Leith Hill Music Festival 2025

Mickleham Choral Society has performed at this nationally acclaimed festival in Dorking for over 100 years. Although the format has changed slightly over the years, particularly post Covid, the day starts with a hotly contested competition between local choirs adjudicated by a highly respected judge.  Each choir performs three pieces of their choice from specific categories on the stage of Dorking Halls.  The afternoon is then taken up by rehearsal for a major choral work.  The choirs that were competing in the morning combine to make one powerful choir of over 200 voices plus orchestra and soloists to create a concert open to the public in the evening.

On Friday 11April Mickleham competed against the choirs of Beare Green and Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Horsley and Holmbury St Mary with great success.  Mickleham were second to Horsley in all choir categories and awarded the Widenham Fosbury Silver Hen (yes, really) prize for second place for the entire competition.  In the ensemble section (up to twelve singers) our Upper Voice ensemble came a very close second to Horsley and the Lower voice ensemble won the ridiculously large Arthur Lawrence Cup with the highest score for the competition across all categories. 

The evening concert was a spirited and electrifying performance of Will Todd’s Missa Brevis and then Passion Music with The Will Todd Ensemble and the captivating soloist Shaneeka Simon.  Conductor and LHMF Music Director Neil Ferris inspired and cajoled the Surrey choirs to create the most passionate, jazz inspired music that fired an incredible response from the sell-out audience.

Our warmest thanks go to our pianist Judith Flint and Musical Director Juliet Hornby for inspiring and steering us to achieve such a high standard.  It was a remarkable day which of course had to be celebrated at the “after gig party” at the Running Horses.  And yes, we did sing an encore in the pub.