Epsom resident launches UK Choir of the Year
A Worcester Park resident and former Epsom College music scholar is behind a new national competition celebrating Britain’s thriving amateur choral scene.
Lucy Mitchell, founder of UK Choir of the Year, is launching the initiative with a fundraising concert at Cadogan Hall in London on 18th May, ahead of the competition opening for entries later this year.
Mitchell, who lives in Worcester Park and is a member of the Adam Street Singers, said the project had been in development for more than a year and aims to highlight the strength and diversity of choirs across the country.
The new competition will open applications in June 2026 and culminate in a live final at Milton Court at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in April 2027.
The launch concert will feature performances from the Adam Street Singers, Citi London Choir and the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir – whose members famously topped the Christmas charts – alongside guest appearances by TV doctor Dr Ranj and The Choir with No Name.
Mitchell said the competition was designed to recognise the many high-quality choirs operating outside the fully professional music sector.
“So many choirs are doing extraordinary work but rarely get the chance to be heard nationally,” she said. “This competition exists to celebrate the standard, diversity, and community behind choral singing across the UK.”
UK Choir of the Year is being run as a not-for-profit initiative rooted in the belief that collective singing plays an important role in wellbeing and community identity.
Some of the proceeds from the competition will support The Choir with No Name, an organisation which runs choirs for people affected by homelessness.
The competition will be judged by leading figures from the UK choral world including composer Will Todd, conductor and vocal specialist Dan Ludford-Thomas and conductor and gospel specialist Karen Gibson MBE.
Funds raised at the Cadogan Hall concert will help develop the competition and create access bursaries to ensure choirs from across the UK are able to take part.
Mitchell said the initiative was intended to celebrate the “richness and diversity” of Britain’s choral tradition while creating a national platform for amateur ensembles of all styles and sizes.
Applications for UK Choir of the Year open at the end of June 2026, with the inaugural final scheduled for 10 April 2027.
