History of the Consort

The Hawkhurst Singers - subsequently renamed The Wealden Consort - was formed in 1979 through the inspiration and enthusiasm of the vicar of St Laurence, Hawkhurst, around a nucleus of singers from the church choir. The group was joined a year later by Maisie Hammond who took over the leadership. Maisie, a graduate of the Royal College of Music, is a professional violinist who often provided musical interludes during concerts. Before her retirement, she was head of music at a local girls' preparatory school, a post she took on after many years as a member of the Kent Music School.

In the formative years the group of around eight singers performed mostly motets and madrigals and since changing to The Wealden Consort - a name which more accurately reflects the Weald of Kent from which its members are now drawn - has remained sensitive to and further explored the rich range of church music and its programmes maintain that tradition.

However, as its numbers have grown to around twenty it has added spirituals, folk songs and modern pieces as well as humorous works to its repertoire. An idea of its range of repertoire is demonstrated on the following pages.

Maisie Hammond moved away from Kent in May 2003 and we are pleased to welcome Cornelis Taekema who has taken over the baton. Cornelis is Director of Music at Dulwich Preparatory School at Cranbrook and lives at Robertsbridge.

The Consort continues to perform wherever groups seek to use its talents to entertain and raise funds for worthy local causes that our membership can relate to.

Maisie Hammond

Cornelis Taekema

Click below to visit another page:

Home
Where we have performed
Future performances
Listen to the Consort
What the Press and our audiences say about us
Further Information