About Us
In 2019, Harry Bradford became the choir's Music Director, having already earned an enviable reputation both domestically with Genesis Sixteen and at Cambridge University, and internationally as a finalist in the prestigious Eric Ericson Award for choral conductors. At the same time, James Orford became our regular accompanist. As of Spring 2022, James is acting Head of Organ and College Organist at Eton College, and is the Interim Assistant Director of Music at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge.
Although severely impacted by Covid 19, the choir maintained regular online rehearsals using pre-recorded learning tracks; we also made a virtual choir recording of Victoria's motet O Quam Glorisum. We have subsequently performed Monteverdi's Vespers at Cadogan Hall, originally planned for 2020, with period instruments provided by His Majesty's Sagbutts & Cornetts.
We have performed Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace in both London and Konstanz; and Benjamin Britten's War Requiem at Cadogan Hall to celebrate the anniversary of the 1918 Armistice. Our concert soloists range from exciting young professionals completing studies at the top London conservatoires to some of the UK’s most established oratorio soloists including Yvonne Howard, Edward Grint, Mark Dobell and Alex Ashworth.
We are committed to developing young singers and musicians and, in 2021, we established the inaugural Choral Scholarship Programme to support aspiring young singers with their choral training. As well as being section leaders for the Choir, the scholars often take step-out solo roles in concerts (including at Cadogan Hall) and give recitals throughout the year. You can find out more about the scheme here and register your interest.
We have a long-standing relationship with the Symphonic Choir of the historic City of Konstanz on the German-Swiss border, with regular exchanges between the two choirs. Our most recent visit to Konstanz was in May 2023. We also have a cathedral residency each Summer, for example in July 2021 it was at Portsmouth; in 2022 it was at Norwich; in 2023 it was at Lichfield and this year it was at Chester Cathedral. Click here to see the YouTube recordings of the recent Choral Evensong and Choral Eucharist Services.
We work hard at singing and learning the music and rehearsals are rewarding and fun. Rehearsals take place every Tuesday evening at St Margaret's Church Putney from 7:30 - 9:45pm, with occasional Wednesday rehearsals when approaching a concert. St Margaret’s rehearsals are also live streamed via YouTube.
Harry Bradford, Music Director
Harry Bradford is a prize-winning conductor and choral director working in the UK and Europe.
Since winning Second Prize in the prestigious Eric Ericson Award 2021, he has collaborated with a number of the world’s finest vocal ensembles including the MDR Rundfunkchor, the Eric Ericsons Kammarkör, the Sixteen and the Swedish Radio Choir.
Harry is the conductor and co-founder of the professional vocal ensemble, Recordare, with whom he has performed extensively across festivals in the UK, and holds permanent positions as the Musical Director of Thames Philharmonic Choir, the English Baroque Choir and North Herts Guild of Singers.
Equally in demand as workshop leader, Harry has led choral workshops for the Sixteen as part of their Choral Pilgrimage tour, the Cherubim Music Trust and Labrador Events.Harry was also a course director for the Choir of the Earth, an online choir with a global membership, leading them in their Requiems at Home and Festival of Music courses. He combines his love of music and education as a Teacher/Singer for the Pimlico Musical Foundation.
He remains active as a singer and performed as part of the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal at the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 2024, Harry was awarded an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) for continuing service to the music profession.
James Orford, Accompanist
James Orford is a prize-winning organist and pianist based in London. He has recently taken up the post of Organist at St Paul's Cathedral, London, before which he was the Organist and Assistant Director of Music at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge. He has previously held posts at Eton College and Westminster Cathedral and completed organ scholarships at St Paul’s and Truro Cathedrals, the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and King’s College, London.
James enjoys a busy performing schedule and has given recitals and concerts in notable UK venues including St Paul’s, Westminster, and Liverpool Cathedrals, Westminster Abbey, the Royal Festival Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall. He has also performed abroad, including in Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, and Denmark.
As an accompanist, James has worked with many professional and amateur choirs, including The Sixteen, the Monteverdi Choir, Tenebrae, the London Choral Sinfonia and Sansara; and has accompanied choral performances in North America, Europe and Africa.
James is also an accomplished pianist and continuo player. In 2023, he recorded an English Song disc with baritone Alex Bower-Brown, which features the solo baritone version of the Five Mystical Songs, the Songs of Travel, and shorter cycles by Amy Beach and Jonathan Dove. As a continuo player, he has played alongside the City of London Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, The Sixteen, and La Nuova Musica.
Community engagement
TPC plays an active role in the life of our community, supporting, among others, The Royal Hospital for Neurodisability, Regenerate-Rise, and the Doverhouse Lions Youth and Disability Football Club.
Rehearsals Information
Rehearsals take place every Tuesday from 7.30-9.45 pm at St Margaret's Church, Putney Park Lane, SW15 5HU
For information about joining, click here.
History of the Choir
The Choir’s formation and development is synonymous with John Bate who was founder, in 1964, of both the Putney Bach Choir and the Richmond Choral Society. In 1975, the two choirs merged and subsequently became well-known in South West London as the John Bate Choir. In 1995, it adopted the name Thames Philharmonic Choir.
The Choir has given more than 200 performances in the Boroughs of Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth. It has also performed at central London venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Cadogan Hall. The Choir twice won the National Choral Competition held at the Royal Albert Hall. In 1995, the Choir was one of twelve from all over the UK invited to take part in the VE Day 50th Anniversary celebrations in Hyde Park; this involved a performance with conductor Sir David Willcocks in front of HM The Queen and some 40 Heads of State. Short tours abroad became a regular feature of Choir life, and in the 1980s a performing partnership with the Symphonic Choir of the historic City of Konstanz on the German-Swiss border was established. In the 1990s, regular summer cathedral residencies began, and in recent years Cadogan Hall has become the Choir’s central London venue of choice.
