The A Cappella Singers was founded in 1963 by a small group of enthusiasts to sing madrigals and unaccompanied motets from the 16th century onwards. Our first conductor was Donald Willis, a keen amateur musician who led the choir for many years.
Notable performances during the early years included Monteverdi's Magnificat for Double Choir and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. From the start, concerts were given to raise money for local charities.
Peter Stobart was appointed Musical Director of the A Cappella Singers in July 2007. He has recently moved to London to study Choral Direction for two years at the Royal Academy of Music with Patrick Russell. As an organist, Peter attained his ARCO at the age of 17 and, during his gap year, he was the organ scholar at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Peter then read music at the University of Durham, where he directed the Chapel Choir of the College of St. Hild & St. Bede and the Durham University Chamber Choir. From September 2006 he was appointed Tenor Lay Clerk in Peterborough Cathedral Choir. During his year living and working in Peterborough he directed two groups: St. Peter's Singers, a chamber choir based at Peterborough Cathedral and the Peterborough Children's Choir.
The choir is now in its 44th year. We rehearse and mostly perform at St Mary Oatlands but have also sung in recent years at All Saints' Weston Green, riverhouse arts centre and in the performing arts centre at Cleves School, Oatlands.
