Information for singers
Festival rehearsals fall into two groups:
For the Spring concert in March, weekly rehearsals are held in the period leading up to the concert on Saturday / Sunday afternoons. It is expected that all singers will attend most of these rehearsals, which are taken by our Chorus Master and accompanied by our Festival Accompanist. The Festival Conductor usually attends one or two, as well as taking the final mandatory rehearsals on Saturday / Sunday afternoon immediately before the concert.
For the main two-day Festival in April, choirs rehearse and prepare independently for the most part. However, any choir member wishing to participate in a Festival concert must have sung in the combined rehearsals for that concert (below). There are three combined rehearsals lasting two hours for each choir group, each accompanied by the Festival Accompanist. The final afternoon rehearsal on the day of each concert is also mandatory. These rehearsals are the opportunity for the Festival Conductor to prepare the combined choirs for their performances at the evening concerts.
Come and Sing
Bach’s St John’s Passion highlights
Saturday 11th October.
St Martins, Dorking
Open to Leith Hill Festival choir members all independent singers
2026 Spring Concert
Haydn: The Creation
Open to Leith Hill Festival choir members all independent singers
Concert on Sunday 8th March 2026, 19:00 in the Grand Hall, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG
Rehearsal dates - see schedule opposite
Box Office for singer registration will be open soon
2026 Festival Day 1 - Friday
Da Vinci Requiem - Cecilia McDowall
The Lark Ascending - Vaughan Williams
Five Mystical Songs - Vaughan Williams
Choirs: Capel, Dorking, Epsom, Leatherhead and Oxshott
Concert on Friday 10th Apr 2026, 19:30 in the Grand Hall, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG
2026 Festival Day 2 - Saturday
Zadok the Priest - Handel
Dixit Dominus RV594 - Vivaldi
Dixit Dominus - Isabella Leonarda
The King shall Rejoice – Handel
Choirs: Beare Green and Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Holmbury St Mary, Horsley and Mickleham
Concert on Saturday 11th Apr 2026, 19:30 in the Grand Hall, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG
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Registration 9:30
Arrival and Registration 09.30 – 10.00
Rehearsal 10:00 – 11:15
Break 11:15 – 11:45
Rehearsal 11:45 – 13:00
Lunch 13:00 – 14:00
Rehearsal 14:00 – 15:00
Break 15:00 – 15:15
Rehearsal 15:15 – 15:45
Break 15:45 – 16:00
Informal performance 16:00 – 16:30 -
We will be providing scores for those that need them. These will be New Novello (edited by Neil Jenkins), but any older copies should be compatible. In order to help us ensure we have enough music for everyone, please select a ticket in your voice part indicating whether you need a vocal score or not.
There is no difference in ticket price.
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The nearest car park is the public carpark adjacent to the church just a few yards away at St Martin's Walk, Mill Lane Dorking.
Sat Nav Post Code: RH4 1UX.
NB. Remember to use the long stay area.
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Rehearsals will take place in either the Grand Hall or the Martineau Hall at Dorking Halls.
The Saturday rehearsals will be in the morning and the Sunday rehearsals will be in the afternoon.
Sat 10th Jan 10:00 – 12:30 Grand Hall
Sun 25th Jan 2:00 - 4:30 Martineau
Sat 7th Feb 10:00 – 12:30 Grand Hall
Sun 15th Feb 2:00 - 4:30 Martineau
Sat 21st Feb 10:00 – 12:30 Martineau
Sat 7th Mar 10:00 – 12:30 Martineau
Sun 8th Mar 2:00 onwards Concert 7:00 Grand Hall
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We will be using the New Novello edition (edited by Pilkington) When booking there is an option to indicate that you want to hire the music.
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Timetable
13:30 - 2:00 Recit rehearsal
2:00 - 2:15 Choir assemble on stage
2:15 - 5:15 Choruses6:45 Choir on assemble on stage
7:00 ConcertDress Code for Concert
Black suit trousers/long skirt
Black long sleeved shirt/top
Black shoes
No tie
No jacket
Small black bag if required
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Stands and Sits
will be posted here
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Choirs will learn and rehearse with their own conductors. There are also 3 Combined rehearsals which choir members are expected to attend.
Combined Rehearsals will take place in the morning in the Grand Hall at Dorking Halls. Dates are below, the times will be confirmed nearer the event.
Saturday, 31st January
Saturday, 28th February
Saturday, 28th March -
Music for choirs
Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:
i. A piece with accompaniment
ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)
iii. A piece written by a living composer
Ensemble
There will be an optional Ensemble Competition each day where groups of between 4-12 singers will perform a piece, selected by the Music Committee tbc.
SATB:
Lower Voices:
Upper Voices:
The rules for the Ensemble category:
A choir can choose to perform up to two pieces out of the three options available.
Each ensemble doesn't need to be unique, e.g. if a choir chooses to enter more than one ensemble then their tenors could sing in both ensembles
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Choirs need to confirm their recital pieces, and give the librarian 2 copies of their music by the second combined rehearsal.
Recital pieces for each choir will be published here in March.
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Up to date Festival day information will be published here nearer the time but to give a flavour of the event last year’s information is shown in italics
Festival Adjudicator
tbc
Morning
09:50 - Choirs to be ready in the Grand Hall
10.00 - Choirs on the stage for a warm up and the draw for the order for choir recitals and ensembles
10:10 - Warm up including Song for a Spring Festival
10:20 - LHMF Competition begins
c.12:00 - Recitals competition finishes
c.12:05 - Ensembles competition begins
c.12:30 - Adjudication
12:45 - LHMF Competition ends
Afternoon
14:10 Singers assemble on stage
16.00/16.10 approx Break -
16.15/17:00 rehearsal continues
17:00 choir finished, rehearsal continues with orchestra and soloists
17.45 Rehearsal finishes
Evening
19:15 Choir on stage
19:30 Prize Giving (allow 20 minutes)
19:50 Concerts stars – Part 1
20.20 Interval start
20.40 Interval end - Part 2
21.50 Concert ends
Dress Code for Competition
Choirs are free to choose their own dress code (if any)
Dress Code for Concert
Black suit trousers/long skirt
Black long sleeved shirt/top
Black shoes
No tie
No jacket
Small black bag if required
-
Stands and Sits will be published here nearer the event.
-
Choirs will learn and rehearse with their own conductors. There are also 3 Combined rehearsals which choir members are expected to attend.
Combined Rehearsals will take place in the morning in the Grand Hall at Dorking Halls. Dates are below, the times will be confirmed nearer the event.
Saturday, 31st January
Saturday, 28th February
Saturday, 28th March -
Music for choirs
Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:
i. A piece with accompaniment
ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)
iii. A piece written by a living composer
Ensemble
There will be an optional Ensemble Competition each day where groups of between 4-12 singers will perform a piece, selected by the Music Committee tbc.
SATB:
Lower Voices:
Upper Voices: .
The rules for the Ensemble category:
A choir can choose to perform up to two pieces out of the three options available.
Each ensemble doesn't need to be unique, e.g. if a choir chooses to enter more than one ensemble then their tenors could sing in both ensembles.
-
Choirs need to confirm their recital pieces, and give the librarian 2 copies of their music by the second combined rehearsal.
Recital pieces for each choir will be published here in March.
-
Up to date Festival day information will be published here nearer the time but to give a flavour of the event last year’s information is shown in italics
Festival Adjudicator
tbc
Morning
09:50 - Choirs to be ready in the Grand Hall
10.00 - Choirs on the stage for a warm up and the draw for the order for choir recitals and ensembles
10:10 - Warm up including Song for a Spring Festival
10:20 - LHMF Competition begins
c.12:00 - Recitals competition finishes
c.12:05 - Ensembles competition begins
c.12:30 - Adjudication
12:45 - LHMF Competition ends
Afternoon
14:10 Singers assemble on stage
16.00/16.10 approx Break -
16.15/17:00 rehearsal continues
17:00 choir finished, rehearsal continues with orchestra and soloists
17.45 Rehearsal finishes
Evening
19:15 Choir on stage
19:30 Prize Giving (allow 20 minutes)
19:50 Concerts stars – Part 1
20.20 Interval start
20.40 Interval end - Part 2
21.50 Concert ends
Dress Code for Competition
Choirs are free to choose their own dress code (if any)
Dress Code for Concert
Black suit trousers/long skirt
Black long sleeved shirt/top
Black shoes
No tie
No jacket
Small black bag if required
-
Stands and Sits will be published here nearer the event.
How do I get my music?
For the Spring concert:
When enrolling for the Spring concert you will have the option to include music hire within your fee and you can collect your music at the first rehearsal. It is important to use the correct editions when singing at the Festival which will be advised when the concert is announced.
For the April competitions and concerts:
The music to be sung at the Festival in April is chosen by the Festival Conductor in consultation with professional musicians’
The music is announced well in advance and is sourced and distributed to Choir Librarians by the Choral Librarians, to ensure consistency of editions and fairness for all and to help with the cost.
Competitions
Each choir will present an ‘own-choice’ recital (max. 15 mins), to include:
i. A piece with accompaniment
ii. A piece sung unaccompanied (a cappella)
iii. A piece written by a living composer
Ensemble Competition:
As a ‘prelude’ to the Competitions, there will be an optional Ensemble Competition each day where groups of between 4-12 singers will perform a single unaccompanied piece, selected by the Music Committee. Choirs may enter as many groups as they wish.