Cantar Community Choir

Cantar Community Choir

Probably one of the friendliest choirs in York
an exciting non-auditioning choir
a wonderful singing experience for members in a friendly and welcoming environment
Cantar Community Choir - York

Cantar Community Choir is an exciting non-auditioning choir founded in 2015 by people with a passion for choral singing and a strong interest in both contemporary and classical choral works from around the globe. We are a non-profit making choir that performs for enjoyment at a range of community, charity, arts and music events, bringing stimulating and diverse choral singing to communities both locally and further afield. Profits from events are shared between two charities nominated each year by our members.

Our aim is to provide a wonderful singing experience for members in a friendly and welcoming environment. We enjoy singing a variety of musical genres and our core repertoire includes classical music, both church and secular, from all eras along with a range of popular, folk, gospel and jazz music, all sung in four to eight part harmony. We have extended this range to include more international contemporary music using folk, gospel and jazz traditions as influences.

We have a diverse membership of around 50 singers of all ages and we meet on Monday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at The Priory Street Centre in York. We are currently looking to increase our alto section so if you are interested do please get in touch. If you would like to join as a Soprano, Tenor or Bass, you can join our short waiting list, and we will contact you as spaces become available. The ability to read music is helpful but not essential, although you will need a good ear and the ability to sing in tune! For further information regarding membership please email us via the contact button below.

In Concert @St Olave’s Church

Musical direction

We are very fortunate to have a committed and dedicated musical team to lead the choir.

Our Musical Director is Bethan Kelly Bethan graduated from the University of York with a BA in Music in 2023. Throughout her time there she enjoyed involvement in a wide range of ensembles and community music projects allowing her to experience the positive impact music can have as part of her everyday life. This is something she hopes to share with as many people as possible working as a community musician and music educator in and around Yorkshire. Since the lockdowns of 2021 she has co-run a social media project, That Sounds Fun, which spreads the joy of music making and singing with whoever wants to get involved, a message she aims to keep at the centre of all her work. We are excited to be entering into a new phase of Cantar’s development under her leadership.

Malcolm Maddock is our Accompanist/Asst MD and joined us in September 2022 bringing with him a wealth of musical experience as a singer, accompanist, chorus master and assistant MD. He strongly believes in local choirs because of the benefits they can bring to their members with regard to physical and mental health as well as the social function they fulfil.

Eimear Hurley joined us in 2021to 2023 as our Musical Director. During her time as MD and also studying for a PHD at York University she was an inspirational teacher and raised our standards and confidence following the pandemic.

Sally Smith also joined us in September 2022 as our Part-time Assistant Accompanist. She is an extra ‘pair of hands’ for us during sectional rehearsals, performances and covering for Malcolm when necessary. She loves to play as a way of relaxing from her busy day job and family life and also plays for Wetherby Musical Theatre Group and another choir in Leeds.

Katie Privett was Musical Director from 2017 to 2021. During her time as MD, she was pivotal in raising the standards and confidence of the choir while creating a fun environment for our rehearsals. She is now an invaluable support to our Music Team, standing in when needed but is also enjoying singing with Cantar as a soprano.