The KELVEDON SINGERS now have no connection save their history with the town in which they were started nearly 40 years ago. Most of the present members have been singing together for many years, but welcome new members who share their sheer enjoyment of singing. Members come from a wide area of South Suffolk and North Essex and perform in churches and other venues for many different charities. Their repertory is broad: from Elizabethan madrigals and church music to spirituals and jazz. They often perform with instrumentalists and guest soloists and always welcome invitations to new venues.

The choir has for many years travelled in the Lot region of France, giving concerts in villages and singing mass at Cahors Cathedral. They were touched when told by an elderly Frenchman that he had been "as near heaven as he expected to be in life" when listening to them. On four occasions in recent years, the choir has also sung the weekend services in Ely Cathedral during the annual vacation of the resident choir.

Their accompanist Penelope Marsden lives in Lamarsh and is a Professor of Pianoforte at the Junior Department of London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama and a member of the music selection committee of the Trinity Guildhall examining board. She also teaches at the Colchester 6th Form College and accompanies the Colchester Bach Choir. She studied at the Royal College of Music under Cyril Smith (a recitalist and teacher memorably portrayed by Sir John Gielgud in the film "Shine"). She met the Kelvedon Singers when they sang at her wedding in Bures in 1992: a perfect match not planned for that day.

The choir's director CHRISTOPHER PHELPS trained as a chorister and pianist at Gloucester, where he also studied organ with the famous organist-composer Herbert Sumsion. Chris trained at the Royal College of Music, going on to win international prizes for his conducting and working in Armagh, Vienna, Salzburg and Italy. After many years as Course Tutor and Head of Conducting at Colchester Institute, Chris now works freelance as a teacher and composer. He has recently recorded his own orchestral transcriptions of a César Franck organ work for the ASV CD label, conducting the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.