1998. Justin Doyle was appointed conductor. A former chorister at Westminster Cathedral, he was a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge and is a bass lay clerk at Southwark Cathedral. Dorking once again won it’s division in the LHMF The summer concert was a performance of Vaughan Williams “Five Mystical Songs” and Durruflé “Requiem”. In October members of the choir visited Dorking’s Twinned Town, Gouvieux, to take part in a combined concert, and in December performed Haydn “Creation” and put on a Christmas Concert.
1999. Dorking Choral came second in Leith Hill Musical Festival. The summer concert, entitled ‘East Meets West’, included works by Rachmaninov sung in Russian, Tavener’s “Song To Athene” and anthems by Elgar, Howells and Finzi. The Autumn Concert formed part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival, during which the choir entertained members of the choir from Gouvieux, France, Dorking’s Twinned Town. In December, the choir took part in the Mole Valley Chairman’s Concert in the Dorking Halls, which was compéred by our conductor Justin Doyle and included items by DCS, Surrey Children’s Choir, Surrey Youth Wind Band and singers from Dorking schools. DCS’s own Christmas Celebration was held later at St Paul’s Church, and included three children’s choirs presenting their own items as well as joining the choir.
2000. In January, 35 members of DCS took part in the 6th International Choral Festival in Paris, singing three concerts over the three days (as well as various imprompu recitals), culminating in a grand concert at the UNESCO building involving 45 choirs. DCS won their division at the Leith Hill Musical Festival. The Summer Concert was themed ‘American Influences’ and included Barber “Agnus Dei”, Copland “In the Beginning”, Tippett “Five Negro Spirituals” and songs by Gershwin. The Autumn Concert again formed part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival, with the main work being Mozart “Mass in C Minor”. In early December, the traditional Family Christmas Celebration was held, following which over 20 choir members travelled to Gouvieux (Dorking’s Twinned Town) to sing in their “Fete du Millénaire” (Millenium) Concert.
2001. DCS again achieved great success at the Leith Hill Musical Festival, being overall winner. The main work was Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”. In June, the choir presented a Victorian Musical Soirée at Denbies Wine Estate. In July, 26 members visited Brittany and Normandy giving a series of concerts over the 3 day tour. The principal work performed in the Autumn Concert (held in St Martin’s Church) was Mendelssohn “Elijah”. In December the choir was joined by singers from Gouvieux, Dorking’s Twinned Town, for our Christmas concert.
2002. DCS was again the overall winner in their division of the Leith Hill Musical Festival. The evening concert was a performance of Vivaldi “Gloria” and Patterson “Millennium Mass”. The Summer Concert in June was a celebration of 50 years of the Queen’s reign, and featured the premiere of “A Golden Garland”, settings of seven poems by Dorking children written to celebrate the Jubilee and set to music by seven different composers. Children from the schools joined for the performance and read the poems. Members of the choir then travelled to Ledbury in Herefordshire and performed a similar programme. The Autumn Concert was a very well supported performance of Handel “Messiah”, and the choir held their traditional Christmas Concert in December.
2003. DCS was runner up to Epsom in their division at the 2003 Leith Hill Musical Festival. The main works were Walton “Coronation Te Deum”, Willcocks “Magnificat” and Chilcott “Jubilate”. The summer concert, themed ‘Serenade to Music’, was a programme of English music, following which members of the choir went on tour to Bruges, singing in Bruges, Brussels and at the Menin Gate in Ypres. In November we performed Brahms “German Requiem”, for which we were joined by members of Vagantes Morborum, the choir we sang with in Bruges. In December, the Christmas Concert included movements from Haydn “St Nicolas Mass” (with a string quartet), as well as “Ceremony of Carols” with harp accompaniment.
2004. Dorking Choral Society achieved success at the 2004 Leith Hill Musical Festival, winning their division. The evening concert was a performance of Handel “Dixit Dominus” and Haydn “St Nicolas Mass”. As a change to the usual summer format, there were two away trips, one a joint concert with Aylesbury Choral Society at Thame in June, and the second in July was a joint concert at Lancaster Priory with The Classical Trust Choir. At the Autumn Concert in the Dorking Halls in November, the choir performed Mozart “Requiem” and “Veni Sancte Spiritus” with the Kings Camerata, who also performed Mozart Symphony no 41 “Jupiter”. In December, the choir held their traditional Family Christmas Celebration Concert in St Joseph’s Church.
2005. Dorking Choral Society came runners up to Epsom in division 3 in the Leith Hill Musical Festival Centenary competition. The main work in the evening concert was a performance of Vaughan Williams “A Sea Symphony”. During the summer, the choir organised three choral workshops – ‘Part Songs’ run by Ron Corp, ‘Spirituals’ run by Bob Chilcott (both held at Friends Provident Social Club) and ‘Opera Choruses’ run by Piers Maxim held at Woodhouse Copse in Holmbury St Mary. Members of the choir sang Vivaldi “Gloria” at St John’s School Leatherhead as part of Mole Valley Arts Festival at the invitation of Brandenburg Sinfonia in October. The main Autumn Concert was held in the Dorking Halls in November and and featured an innovative programme including the jazz mass “Mass in Blue” by Will Todd, in which the composer played keyboard and his wife Bethany Halliday sang the soprano solo. In December the choir held their traditional Family Christmas Celebration Concert in St Joseph’s Church, Dorking, at which the choir was joined by children from Powell Corderoy School.