Around 80 voices and growing...

Folkestone Choral Society, one of the largest choirs in the area, welcomes new members, especially tenors and basses, to join us in performing great choral works with professional orchestras and soloists. While prior choir experience isn’t necessary, a basic ability to read music is helpful. We present at least three concerts a year, featuring a range of classical and modern works, often with orchestral pieces. As a charitable organisation, we bring high-quality choral music to the Folkestone and Hythe community and beyond, aiming to cover major classical choral works over time.​

​Meet the team

Lucy Gove

Musical Director

Lucy is a choral conductor and mezzo-soprano and teaches music at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury. She directs the Langton Music Choir Festival at The Colyer Fergusson and leads the Community Carols in Canterbury city centre each Christmas Eve, with over 4000 people.
​
She has now been the Musical Director of Folkestone Choral Society since 2023 and aims to bring a fresh modern outlook to the choir...already there is a new sense of energy and ambition amongst members.

Tim Parsons

Rehearsal Accompanist

Tim began his musical career at the age of seven when
he joined the choir of St. Leonard's Church, Hythe. There, under the direction of Dr. Berkeley Hill he learnt
to play piano and organ and later became the assistant organist at St. Leonard’s.

​He was appointed Organist and Choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church in 1993 where he continues to promote
the musical life of the area...choral music being his
great passion.

Committee

Name
Role
Betty Blac​k
Chair and Honorary Treasurer
​Frances Lake
Concert Manager and Minutes Secretary
Audrey Ritchie
Membership Secretary
  Cilla Clark
Front of House Manager
Andy Maguire
Librarian
Tessa Fryer
Publicity
Les Lake
Making Music Representative
Louise Kilchner ​
   Friends & Patrons Secretary
Stuart Brown
Without portfolio
Michael Hale
Without portfolio
Open position
Honorary Secretary

Dr David Flood

President

David retired from Canterbury Cathedral in 2020 after over 42 years of service in Cathedral music. Organist and Master of the Choristers since 1988, he had earlier served at Lincoln Cathedral and as Assistant Organist at Canterbury.

While his work involved recordings, tours, and performances, he cherished the daily services and the joy of performing for visitors. Studying with Gillian Weir and Jean Langlais, David now enjoys more time for the organ and travel. He holds an honorary Doctor of Music degree and is an ABRSM examiner. He misses daily performance but not writing Risk Assessments!

Dr Berkeley Hill

Honorary Vice President

Berkeley served as Musical Director of Folkestone Choral Society for 40 years, from 1976 to 2017, after five years as accompanist. Under his leadership, the Society performed a broad range of choral works, including standard repertory, lesser-known compositions, and commissioned pieces.

​Berkeley was Organist and Director of Music at St. Leonard's Church - Hythe from 1972 until March 2025 and was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2018 for his contributions to music in Kent.

From 1970 he was an economist at Wye College (University of London, later Imperial College) until he retired as Professor of Policy Analysis in 2005 and became a consultant of international organisations.