We are Peterborough Male Voice Choir
“What a gorgeous and musical performance. Thank you gentlemen!”
“Vocal magic!”
“Being part of the choir is a privilege, and being part of such a good one even more so: when we all work together we sound exceptional! That magic moment when it all comes together gives me goosebumps!”
- Tom (Tenor One)
With its origins in the great British male choir tradition and with its roots in the city’s industrial past, Peterborough Male Voice Choir has reinvented itself for the new millennium under the direction of William Prideaux. The choir aims to inspire and empower a new generation of men to find their voice, achieve excellence and advance the art of male choral singing, enriching their lives and that of the wider community through their performances which enhance the city’s cultural offer, as well as their comprehensive programme of education and outreach work.
“One challenge after another - everyone giving more than they thought they were able - in which the human exchange is just as strong as the human one!”
Like any team the choir is only sum of its individual members and the singers place great emphasis on self-development and personal responsibility both to themselves and to the wider group, supporting each other and being supported in turn, all striving for that ‘magic moment’ when everything comes together. They are loved locally and recognised nationally and internationally for their commitment and work ethic and their belief in the transformational power of choral music.
“It’s about being part of something that allows me to be creative and gives back to the local community. There are moments I’ve been moved to tears by the amazing sound our choir makes… that’s the reason I keep coming back.”
Michael, (Tenor One)
What our members say…
“Choir is so much more than ‘just a hobby’, it’s a place of meaning. It’s a place of belonging, a group of people who enjoy singing and helping each other realise their full potential.”
— Daniel (Tenor Two)
“There’s an atmosphere of intense concentration when we rehearse - we help each other in getting it right, constantly improving on the smallest details, trying to get as close to perfection as we collectively can. It’s fun, energetic and extremely exciting when all the hard work pays off. I am truly blessed to be part of the team!”
— Shane (Tenor One)
“This is without doubt one of the best experiences of my life. The camaraderie is as close to being in a rugby team as you can get, just without the rugby! Rehearsal nights have become my saviour, with total concentration required and the outside world shut out - mindfulness at its best, perfect!”
— Stephen (Tenor Two)
Past
Founded in 1935 by workers at Peterborough’s old sugar beet factory, Peterborough Male Voice Choir - through various fortunes and incarnations - has played an important part in the cultural life of the city for over eighty years. In the old days the choir performed with well-known personalities including Kathleen Ferrier, recording for the BBC Home Service. In the 1990s the choir performed alongside Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones at Cardiff Arms Park and took part in the 50th anniversary VE Day celebrations in Hyde Park with guest stars including Cliff Richard, Elaine Paige and Dame Vera Lynn.
In the old days the choir performed with well-known personalities including Kathleen Ferrier, recording for the BBC Home Service.
Present
The appointment of William Prideaux as director in 2010 marked a change in the choir’s fortunes with an increase in younger members through the very successful pop-up community singing projects Sing for Heroes and Men United in Song, which continues to be an important source of new singers.
Since 2011 Peterborough Male Voice Choir has collaborated with performance partners including the King’s Singers, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, soprano Leslie Garrett, folk hero Jon Boden of Bellowhead, the Central Band of the RAF, the BBC Concert Orchestra, and Brass Bands including Grimethorpe, Black Dyke, Brighouse and Rastrick, and Foden’s in spectacular venues from the Sage Gateshead to Truro Cathedral.
In February 2023 they hosted their second Male Choir Conference in association with Making Music and the Association of British Choral Directors, which was attended by 118 delegates representing 39 choirs.
In 2024 – with funding from Arts Council England – Peterborough Male Voice Choir led a national version of their Men United in Song pop-up singing project, mentoring four partner choirs through their tried-and-tested project-based recruitment model with spectacular results! The final massed concert in Nottingham saw over 400 specially recruited men – most of whom had never sung before – perform live on stage and the project raised nearly 100k for charity partner Prostate Cancer UK.
They won the choir Prizewinners’ Challenge and the award for ‘most outstanding performance’ on choirs day at the 2024 Huddersfield Mrs Sunderland festival, and were crowned Best UK Choir and Festival Champion Choir at the 2024 Cornwall International Male Choral Festival.
“I am particularly proud of the ethos of teamwork, self-improvement and personal responsibility which has developed over the years.”
Future
Peterborough Male Voice Choir will continue to run their Men United in Song pop-up community singing project which has introduced thousands of men - both locally and nationally - to the joys of group singing, raising many thousands of pounds for Prostate Cancer UK.
They are invested in promoting, developing and being a catalyst for change within the male choir sector nationally and recently conducted an Arts Council England-funded survey of amateur UK choirs in partnership with SPARC at the University of Sheffield.
Their Forward Thinking Men’s Choirs Facebook community welcomes new members and is a lively forum for debate and the exchange of new ideas with a particular focus on education, diversity and inclusion.
Peterborough Male Voice Choir are at the forefront of commissioning new material for lower voices and are currently working on a co-commissioning project with Vancouver-based Chor Leoni.
What our members say…
“Being part of the choir is a great honour for me. The music, the experiences, the camaraderie and most of all the fantastic people! It’s brilliant to be part of a team as we work together to be the best we possibly can be!”
— John (Tenor One)
“They say singing is good for the soul and I find it does mine the world of good. Choir is the one constant that gives me guaranteed down time away from the stresses of everyday life with an incredible group of guys that I consider family… singing with them is vocal magic!”
— Michael (Tenor One)
“I’ve done things I never would have imagined myself doing and met some brilliant people. It’s hard work, certainly, and a bit of a culture shock in some ways, but definitely one of the best things I ever did… a great example of what can happen if you take even just a small step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown!”
— Lindsay (Tenor Two)
Peterborough Male Voice Choir ALWAYS welcomes new members and no previous experience is necessary.
We hope our page will inspire you to get involved and give singing a try… that’s what we’re all about! Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’d love to hear from you so you can get started on YOUR singing journey!
