Would you like to belong to an excellent choir, sing exciting music, make new friends and enjoy social activities? Why not come and try us out? Directed by Andrea Brown, The Exeter Festival Chorus is a community of people who sing and perform a diverse and innovative range of musical work to a very high standard. We frequently perform at Exeter Cathedral and in other venues across the South West. We are currently recruiting lower voice members for our Tenor and Bass sections and will be holding an open rehearsal on Wednesday 4th February 2026.
Call us on 07855 893484 or email our
Below you will find answers to some of the questions you might want to ask.
What’s the commitment?
We rehearse once a week on Wednesday evenings from 7.15 – 9.30 pm in Exeter. Members are expected to attend 80% of rehearsals prior to a concert and to prepare the music in their own time. There is an afternoon dress rehearsal before a performance on concert days. Occasionally, we hold an extra rehearsal for a special concert.
When could I attend a rehearsal?
EFC is an auditioning choir and we hold regular Open Rehearsals which are promoted on social media and our website. If that date isn’t convenient, it’s also recommended that you can attend any rehearsal by prior agreement with the Membership Secretary (see contact details below). If you sing in a section for which we are actively recruiting, we fast-track your auditions to allow you to join us quickly.
EFC prides itself on the fun, camaraderie and sense of achievement which are brought by singing a wide range of music and we look forward to meeting you should you wish to book a visit.
Contact us by telephone (07855 893484) or by emailing our
Do you hold auditions?
Yes, we do. We like to make sure that new members feel comfortable singing at the level required in EFC. If you can read music, sing in tune and are prepared to learn new music at home, you are ready for an audition. Re-auditions are held every three years in order to maintain a high standard of performance.
The format of the audition is:
a) Vocal exercises (similar to our warm-ups) to determine your voice range.
b) Singing a piece of music of your own choice, unaccompanied (could be a folk tune).
c) A short piece of sight reading.
What does it cost?
The membership fee for the season 2025/2026 is £234.75 (half price for students), including score hire. Payments are made annually (in September) or termly by standing order on request. Singers joining part way through the season have a pro rata reduction in the fee.
Where do you perform?
We often perform in Exeter Cathedral, but also in other Exeter Venues. Sometimes we sing elsewhere in Devon - Buckfast Abbey and churches in Budleigh Salterton, Crediton and Exmouth, for example. We also travel further from home for special events and have performed in Coventry Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall. We have built close friendships with our twin choirs in France, Russia and Germany, and from time to time we are invited to perform with them, or invite them to Exeter.
Who runs the choir?
Andrea Brown joined us in Summer 2021 after an extensive search for a new Music Director and she works closely with our longstanding and amazingly accomplished répétiteur, Peter Adcock.
Our 2025/2026 season features another full and varied programme with a range including Bach, Cecilia McDowall, Tavener and Whitacre. Our January Workshop is a fine place to come and see how EFC works and this year we have Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. Our season concludes with an Exeter Cathedral performance of Monteverdi Vespers 1610, all very much indicative of Andrea’s artistic and innovative leadership.
EFC has a Committee, which is elected to oversee all aspects of the choir’s business and to help the choir to maintain high standards. Regular emails and newsletters are sent out to keep choir members up to date with the latest news, and choir information is put on the members’ section of the website along with recordings of rehearsals and links to performances of current works for reference.
What sort of people are in the choir?
Men and women of all ages and from all walks of life, including University and College Students over 18 years of age. We encourage young singers to join us, even if only for one season, and they are given special subscription rates. Travelling to and from concerts outside Exeter gives us the chance to get to know each other better, as do our social activities. Some members get together for a bite to eat before rehearsals, or meet up in the pub afterwards. We hold informal parties after some concerts and arrange an annual social evening at the end of the season.
What do you wear for concerts?
Depending on the formality of the concert ladies wear long-sleeved black tops and long black skirts/trousers with accessories issued by the choir. Men wear open-necked black shirts (with or without black jackets according to season) or, occasionally, dinner jackets, black trousers, white shirts and black bow ties.
What do your members say about being in EFC?
Members’ comments about our conductor, Andrea Brown:
“Andrea’s vocal technique is impeccable and she has a clear strength as a linguist.”
“Andrea is engaging, professional, knowledgeable. I could sing for her all day”
“Inspirational”
Comments about the choir:
"I was looking for something challenging and rewarding; a chance to sing with people who are actually good at it! This is the first amateur choir I’ve been in where quality of music is of premier importance and people help each other. You feel like you are working together to achieve something good as a whole. It’s also really friendly. This is the most rewarding choir I’ve sung with."
"EFC maintains a high standard and has a great musical director and it also has a great atmosphere and is a happy place to be."
"It's an amazing counterpoint to my work. You have to really concentrate your mind on the singing so it relieves the stress. It’s sociable too and a group of us go to the pub every week after rehearsals."
Interview with a choir member, Amanda
Why not give our Membership Secretary a ring for more information or to arrange for you to come along to an evening rehearsal with the choir? We’d love to meet you.
TEL: 07855 893484
Email:
