REHEARSALS are underway for next month’s spring concert by the Watchet Singers as an appeal is made for anybody who can fill two crucial positions at the end of the season.

The singers were founded in 1941 as the Watchet and District Choral Society and have now been presenting concerts in the area for 85 years.

The only break for the choir came during the Covid pandemic lockdown period.

It was after the lockdown, in April, 2023, that members decided to change their name to the Watchet Singers.

This was partly because their numbers had by this point reduced considerably.

During the past 85 years, there have been many changes of personnel and policy, but their dedication and positive outlook have remained constant.

This year, however, the choir is ‘deeply concerned’, because, for various reasons, they will be losing both their conductor/musical director as well as their accompanist at the end of the current season.

Both positions are notoriously difficult to fill, and the prospect of finding replacements for the two is proving problematic.

Watchet Singers are a standard soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (SATB) choir where the ability to read music is ‘desirable but not essential’.

Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings in Watchet Methodist Church schoolrooms and the choir usually presents two concerts in a year, with no rehearsals being held during the summer months.

The collections taken at their concerts usually benefit a local charity, and with this being the case, the positions of musical director/conductor and accompanist are not salaried, although expenses can be covered.

This year’s spring concert will be held in the Methodist church on April 16, and will be titled ‘The Joy of Music’.

Anybody who believes they may be able to help fill either of the choir’s two vacant positions should email to [email protected].