About Us

Portishead Choral Society was founded in 1955. Our aim is to provide the local community with the opportunity to perform, or to listen to, classical choral music to a high standard.

Our season runs from September to June, and we normally hold 3 concerts a year, on a Saturday evening, in December, March and May/early June. The March and May concerts usually comprise classical pieces, although the May/June concert may include lighter works. The December Concert typically has one or two seasonal classical pieces and then a selection of Christmas Carols. We do not meet during the Summer (unless for a social event), and we also break over Christmas and Easter.

We are often invited to contribute to other musical events – in recent years we have sung carols at Tyntesfield House and Adlington House, and have taken part in the Pill Festival.

We aim to produce programmes of interesting, enterprising and varied music. The music we sing is drawn mainly from the standard, classical, choral repertoire, such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Haydn, Mozart etc, but our repertoire sometimes reaches back to the earlier music of Purcell and Monteverdi, and we have sung mode modern music by Britten, John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, Eric Whitacre and Karl Jenkins. We have also, over the years, had pieces written for us including a setting of Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord) written by Robert Latham for our Golden Jubilee. More recently, for our Diamond Jubilee, Jonathan Palmer wrote Awake the Voice, a setting of six English texts relating to Christmas for soloists, choir and orchestra.

President

Pamela Rudge

Pamela Rudge studied at the Royal College of Music and now combines the post of Head of Music at Bristol Old Vic Theatre school with a busy singing life. Pamela specialises in oratorio, concert and recital work, performing in this country and abroad and has a wide repertoire from early music to contemporary composers.

Pamela has worked as a soloist on radio and television and is much in demand for running vocal workshops and singing courses. She has been musical director for many shows, including the critically acclaimed London Road at Bristol Old Vic.

Pamela became President of Portishead Choral Society in 2005.

Musical Director

Andrew Kirk

Andrew Kirk is a freelance choral director, organist, accompanist and composer working mainly in the Bristol and Somerset area. Since September 2025, Andrew has been Musical Director of Portishead Choral Society, a choir of 60 members, which celebrated its platinum jubilee earlier that year. In November 2024, he took up the position as Musical Director of Collegium Singers, an accomplished SATB auditioned choir of 30 voices based in Taunton.

In the autumn of 2024 Andrew took up the role as Director of two Good Afternoon Choirs, in North Somerset and Chepstow. From 2023-2025 he was Musical Director of Henbury Singers, a chamber choir of around 20 singers. For five months in 2024, he held the position as Interim Director of Music at Cirencester Parish Church.

From 2003-2023, he was Director of Music and Organist at St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol, where he had responsibility for directing several choirs at the church and regularly gave concerts on the famous 1912 Harrison and Harrison organ. In the past year, his organ concerts have included St David’s Cathedral, St Chad’s Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Christchurch Priory, Leeds Minster, Albert Hall Nottingham and Brangwyn Hall Swansea.

From 1994-2003 he was Director of Music at St John’s Church, Ranmoor, Sheffield. He also taught class music at three secondary schools, including Lady Manners School, Bakewell. He has been an external consultant for the appointment of Directors of Music in some of the larger churches in the UK.

Born and educated in Leicester, he won an Organ Scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford where he studied organ with David Sanger. He spent two years in Western Australia as Assistant Organist at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Perth. He holds the FRCO Diploma, gaining the Turpin and Durrant prizes for organ playing.

‘I am delighted to be taking on the role as Musical Director of Portishead Choral Society. Having lived in Portishead since summer 2017, I’m really excited to be more closely involved with the musical life of our town. It was great to meet and hear the singers at the audition rehearsal. I admired their enthusiasm, warm welcome and great singing skills. I am looking forward to working with the committee to find attractive and enjoyable music for our concert programmes, and to increase the number of singers in the choir.’

Andrew Kirk, September 2025

Accompanist

Richard Lennox

Richard joined Portishead Choral Society as their accompanist in September 2016 and has played for their rehearsals and concerts over the past six years. He has recently worked with Weston Operatic Society as their Musical Director for ‘9 To 5 The Musical’ at the Playhouse Theatre in Weston Super Mare, and has played in many concerts around the West Country. He played a return online concert with the international acclaimed bass/baritone Jonathan Viera ‘Live from the Steinway Room‘, recorded on Sunday 30th October 8pm, and still available to view on YouTube and Facebook.

Richard plays all genres of music, which makes him an exciting professional musician. His other accomplishments include accompanying students for their exams (vocalists and Instrumentalists) at dance schools in Epsom and Cheltenham. Last year he had the privilege of accompanying one of the BBC Singers, Jamie W Hall, performing with Weston Choral Society.

Each year Richard has the pleasure of performing at the Royal Albert Hall – a Christian event ‘Prom Praise’ with the All Souls Orchestra and Choir, playing on their mighty organ and their Steinway piano. He also accompanies their soloists, including Mike Smith, Graham Kendrick, and Jonathan Viera.

Richard has had several interviews with Radio Bristol, and been invited to play his music; they are excellent in promoting his work. Various CDs have been recorded by Richard, with sincere thanks accorded to Chris Emmerson.

Portishead Choral Society is delighted to have Richard as accompanist.

https://encoremusicians.com/Richard-Lennox

Committee

Portishead Choral Society Committee

The Society is run by a committee of trustees, elected at the Annual General Meeting. Other members of the Society serve as officers, and attend committee meetings when necessary. Our Musical Director attends committee meetings by invitation.

Trustees

  • Chair: Richard Wall
  • General Secretary: Sally Melson
  • Treasurer: Susan Hobbs
  • Concert Secretary: Miriam Dunn
  • Soprano Representative: Micheline Williams
  • Alto Representative: Sarah Stevens
  • Tenor Representative: David Yates
  • Bass Representative: Paul Jeffery

Officers

  • Librarian: Jane Pagano
  • Publicity/Advertising: Colin Buck / David Yates
  • Webmaster: Colin Buck
  • Social media: Sally Melson
  • Ticket Sales: Helen Adams and Enfys Hughes
  • Making Music Representative: Richard Wall / Susan Hobbs
  • Archivists: Alex Cottrell and Judy Sack

Patrons

Portishead Choral Society Patrons

Portishead Choral Society is most grateful for the continued support of our patrons:

  • M Bailey
  • Christine Kilvington

The Society is always delighted to hear from prospective new patrons – either individuals or companies. If you are interested, please contact the society’s Chair.