Barcarolle Choir is in the news!
Barcarolle has a new brilliant Music Director, Sam Chaplin!
Sam stepped in to lead us at the Eisteddfod music festival in July 2025 and will start conducting our rehearsals from 18 September! Sam has a kind nature and a wealth of music experience, conducting community and other choirs, composing and leading songwriting workshops and performing as a lead singer and jazz trumpeter in the UK and abroad. Under his direction, Barcarolle will without doubt move onwards and upwards, building on the 11 wonderful years with former director Sam Evans!
Barcarolle competed amongst the female voice choirs at the Eisteddfod Music Festival on 12 July 2025, conducted by Sam Chaplin and accompanied by Oliver Lallemant. We recorded an honourable 86 score, just two points down from the third prize, and we spent three memorable days in Llangollen, north Wales, amongst an array of talented choirs from across the word!
“I am so proud of how Barcarolle has grown and developed over the past ten years. A decade ago Barcarolle was one choir, which met for 90 minutes on a Thursday afternoon. Now it is one choir, comprising two groups: the Belters and the Divas. The two groups may specialise in different styles of music, but they often combine to sing certain songs, and together they retain the ethos of being one choir. Barcarolle is one family! This has been the great strength of Barcarolle over the years – the sense of community among the members. Great friendships have been built within the choir. The bond between the members also has a direct positive impact on the singing. When I started conducting the choir ten years ago, the chair was Helene Coste, whose commitment to Barcarolle helped the choir put down strong foundations in those early years. Helene was succeeded by Antonella Harrison, who has brought new energy and vision to Barcarolle. Antonella is a great champion of the choir, and with her as chair, the choir has taken on new challenges and had many wonderful experiences: from singing carols in the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to London, to performing in the stunning Cathedral in Orvieto, and to the choir’s recent success in Rimini. I am honoured to have reached ten years as Music Director of this wonderful group of ladies, and I’m looking forward to lots more adventures in the years ahead.”
Last 25th November 2023, our choir director Antonella Harrison was present at the 8th Salon des Associations organized by FAFGB to present our choir.
The Mayor of Kensington had a very kind word about our performance during the Community Carol Service at St Cuthbert’s Church on Saturday 10th Dec 2022.
Barcarolle Choir is a proud member of Making Music UK !
Listen here below to Sam passionately talking about singing during an interview by Ben Lewis-Smith on 25 Nov., 2022.
On 04 March 2022, Barcarolle took part to a FIWAL event to celebrate International Women’s Day and raise funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine. We sang eleven varied songs, from Mendelssohn to Sting.
Interview of our new Chair Person Antonella, June 2021
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From April 2021 Barcarolle Choir will welcome its new Chairperson, Antonella Harrison.
Antonella, originally from Italy, has been living in London since 1990, and singing with the Barcarolle Choir for the past two and a half years.
There is no doubt that Antonella’s contagious positivity, energy and enthusiasm will be transmitted to the Choir. All these qualities will help Barcarolle Choir face its future challenges and projects with panache.
The Choir would like to thank Hélène Coste who has been the Chair for the past six years. Under her guidance Barcarolle Choir has grown in number and ability and has amplified its repertoire with a very wide current range of genres. Hélène’s singing skills and friendly and humorous personality will be deeply missed by all the members.
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In March 2021 Barcarolle Choir was featured online on two occasions.
- the London International Music Festival blog and online edition: https://www.internationalmusicfestival.london/blog/ground-breaking-women-in-music-introducing-the-barcarolle-choir
- the Easter Scoop Edition of Kensington Mums online website: https://www.kensingtonmums.co.uk/top-14-activities-to-do-this-easter-kensington-mums/
In 2020, Barcarolle became a member of FIWAL (Federation of International Women Associations in London). A lovely collaboration has started, and the choir is looking forward to working together with FIWAL and all its members in order to promote women.
Barcarolle Choir had its last virtual rehearsal on December 3rd, 2020. It was a lovely way to finish this term singing Christmas Carols and cheering with some drinks and pies.
Follow the link here: You’ve got a friend !
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Barcarolle Choir is on the news (Oct. 2017).
