Ifield Community College Choir

"The repertoire is eclectic." writes Gerald Haigh in the Times Educational Supplement. "Gospel songs, madrigals, pop, music from folk traditions in Africa, New England and other places are all grist to the mill. The distinguishing feature, though is the sound: exciting, energetic, uninhibited."
The choir's repertoire is exceptionally wide and adventurous, constantly surprising audiences who can be moved and transfixed by the choir's committed, disciplined and fluent performances of difficult music, entirely from memory. The young singers are equally at home performing in a cathedral, a shopping mall, a major concert hall or a town square. The choir's current repertoire includes music from Bulgaria, Africa, America, pop and gospel pieces, as well as more traditional choral works from sacred and secular traditions.

The choir has an open access policy and does not require prior musical knowledge or experience. The choir has also "been directly responsible for raising the aspirations and self-esteem of hundreds of pupils over the years", writes Gerald Haigh of the Times Educational Supplement . The choir members provide performances and workshops for younger pupils in the area, establishing a choral tradition and high musical expectations in the wider community.