The Silver Ring Choir of Bath is a mixed voice choir which recently celebrated its 70th anniversary. We pride ourselves on having an enthusiastic and friendly mix of members. Our eclectic repertoire and busy schedule has given us a highly regarded reputation with our audiences in the Bath and Bristol area. We also have several partnerships with charities. Book the Choir for your event today
Our Genesis
In 1951, Kelvin Thomas MBE (founder-conductor) went around the village of Bathampton knocking on doors to find singers for the new choir he was forming. Kelvin sadly passed away in June 2019 at the age of 99. The choir benefited hugely from his passion and dedication to music while he was conductor and Kelvin is remembered fondly by the choir. Over 70 years later the choir is still going strong with a rich history involving competitions, TV appearances, recordings, virtual rehearsals and extensive touring. The Choir is a registered charity run on professional terms and rehearses almost every week in the centre of Bath.
Who are we?
Choir members come from a fairly wide geographic area around Bath, from Chipping Sodbury to Shepton Mallet. Members bring to the Choir a range of musical experience. Our common factor is enthusiasm!
We know that joining together to make music is one of the finest things a community can do. The Choir continues to draw people and music together without boundaries. It enriches the lives of its members and the wider community in the true tradition of music-making.
Geraldine Roche – Conductor
Geraldine has an extensive musical career as a performer, conductor, vocal coach and teacher. She holds an ARCM (Hons) for Singing Performance, is passionate about singing and has a wide-ranging knowledge of repertoire, as well as the technical expertise to create beauty of sound. Geraldine’s association with The Silver Ring Choir goes back as far as 1989 and she thinks rehearsals should be fun as well as challenging. She lives in Wiltshire with her two beloved whippets.
John Lowe – Accompanist
John has had over twenty years’ experience of accompanying a wide range of choirs, both in the Bath/Bristol area and beyond. A chemist by training, he studied at York and subsequently worked at Oxford before moving to Bath, where he works in the University’s chemistry department.
Where do we perform?
We perform all over Bath and surrounding areas, and participated in the online Choirshow during lockdowns. Our singing has also taken us around the UK and all over the world. We continue to have strong exchange links with visiting choirs.
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What do we sing?
Variety is at the core of our identity as a choir. We pride ourselves in being able to tailor our repertoire to particular audiences and themes. Our repertoire spans 500 years of musical history from Byrd and Tallis to modern and living composers including Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen and Frank Ticheli. Our range of genres also encompasses Jazz, Broadway, Gospel, Sacred, Madrigal and Opera. Although we do perform larger pieces in the canon, we tend to sing short pieces rather than long choral works.
Our charities
Through our concerts and social activities we raise money for a different charity each year. In 2023 we were proud to support Hope and Homes for Children, a humanitarian aid children’s charity which aims to move vulnerable children out of institutions and into family based care.
Is there a social life too?
Absolutely! Our social life is at the heart of the choir’s culture and both strengthens and embellishes our musical activities. The social committee arranges events for members, their partners and their friends. The choir members are extremely caring towards each other and have built up strong friendships, some of which have lasted over half a century.