The Singers
The St Giles Consort was founded in 2016. by Julian Parkin-Haig and Cathy Langdale (Director of Music at the Parish Church in Chalfont St Giles). The group is made up of experienced choral singers who either live in Buckinghamshire or have a strong connection to the county or to the village of Chalfont St Giles where they rehearse and often perform. For a typical concert, rehearsals take place during the day on the two Saturdays leading up to each concert. We would be interested to hear from local singers who would like to find out more about what we do. If you are interested in singing with us please complete the contact form.
The St Giles Consort was founded in 2016. by Julian Parkin-Haig and Cathy Langdale (Director of Music at the Parish Church in Chalfont St Giles). The group is made up of experienced choral singers who either live in Buckinghamshire or have a strong connection to the county or to the village of Chalfont St Giles where they rehearse and often perform. For a typical concert, rehearsals take place during the day on the two Saturdays leading up to each concert. We would be interested to hear from local singers who would like to find out more about what we do. If you are interested in singing with us please complete the contact form.
Recent performances
In Summer 2022 we collaborated with Milton's Cottage in the village to perform settings of John Milton's works and music by his father and contemporaries. We were honoured to be invited to sing at the Buckinghamshire Council Memorial Service for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Mary's Church, Aylesbury on 17th September, 2022.
In 2023 we sang in Florence, gave a concert in the Parish Church to celebrate Byrd, Weelkes and Coronations and on Sunday 8th October sang Byrd's Mass for Four Voices in a liturgical setting in St Michael and All Angels, Beaconsfield. We celebrated the coming of Christmas with a concert on 9th December featuring Britten's A Ceremony of Carols.
In 2024 we sang a Reflection for Passiontide in Chalfont St Giles and Marlow and for our sumnmer concert we were invited to sing a concert of British choral music in St Helen's Church, Abingdon. We celebrated Christmas with a concert 'Noël, Noël', once again in the Parish Church in Chalfont St Giles.
In April 2025 we collaborated with composer and conductor Dominic McGonigal in an 'Extended Compline' in Chalfont St Giles Parish Church. This was followed in June 2025 with an early evening concert to raise money for locval charity The All Together Community and the Alzheimers Society.
In Summer 2022 we collaborated with Milton's Cottage in the village to perform settings of John Milton's works and music by his father and contemporaries. We were honoured to be invited to sing at the Buckinghamshire Council Memorial Service for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Mary's Church, Aylesbury on 17th September, 2022.
In 2023 we sang in Florence, gave a concert in the Parish Church to celebrate Byrd, Weelkes and Coronations and on Sunday 8th October sang Byrd's Mass for Four Voices in a liturgical setting in St Michael and All Angels, Beaconsfield. We celebrated the coming of Christmas with a concert on 9th December featuring Britten's A Ceremony of Carols.
In 2024 we sang a Reflection for Passiontide in Chalfont St Giles and Marlow and for our sumnmer concert we were invited to sing a concert of British choral music in St Helen's Church, Abingdon. We celebrated Christmas with a concert 'Noël, Noël', once again in the Parish Church in Chalfont St Giles.
In April 2025 we collaborated with composer and conductor Dominic McGonigal in an 'Extended Compline' in Chalfont St Giles Parish Church. This was followed in June 2025 with an early evening concert to raise money for locval charity The All Together Community and the Alzheimers Society.
Dominic McGonigal - Director
Dominic read music at King’s College, Cambridge where he sang bass in King’s Chapel Choir. He then combined a career in the music business with performing and conducting, including appointments as musical director of W11 Opera, COMA Voices, Stoneleigh Choral Society, the Church of St Anselm & St Cecilia in Holborn, Opera Spezzata and EJMS Big Band. As a conductor, singer and instrumentalist (cello and tuba), he is regularly engaged to perform in London and Brussels. More recently he has found his voice as a prize-winning composer. In 2023, he was commissioned by the London Medical Orchestra to write a symphony. The Cathedral Symphony (inspired by cathedral architecture) was well received by audience and players at its première by the orchestra on 7 July 2024. Other recent projects include Chazal, written for Vittoria Ecclesia to explore the unique sounds of the early clarinet (première, Tallinn, April 2024) and Dialogues with Ancestors, a major song cycle for indigenous South American tenor Rafael Montero (première, Cologne, October 2024).
www.dominicmcgonigal.com
www.dominicmcgonigal.com
Julian Parkin-Haig, Founding Director
Julian began his music career as a chorister in Melbourne and a choral scholar at Trinity College, Melbourne University. After spending a year as choral scholar at Winchester Cathedral, he became a vicar choral at Wells Cathedral. Returning to Australia, he sang with the choirs of St James’s, King Street, Sydney and Cantillation before forming and directing the parish choir of St Bartholomew’s in Melbourne. Resident in England since 2006, he has sung regularly with the choirs of Norwich and Guildford Cathedrals, and New College and Magdalen College Chapel Choirs in Oxford.. He currently lives in Hanover where he teaches in an international school. He directs the Alleyn Singers and Praeclari Cantores who regularly sing services in cathedrals around the country.
Julian began his music career as a chorister in Melbourne and a choral scholar at Trinity College, Melbourne University. After spending a year as choral scholar at Winchester Cathedral, he became a vicar choral at Wells Cathedral. Returning to Australia, he sang with the choirs of St James’s, King Street, Sydney and Cantillation before forming and directing the parish choir of St Bartholomew’s in Melbourne. Resident in England since 2006, he has sung regularly with the choirs of Norwich and Guildford Cathedrals, and New College and Magdalen College Chapel Choirs in Oxford.. He currently lives in Hanover where he teaches in an international school. He directs the Alleyn Singers and Praeclari Cantores who regularly sing services in cathedrals around the country.