The Genesis Chorale is a mixed choir of more than 50 voices who are based in and around the Woking and West Byfleet area of Surrey, performing both sacred and secular music.

Florence Price is our Musical Director and rehearsal accompaniment is supplied by David Perkins on the piano.

The choir performs at least three concerts each year in the Spring, the Summer and at Christmas and tries to achieve a balance of singing new and lesser known works in addition to the firm favourites which are well known to audiences.  We pride ourselves on achieving a high standard of concert performance.  This is enhanced by hiring professional young instrumentalists and soloists to perform with us at many of our concerts.

The choir has always set out to be the friendliest in the area. New members rarely leave, because a heavy emphasis is placed on enjoyment both at rehearsals and in concert. For this reason, auditions are not required, and voices of all standards are invited to join. An ability to read music is an advantage, but not essential.

History

“Gemini Chorale” was founded in December 1979 under the Musical Directorship of Keith Mansfield.  The first concert was given in October 1981.  In the year 2000 Keith retired as Musical Director and the choir was renamed “Genesis Chorale”.

Over the years the choir has grown to over 50 members.  Each year the choir give Christmas, Easter and Summer concerts which include a mix of new and lesser known choral works alongside the better known favourites.

The concerts, held in St John’s Church in West Byfleet, are supported by professional soloists and musicians, and attract large audiences.

The Chorale has been led by several Musical Directors over the years and more recently has forged links with young conductors who have recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway College or the Royal College of Music.

Musical Director – Florence Price

Florence Price is a conductor and singer based in London. She is currently studying for an MA in Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music with Patrick Russill and Nicholas Chalmers, and whilst studying has participated in many prestigious masterclasses, including with the BBC Singers and David Hill.

In addition to her role with Genesis Chorale, Florence is the Musical Director of the Staffordshire Chamber Orchestra, and is a participant on the Crouch End Festival Chorus Young Conductors Mentoring Scheme with David Temple (2024-25). She has been selected as a finalist for the London International Choral Conducting Competition, to take place later in 2024.

Recent conducting engagements include working with the Covent Garden Chorus as their Associate Conductor (2024), conducting the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia for their ‘Choral Nativity’ concert in Newcastle Cathedral, Guest Conductor with the Tallis Chamber Orchestra, and Musical Director of Opera Prelude’s production of a new children’s opera, ‘The King’s Pants’. Florence works regularly as a Section Coach with the National Youth Choir having been on their Fellowship programme in 2022, and she was recently a New Leader for Gabrieli Roar.

Florence previously studied Music at the University of Manchester, where she was selected for the student conductor programme to conduct the University’s orchestras and choirs. Subsequently in Manchester, she was the Musical Director of Somnium Chamber Choir and the Stockport Male Voice Choir.

As a singer, Florence regularly deputises at various professional London church choirs and sings with Kantos Chamber Choir. Previously, she was a HeartEdge Manchester Choral Scholar in association with St Martin in the Fields and a Lay Clerk at the Manchester Oratory.

Florence also teaches violin and piano for Muswell Young Musicians and Norfolk House School, and directs the KS2 choir at Julian’s Primary School in Streatham.