Choral
Our Choral Section is open to all Choirs -both school and community. We have Infant, Junior and Senior school choral classes as well as adult classes. In 2026 we introduced a class soley for A Cappella groups.
News
To all the Choirs and to their music teachers, thank you for being part of our festival.
We hope that this experience has inspired you to continue pursuing your passion for the performing arts.
Our warmest wishes for future success and happiness in your performing endeavours.
Choral Timetable 2027
Saturday 6th, & Sunday 7th March
(Dates may vary according to entry levels)
Venue
The Emmbrook School, Wokingham, RG41 1JP
Guidance
Guidance for Music Performers & Parents
You can download the 2026 Choirs syllabus here.
Section Chairman
Ann Peddle
Assistant: Janice Ellwood
Assistant: James Peddle
Email: Choirs@WoodleyFestival.org.uk
Please do follow us on our social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram for all updates
Choral Section Adjudicator was 2026
Charlie Penn
Charlie Penn graduated from the University of Birmingham where he studied the piano with Joseph Middleton. He has a busy freelance career as a versatile musician specialising in work with choirs of all ages and abilities.
Charlie is a Britten-Pears Young Artist, previously joining the music staff for the award-winning Grimes on the Beach in Aldeburgh. He is director of the Harborough Singers, the A440 choir in Reading, and he also works with the National Youth Choir of Great Britain as an assistant conductor and accompanist.
Additionally, he delivers choral workshops and training in schools across the country for ABRSM Voices, accompanies singing sessions in special needs schools in the West Midlands for Music of Life, and regularly works with Sinfonia Viva on their education and orchestral projects. On stage in the UK and Australia, he has appeared in Orpheus, an original piece devised and performed by Little Bulb Theatre and as Keyboard 1 in an exciting new orchestration of the Threepenny Opera for the renowned Salzburg Festival. He has even made a brief appearance on the BBC’s The One Show, teaching Lee Mack some basic piano vamping!
Conditions of Entry
Conditions of Entry Choral (See also general conditions of entry below)
- OWN CHOICE pieces must be stated on the entry form. Own choice pieces must
be by published composers, not own compositions. - TIME LIMITS, where specified, must be strictly observed. The performance time of the piece should be included on the entry form. In any class, the adjudicator reserves the right to stop a performance, and may choose an appropriate penalty – e.g. marks may be deducted or 1st place may not be gained. This reflects not the quality of the performance but is purely in consideration of the time spent overall. Responsibility for timing rests with the performer and their teacher / coach.
- REPEAT PERFORMANCES. Entrants may take part in as many classes as they wish (providing they are eligible) but may not play the same piece twice, nor submit the same piece from the previous year.
- MUSIC COPYRIGHT. Entrants are reminded that it is against the law to photocopy copyright music without written permission from the copyright owner. Photocopies will only be accepted when an Own Choice work is selected from a publication containing several different works. In this case one copy may be made for the use of the adjudicator, provided the competitor has already purchased his / her own copy. This photocopy will be destroyed immediately after the event.
General Conditions of Entry (Please note special Conditions of Entry for each section above)
- A COPY OF PIECES FOR THE USE OF THE ADJUDICATOR must be handed in prior to your performance, and be collected at the end of the class. Please make sure your name is on the copy.
- LATE ENTRIES are not normally accepted. Where feasible, the Section Chair may possibly exercise discretion to accept a late entry shortly after the closing date. Time is of the essence, so make any such request by phone or email, not post. Fees for unaccepted late entries will be returned.
- ENTRY FEES are not refundable. Receipts will be sent on request.
- TIMES & DATES. Entrants must accept the times and dates allocated by us to any class. However, we will try to accommodate special requests in exceptional circumstances, if specified, with reasons, on the entry form.
- THE ADJUDICATOR’S DECISION will be final. No contact may be made with the Adjudicators by entrants, parents, teachers or other interested parties, unless by the consent of a member of the Committee. Trophies & prizes will be awarded to competitors at the discretion of the adjudicator.
- ELECTRONIC ACCOMPANIMENT is not allowed in any section of the Festival.
- No unauthorised PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO & SOUND recording is allowed at the Festival whether using cameras, phones, or other equipment. Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child/pupil/vulnerable adult is not included in official authorised photos.
- OPEN CLASSES, AMATEURS & PROFESSIONALS. A professional is someone who earns their main livelihood from performing, not teaching, the instrument concerned. Medals are not awarded in the Open – Adult classes, and trophies are awarded at the discretion of the adjudicator.
Professionals may enter only the Open Classes and will not be eligible for trophies. However, an Open Ensemble of four or more players may contain one or more professionals (players or conductor) and still be eligible for a trophy. The number of such professionals must be stated on the entry forms. - SUB-DIVIDING & COMBINING CLASSES, & ORDER OFPERFORMANCE. The organisers will sub-divide or combine classes if circumstances make this necessary or desirable. The order of performance within a Class is at the sole discretion of the Section Chairman. Only in exceptional circumstances will the printed order be varied and then only with the agreement of the
Adjudicator. - SAFETY OF PERFORMERS. It is necessary for teachers and parents to be aware of their responsibilities in entering any performers with limited physical capabilities or special needs, bearing in mind the limitations imposed by the stage and surrounding environment. It is also necessary for the teacher or parent to pass on to the adjudicator, via the section chair, any such information that would impact on the adjudicator’s work.
- 11. ADJUDICATOR’S MARKS. When awarding marks, the Adjudicators will take into consideration the suitability of own choice material in own choice classes and competency when tuning instruments, when applicable.
- AGE OF AUDIENCE. Children are very welcome at the Festival, both as performers and in the audience. Generally, we ask you to consider not bringing pre-school children to the Festival. We recognise that circumstances sometimes make this unavoidable. If so, please be prepared to take out your child if they start to cause any disturbance – in fairness to the performers and the audience around you – as we do not wish to have to ask you to leave the performance room.
- LOSS OR DAMAGE. The Festival Committee can accept no responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings or equipment brought to the Festival.
- CANCELLATION. The Committee reserves the right to cancel a class without prior notice.
- DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998. The Woodley Festival will hold data submitted on the entry form on computer, solely for the purpose of running the Festival. The data will not be made available, or communicated, to any third party.
- SAFEGUARDING POLICY. This policy relates to children under the age of 18 years and those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified to the organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival. Copies of this policy will be on display during the Festival.
Choral Trophy Winners 2025
| Trophy | Description | Winner 2025 |
| Star Award | Infant Choir Class | Cantilena (The Abbey School) |
| Forley Cup | Lower Junior Choir Class | Kensington Choir (The Abbey School) |
| John Keane Trophy (Sheild) | Lower Junior Choir Class | Holme Grange |
| John Keane Choral Shield | Upper Junior Choir Class | not awarded |
| John Keane Award | Upper Junior Choir Class | Abbey Chamber Choir |
| John Keane Cup | Upper Junior Choir Class | Somerleaze Singers (Abbey) |
| Walker Cup | Young People’s Choir Y9 and under | Luckley House School |
| Walker Trophy | Young People’s Choir Y13 and under | Luckley House Chamber Choir |
| Festival Choir Cup | A Cappella Year 7 to Y13 | Luckley House A Cappella |
| Cantilena Trophy | Best Adult Performance | Thames Valley Choir |
| Jenny Brown Choir of the Year Award | Choir of the Year Across the Choral Section | Somerleaze Singers (The Abbey School) |