About Us
We are a 100-strong choir championing student music-making with regular termly projects.
We have over 100 auditioned voices and partaking in ambitious yearly projects.
Recent projects have included a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony alongside Durham University Orchestral Society to commemorate the 200th anniversary of its writing, or partaking in the National Big Bruckner Weekend alongside the Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Typically, the choir enjoys a close working relationship with Durham University Orchestral Society in its regular choral-symphonic works. There is also an annual international tour and outreach projects such as the partnership with the Christian Union in the annual Carols in the Cathedral celebration which amasses over 1,200 students in the Cathedral every year.
Meet our Principal Conductor
“I loved working with Durham University Choral Society when we sang our choral version of Vaughan Williams’ ‘Tallis Fantasia’ in Durham Cathedral a couple of years ago - so I'm doubly excited to be taking over from local legend John Forsyth as their new Principal Conductor from this season.”
- Tim Burke, 2025 (read the full article)
Tim Burke joins the University from prominent roles at a number of high profile musical institutions.
He is currently the Chorus Director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Chorus, as is also the Musical Director of Tête à Tête Opera, producer of Britain's largest festival of new opera.
He has previously worked with a range of notable musical institutions across the British Isles, including as Opera Master at Opera North, and has held positions with both English and Welsh National Operas. His illustrious career within opera and choral music follows studies at Oxford University, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and early training at the Royal Opera House.
Tim is a passionate believer in the importance of new writing, and has a huge conducting repertoire to his name, with credits including Will Tuckett’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’, and Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’.
Our History
Our society reaches back over 120 years, to its foundation in 1903 when it was first conducted by E.V. Stocks.
Since then, it has had 15 conductors, numerous generations of singers and hundreds of exciting projects throughout its history, including collaborations with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Recent performances include Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Berlioz Te Deum & Poulenc Gloria.
The society is honoured to have produced notable organists and choral directors including James Lancelot and Andrew Catrill.
Our Executive Team
The Executive Team is responsible for the operations of the society, including financial management, communicating with the roster of singers, cultivating our alumni and sponsorship support & much more. They are the beating heart of the society.
The team is elected annually by the members of the society in an Annual General Meeting, and you can learn more about them and meet them all here.
