Warwickshire Singers has been awarded a grant from Warwick District Council's Ignite Arts Programme for a year-long project to improve its vocal skills, widen its repertoire and help the choir to perform an additional concert in the area.

In-keeping with the choir's ethos, it will continue to seek village venues where live choral music is seldom heard.

Chair of the choir, Kenilworth resident Janet Snoad, is "delighted" the council has decided to support the choir.

"I am so grateful for this grant, which will help our choir to develop its vocal technique through workshops, and will mean that we can provide a paid opportunity for four up-and-coming singers to help improve the balance of our choir," she said.

"It will also support our musical director, Jim Bate, as he continues his search for a more diverse repertoire."

Most recently, the choir performed at Harbury Church with a programme of music spanning six centuries.

Jim Bate says he is passionate about performing music by the widest range of composers.

"My vision is to perform works by composers who have been situated in the margins of musical performance," he added.

"With the support of this grant from WDC, we will be able to materialise my vision and aid the effort to project the voices of composers silenced by society.

"This will help rebalance the artistic world, inspiring engagement and facilitating access to music for so many, whilst embracing the richly diverse world in which we live."

In the coming weeks Warwickshire Singers will begin its search for four enthusiastic singers to join the choir.

The choir will be advertising the opportunity across Warwickshire and is keen to hear from tenor and bass singers who are good sight readers and have some choral singing experience with school or youth choirs.

Auditions will be held in September.

The choir will be holding an open workshop day on Saturday 9 September 2023 at Kenilworth Methodist Church from 10am to 2:30pm for those who wish to have a fun day improving their singing.