Hardynge is the ancient name for Harpenden, dating from when it was a farming hamlet growing wheat for the nearby manor of Wheathampstead. The choir's name and logo symbolise these enduring connections.

The Hardynge Choir started in 1966 and continues to provide a challenging outlet for singers wishing to perform mainstream choral works alongside inventive programming and the commissioning of new repertoire. The choir currently has 55 members.  

There are no formal individual auditions for entry or ongoing membership.  We believe that singing should be taken seriously and worked at hard, but above all it should be fun and open to as many people as possible.

Three or four concerts are given each year, usually with professional orchestras and soloists.

 

Next Concert

Our next concert Exsultate, Jubilate will take place at St Saviour's Church, St Albans on Saturday 26 March 2022 at 7:30pm.  The concert will feature Bach’s Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!; Mozart’s motet, Exsultate, Jubilate; and Haydn’s Te Deum and Nelson Mass.

Love Came Down at Christmas

On Monday 13 December, Hardynge Choir gave their Carol concert, Love Came Down at Christmas, at St John's Church, Harpenden. We were pleased that we had an appreciative audience. As usual for our Carol concerts, the choir and audience sang a number of carols together, the choir sang several works alone and there were four readings.  

The concert opened with Bach's beautiful Zion hört die Wächter singen.  After a welcome from our Musical Director, Rufus Frowde, the choir and audience sang the carol Of the Father's heart begotten.  Works sung by the choir included Holst's Four Old English Carols, Victoria's O magnum mysterium, a beautiful setting by Edgar Pettman of Christina Rossetti's poem, Love Came Down at Christmas, and a lovely swing carol by Kevin Stannard, Kings Came Riding. For many of the works the choir was sensitively accompanied by Matthew Woodward, piano, and Richard Hills played the organ in the carols we sang with the audience. We also greatly enjoyed Richard Hills' brilliant improvisation of seasonal melodies, into which he skilfully weaved Widor's Toccata.  The concert ended with the choir and audience singing the carol O Come, All Ye Faithful.

This concert was in support of the Charity, Young Carers in Hertfordshire, who assist young carers who need extra help or advice because of their caring responsibilities.