a collaborative concert to commemorate World War I with members of Kingston Choral Society, Ontario, and North Lakeshore Chorus. The Canadian choir members had been on a tour of WWI sites in Europe and held their final concert with KCS in Kingston. The concert included a selection of period pieces from the choirs. In addition, Helen Minors, the incumbent KCS chairman, played the Last Post, which was followed by the Piper’s Lament, played by a talented young Canadian, Garret Rodgers. The concert was attended by Colonel Geoffrey Godbold, The Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, and Brigadier General Matthew Overton, Defence Advisor, Canadian High Commission, London.
Mayor’s Christmas Concert at Guildhall, Kingston – 19 December 2014
KCS was asked to help with organising and performing in this concert to aid in the launch of the charitable initiatives of the newly-appointed mayor, Ken Smith. As well as advising on the concert planning and logistics, KCS singers performed the Sanctus and In Paradisum from the Fauré Requiem, gave two of the readings, and closed the concert with a number of carols and some audience participation! Vaughan Howells conducted the singers and Leanne Singh-Levett gave able accompaniment on keyboard.
Star and Garter Home Carol Concert, Surbiton – 10 December 2013
The Royal Star and Garter Home in Surbiton accepted an invitation from KCS to have a number of our singers perform carols at their venue for the staff and residents to enjoy for their first Christmas based in Surbiton. The Home is a charity that provides nursing and therapeutic care to the ex-Service community. KCS singers were made very welcome by both staff and residents and the performance was greatly enjoyed by all concerned.