Lockdown projects
Ben & Dom
'The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood'
‘The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood’ is a beautiful poem by Richard Fariña which he later set to the tune of an Irish air. We discovered the song through the amazing Sandy Denny recording, and knew we had to sing it ourselves.
Ben & Dom
A song by Richard Fariña, which feels curiously fitting for our days of pandemic.
Chaps Choir 'virtual choir'
The Chaps on lockdown bring you their version of Ron Sexsmith's song of hope and encouragement 'Gold In Them Hills'. Brought to you from the living rooms, hallways, kitchens & garden disco sheds of the chaps themselves. With this video we're raising money for 100 Black Men of London, they work to transform young people's lives through mentoring and education Website: http://100bml.org Donate here: ---- http://100bml.org/support-us/
Bellow Fellows 'virtual choir'
Many BFs have been solo isolating during lockdown, so here we present our contribution to the virtual choir genre with a rendition of the King/Goffin song 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow?' featuring some of our lockdown companions and objects of affection that have helped us through. With this video we're raising money for CALM; if you enjoyed even just a second please consider handing over some ££ to this important mental health charity: http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising...
DIARY
The Wilderness Choir 2018
Singing Nothing Compares 2 U
Accompanied by The Wilderness Orchestra conducted by Ewan Campbell.
Sing
Where to sing | My choirs & projects & more
Bellow Fellows
Male Voice Community Choir
New members welcome! Bellow Fellows is a friendly welcoming group made up of men from all walks of life. No auditions & everything is taught by ear. We sing a wide variety of music and perform in and around the capital. Tuesday nights | Angel, N1 London.
Chaps Choir
Singing Men from London
Chaps Choir is a large male singing gang; say goodbye to the male voice choir most would recognise. Auditioned alt-male voice choir turning the male choir presentation on its head. For information about joining visit this link
Harmony Live
Community singing workshops
Welcoming, uplifting and accessible day-long workshops open to absolutely everyone - located in London, Brighton & Bristol co-led by four experienced community singing facilitators. Keep an eye on harmonylive.co.uk for new dates or sign up to the mailing list
Videos
Chaps Choir (live) - 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'
Chaps Choir (very) mini docu
Chaps Choir - 'The Book of Love'
Chaps Choir - promo reel
Harmony Live: Workshop for all
Chaps Choir & Samantha Whates - 'Anyone Who Knows What Love Is'
ARRANGEMENTS
Fun, spritely SATB arrangement for mixed voice community choirs.
Genre: GOSPEL
Medium-easy | teachable by ear
Includes: PDF score, lyric sheet & learning tracks (available soon)
MORE ARRANGEMENTS COMING SOON!
Want to know when more arrangements are released? Sign up here/update your mailing list preferences by ticking the box under 'Choir leaders & administrators'
CHOIR MERCHANDISE
Chaps Choir online store. All profits to CALM. Including special edition 7" double a side single + download code - collaboration with Samantha Whates + tote bags + more!
Choirs & projects
Arrangements for male & mixed voice choirs
In July 2020 I joined the team of arrangers and composers at Choir Community. CC is a growing resource with a mixture of licensed arrangements, original works and traditional songs ideal for community choirs. You can see my current catalogue here and there'll be more added in time, including new arrangements for mixed voices as lower voices.
About Me
Dominic is a singer, choir director, arranger and group singing advocate. Since 2009 he has worked in community centres, schools, offices & prisons encouraging a wide variety of people to use their voice for expression. After founding Chaps Choir in 2013 he has become a unofficial spokesperson and advocate for men’s community singing.
Dominic has delivered workshops and collaborated with The Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, Spitalfield's Music, The Orpheus Centre, The Good Life Experience, Wilderness Festival, The Choir With No Name and other events & organisations in London and the UK. Artistic & educational collaborations have included artists as diverse as Shlomo, Huutajat (Finnish Shouting Men's Choir), Omar, Voices Now, Samantha Whates, Joe Stilgoe & Hattie Webb.
In 2013 he founded Chaps Choir in an attempt to get more men singing and to challenge the traditional male choir presentation. Chaps Choir has toured the UK, sung on prime time TV and collaborated with recording artists, filmographers & raised money for mental health charities. The choir's live shows, diverse repertoire, recordings and videos have been recognised around the world in offering an alternative example of the male choir presentation and encouraging men to use their voice for positive expression.
In 2015 he founded Bellow Fellows, London's first non-auditioned male community choir and in the same year began working with Beating Time, delivery singing in prisons.
ITV News
Men singing & Chaps Choir
2016 | 4 min
BBC Radio Suffolk
Getting everyone - especially men - singing + Chaps Choir promo
2018 | 8 min
BBC Radio Humberside
How to get everyone - especially men - singing / Spooky Men
2017 | 10 min
The Independent
'...It's also the best way to meet new people. But what if you hate group activities? Simmy Richman joined the Chaps Choir for two rehearsals, and one potentially life-changing performance'
The Sunday Telegraph
'What happened to the snarling cynical Julia Llewellyn of old? Answer: She joined a choir'
CHAPS CHOIR PRESS
Indscene mention - Wilderness 2016 review
'...Chaps Choir, an all-male 50 piece choir of hotties & 'lumbersexuals' performed chart-bothering crowd-favourites that raised the hairs on the back of everyones necks.'
Drowned In Sound mention - Citadel 2016 review
'Our day starts with the bandstand and Chaps Choir, a horde of...singing men from Islington that produce a winning, lifting sound that drifts bucolically through the trees...their set a brief but sweaty whirl of headdress and rhythm'
CHART - notes to consider - 'When The Men Sing, The Silence Ends' by Alexander Mayor; photos by Matt Veal
'Away from the football pitch or the pub at closing time, men aren’t big singers. Somehow, from school age onwards, singing, that free musical instrument most of us carry around all day, gets knocked out of men. Social pressure, emotional restraint, whatever it is, it stops men from singing in public or joining choirs. In 2013, one singing tutor in North London decided to see if this sad social state of affairs could be overturned and Chaps Choir was born. Writer and musician Alexander Mayor reflects on the surprises of joining a choir, and the strange journey men go on once they decide to sing.'
Contact me for access to full piece.
POSITIVE NEWS - 'Rewriting The Man Code' by Lucy Purdy
“Singing in a choir is powerful because, unlike in sport, you don’t have to win to succeed,” says the choir’s founder Dominic Stichbury. “To succeed, you have to become part of the group.”
Calendar
Workshops, Gigs, Choirs & Events
Choir leader & community builder
Previously I led The Pop-Up Choir (pop & rock choir), Euphonix, Barnes Community Choir, The Landmark Singers, Spitalfields Singers and I've run sessions for LSO community choir, Harrow Road Community Choir,
Workshop leader
My practice takes me to schools, community centres and prisons working with vulnerable people work regularly as workshop leader with organisations such as The Southbank Centre, Spitalfields Music, and educational organisations in the UK to deliver singing and music making in a variety of settings.
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Dominic Stichbury © 2023