Welcome to the West Dorset Singers!

We are a friendly choral society in Bridport, West Dorset, with a strong tradition of performing the finest choral works from the Baroque to the modern day. Our new term begins on Tuesday 9th September 2025, with new members always welcome to attend.

This year's repertoire includes Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, and a concert of local composers featuring Matthew Coleridge's stunning new cantata The Breath of Life, and Chris Reynolds's Aldhelm's Bridge.

Our 2025/26 concert season...

Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

Saturday 31st January 2026, 7:00pm • St Swithun's Church Bridport

Join us for a performance Rossini's fabulous mass, composed in his retirements as "the last of my sins of old age". We'll be accompanied by piano and accordion, with a quartet of young professional soloists.

Coleridge: The Breath of Life & Reynolds: Aldhelm's Bridge

Saturday 16th May 2026, 7:00pm • venue TBC

Two local composers are featured in this concert, for which we'll be joined by the Broadoak Choir and a professional orchestra. Matthew Coleridge's cantata The Breath of Life premiered in 2025, and is a vibrant celebration of life, creation and the world around us. Chris Reynolds' Aldhelm's Bridge honours a former Bishop of Sherborne, who would sing songs of the gospel stories to passers-by.

Rehearsals

We rehearse on Tuesday evenings, between September and May. Rehearsals are at Bridport's United Church Hall, and start at 7:30pm. New members are always welcome to come along to a rehearsal and give us a try!

About Us

The choir was founded in 1966 and has since grown to become the largest choir in West Dorset. For over 60 years we were known as The New Elizabethan Singers, but in 2023 we decided to change our name to the West Dorset Singers.

We perform two or three concerts per year, usually at St Mary's Church or St Swithun's churches in Bridport - although we occasionally go 'on tour' to other nearby venues. Our repertoire is centred around the great choral cantatas, masses and oratorios. In recent years we have also enjoyed performing music by contemporary British composers such as Paul Carr, Karl Jenkins and Matthew Coleridge.

Many of our concerts feature an orchestra, drawing on some of the finest players from the local area, and over the years we've had the privilege of working with some wonderful professional soloists.

Our musical director, Matt Kingston, joined us in 2011. Matt is well known as a composer (he writes under his professional name, Matthew Coleridge), whose choral works have featured heavily on Classic FM. Our accompanist is Nick Brown.