About the choir

The Hackney Festival Chorus (formerly St. John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus) is a local choir which has been performing major choral works in Hackney since 1997. Performances have included works by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Britten and Vivaldi; for a full list (and a picture of our 25th anniversary cake) click on this link: Past Concerts. The choir has also taken part in opera concerts at the Hackney Empire, concerts in Glasgow and Paris, and a music festival in Paris. We perform at St. John of Jerusalem Church and, although we are not a church choir, members have also sung in church events, including the annual carol service. For additional information see our “About” page.

Members also organize and take part in social and fund-raising events. Our next event is a Burns Night on February 1st, 2025. Details will be available shortly. See our “Events” page for fuller information. We fund raise in order that we can mount concerts with professional soloists and conductor without asking for money for tickets. If you wish to donate to this cause, please click on the Donate button below

We are developing a social media presence. We have Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (now called X) accounts, https://www.facebook.com/festivalchorushackney, https://www.instagram.com/festival.chorus.hackney, and www.twitter.com/FestChorHackney. Our social media manager, Louisa Lam (see our Musical Team) has recently made a series of Facebook posts introducing members of the choir, with the aim of encouraging new members.

We are twinned with Chœurs Résonances Suresnes (Suresnes being twinned with Hackney) and have performed with them in London and Paris, most recently in Zelenka’s Missa Votiva. See our Past Concerts page (and the slides above).

Join us!

Your choir needs you!

We are always keen to attract new members. Our normal rehearsals are from 5.30-7 PM on Sundays at Hampden Chapel, Lauriston Road, E9 7EU. Check out our Join page or contact the Choir Secretary to find out more.

Next concerts

13 April 2025, 7 PM

Dvořák: Stabat Mater

Soloists to be announced.
Orchestra: The Lambeth Orchestra

This concert will be a joint concert with Chœurs Résonances Suresnes at St. John of Jerusalem Church. There will be two more performances of this work jointly with our twinned choir, in Suresnes on May 24th and 25th.