Welcome
Lees Court Music takes it's name from Lees Court, a converted stately home near the village of Sheldwich in Kent, where in 1979 a few of the residents formed an informal group of keen amateur singers. From those small beginnings, the group has grown in number and has gained a reputation as one of the most versatile choral ensembles in the county, performing a repertoire spanning ten centuries in a range of styles which has left its gentle, amateur origins rather far behind.
Most members of the group would probably say that its distinctive character is largely due to the delight all the members take in making music with friends. Most concerts are followed by a social gathering of some sort, and however successful the concert was, the resulting trade the choir has brought to local publicans and restaurants means it is often asked back. The singers are, however, serious about their music-making, and the choir benefits enormously from the fact that a number of its members are semi-professional musicians in their own right.
Chris Price took over direction of the group in January 1992, since when the choir has taken its music-making far beyond the county’s boundaries to other parts of the UK and Europe. Recent performances include “King Arthur” in France, recitals in Holland, and Cathedral singing across the south of England and Wales, as well as the appearances at local churches and community centres which lie at the heart of LCM’s musical life. Much of its work consists of performances in small country churches in Kent in support of local fund-raising initiatives. It is proud to have maintained a presence in the Canterbury Festival, too – most notably in 2005 when it brought Alan Ridout’s Requiem back to Canterbury for the first time since the first performance by the Cathedral choir in 1987.
Having made several informal recordings, future plans include the production of a CD (extracts from which may be heard on these web pages) which is intended to introduce the choir’s varied repertoire to a wider audience. Whilst wishing to maintain its local profile, Lees Court also intends to take its distinctive music-making to an ever-increasing audience at home and abroad.
