Eleanor Holliday

Location

Stroud, Gloucestershire

Specialisms

My choirs are challenging, fun and immersive.
I teach polyphonic world music.

Additional information

I have been running choirs and teaching songs to people in various settings for the past 20 years.

My larger community choirs are Springhill Singers and Acapellies.

I am starting a new community choir in September 2024 – Acapeeps.

I also ran The George Choir in the Forest of Dean from 2011 to 2022.

Having been an actor and theatre practitioner, I developed my love of composition and close-harmony singing through devising and touring shows.

My early childhood was spent singing in school and church choirs and performing in local theatre productions.

Much of my teaching work has been with young people on Drama, Music or Cultural trainings, namely for Stroud Youth choir, The Waldorf College, Stroud College, The Grange Camphill Community, The Asha Centre, The University of Gloucestershire and Gloucester International School.

I now run two thriving community choirs, a weekly singing morning in a residential home, weekly Singing for Wellbeing sessions in The Museum in the Park, drop-in singing for all (including babies and children) on a Tuesday morning and regular singing sessions for a Biographical Counselling training. I also lead occasional workshops and weekends.

I teach at Unicorn Voice Camp every summer.

I composed a choral commission ‘Archaea’ for Bristol University’s Life Science Department. This was premiered in October 2023.

Recently my interest has focused on making choral pieces which gather communities together in order to process the big events of our time, namely The Gratitude Project and Songs of Fortitude. These have toured to other towns. My latest choral piece was Sanctuary.

This autumn 2024 I am working on a new Acapellies set entitled ‘(in)consolable’.

My choirs

Acapeeps
Description

A new polyphonic A’Capella Community Choir in central Stroud.

The repertoire will be 3 and 4 part polyphonic traditional and original songs from around the world.

Some previous experience of group singing and harmony listening is suggested.

£9 a session, payable in a block.

Cash or BACS.

Session times

Wednesdays 7 - 8.30pm term-times only

Acapellies
Description

Acapellies is a non-auditioned community choir based in Stroud.
It has been running for 7 years and has recently developed into a 3 and 4-part performance choir.
The repertoire is mostly polyphonic songs from around the world.
Acapellies has been performing The Gratitude Project and Songs of Fortitude in response to the covid pandemic and the breakdown in community.
It is currently full with a long waiting list.

Session times

Tuesdays term-time 7.45-9.15pm

Gold Choir
Description

A new drop-in daytime choir in the Gold Room of the Centre for Science and Art in Stroud.

£7 cash on the door or paid by BACS.

All welcome – all genders – including babies, toddlers and children.

Session times

Tuesday 9.30am-10.30am

Springhill Singers
Description

Springhill Singers have been singing together for 16 years.
They are a community choir based in the Springhill Cohousing community, Stroud but are open to all local people joining.
They sing in 4 part harmony and are quick to learn and happy to connect with each other.
Most of the their repertoire is World Music but they also sing new compositions and old folk songs

Session times

Tuesdays 6.30-7.30pm

Contact details