About us
Founded by Hilary Davan Wetton in 1974, MK Chorale promotes the enjoyment of quality music by offering wonderful concerts of a high artistic standard in a friendly and focused atmosphere. We currently have around 100 members. Our Patron is Jean Rigby, a long-time principal with English National Opera, Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House.
Recent performances of large works include Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Brahms’ German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah.. Our most recent major large project was ‘Crowning Glory’ at Milton Keynes Theatre in 2022 to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee along with the Alina Orchestra. This was an inspiring collection of royal choral music and well-known orchestral pieces with a Last Night of the Proms atmosphere. It was a wonderful, popular and well attended event. In Spring 2023 we performed Bach’s St John Passion in German and received the following accolade.
Highlights include:
Four major performances in and around Milton Keynes, accompanied by hand-picked orchestras or ensembles of some of the UK’s finest professional musicians, and often including vocal soloists drawn from major London conservatoires
An annual Come & Sing day open to all
Occasional foreign tours – the next was scheduled for Spring 2021 before Covid
Inventive programming
Four major performances a year in and around Milton Keynes, accompanied by hand-picked orchestras or ensembles of some of the UK’s finest professional musicians, and often including vocal soloists drawn from major London conservatoires.
An annual Come & Sing day open to all
Occasional foreign tours – the next was scheduled for Spring 2021 before Covid
Performance of a wide repertoire including many less well-known works
Inventive programming
Our Musical Director, Mark Jordan, and Assistant Musical Director, Alex Aitken, are hugely popular amongst Chorale members. Together they rehearse us to a very high standard with plenty of fun and laughter along the way!
We are also delighted to offer a Choral Conducting Fellowship available each calendar year, now kindly funded by The Garrick Charitable Trust. Our first Conducting Fellow was Olivia Shotton, who has now completed her studies under Patrick Russill at the Royal Academy of Music. More can be found about Olivia and her on-going success here. Our current Conducting Fellow is Felix Dickenson. Read all about him here.
See what our members say about us.
Intrigued, inspired and interested in joining us?
The Music Team
Our professional music team operates on the principle that high-quality music making should be both enjoyable and available to all. They combine their passion for detail and musicianship with a desire to promote the very highest standards of choral singing by programming a variety of rewarding music, both traditional and new.
We are delighted to offer a choral conducting fellowship to an emerging choral conductor at the start of their career. This fellowship allows them to learn from and observe the Musical Director in action, as well as taking an active role in the musical development of the choir by leading technique sessions, sectionals and parts of rehearsals. They will also have a chance to conduct in performance. Our Conducting Fellow for 2022/3 is Felix Dickenson.
Mark Jordan
As well as being the Musical Director of MK Chorale, Mark Jordan (right) is also the Musical Director of Oxford Pro Musica Singers, the Cavendish Singers, and a guest conductor of the award-winning Canzonetta and the Cathedral Singers of Christ Church Oxford. He recently was chorus master for Karl Jenkins’ 75th Birthday Concert Tour.
Mark is a member of the choral conducting team at the Chester (formerly Cranleigh) Choral Week. Highly-regarded as a choral conductor, he also works as an accompanist, and is a member of the conducting tutor team for Sing for Pleasure and the Association of British Choral Directors. As a highly experienced choral singer, he has sung with award-winning choirs including Choros Amici, Encoro, Singscape, Chantage, and Ensemble 45. His favourite key is D flat major.
Alex Aitken
Alex Aitken (left) is the Assistant Musical Director of MK Chorale, and is a West End Musical Director, with a national reputation as an outstanding conductor, pianist, organist, writer and educationalist.
Having most recently spent three years as Children’s Musical Director and Cover Conductor on Cameron Mackintosh’s London production of Mary Poppins, he continues to maintain an extensive, busy and hugely varied schedule working with a number of the UK’s most eminent musicians, ensembles and organisations, as well as with choral groups and schools around the UK, and as a pianist for auditions and masterclasses in the West End. He also frequently deputises as an organist, having accompanied at cathedrals throughout the UK, and toured throughout Europe and America. He hates C major.
What some of our members say
“Lovely friendly choir, setting the very highest standards. Clear and instructive direction from Mark and Alex.”
“Singing in a choir is the best therapy I know.”
“Good music, friendly atmosphere, varied repertoire – all makes for a thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring experience.”
“I joined the choir for the sheer joy of singing in a group, learning new pieces of choral music and improving my singing voice through some expert coaching by a music director.”
What some of our members say
“Lovely friendly choir, setting the very highest standards. Clear and instructive direction from Mark and Alex.”
“Singing in a choir is the best therapy I know.”
“Good music, friendly atmosphere, varied repertoire – all makes for a thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring experience.”
“I joined the choir for the sheer joy of singing in a group, learning new pieces of choral music and improving my singing voice through some expert coaching by a music director.”
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