Finchley Chamber Choir: 50th Anniversary Concert

Finchley Chamber Choir

In 1973 Finchley Methodist Church had an exceptionally fine choir - but with limited opportunities to sing major choral pieces within the structure of Methodist worship. They and their choir master Larry Jenkins solved this with a concert immediately after an evening service to include Vivaldi’s Gloria. This was so successful that they decided to set up an independent choir, along with a few friends - and so on 11 November 1973, Finchley Chamber Choir was born.

After five years Larry Jenkins emigrated to New Zealand, so the choir appointed David Lardi as their new Musical Director. 45 years on, he’s still leading them. One of David’s first innovations was to take his soloists from amongst the choir’s own members - providing opportunities for many promising singers. FCC was also one of the first local choirs to use musicians playing on original period instruments, including the Linden Baroque Orchestra. For the choir's 10th Anniversary they returned to Vivaldi’s Gloria, a tradition that they’ve continued ever since.

FCC have always performed the most challenging repertoire including many commissions and other first performances, and have broadcast on BBC R3 and R4 as well as Capital Radio and television. They’ve given concerts throughout London, including at Alexandra Palace, the Royal Festival Hall and St James's Church Piccadilly, and have toured abroad. Their regular concert series is given at Trinity Church, North Finchley, sometimes with Finchley Symphony Orchestra of whom David was conductor for forty years.

Their 50th Anniversary concert, exactly to the day, will be held on Saturday 11 November 2023, returning to St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL. In company with Linden Baroque Orchestra, they will perform the inevitable Vivaldi Gloria along with Handel’s Dixit Dominus - one of his finest and most challenging choral works - and JS Bach’s celebratory motet Lobet den Herrn.