Not religious?
Enjoy singing?
We are a friendly, non-auditioned London-based choir. Our emphasis is on enjoying music in a welcoming, non-religious environment. Our wide-ranging repertoire consists of secular music that’s joyful and fun to sing. We rehearse on Tuesday evenings, 7-9pm at Doreen Bazell Hall, a short walk from Kings Cross station. New members welcome!
We are part of Humanists UK.
Latest News
Stoke Mandeville Hospital gig – 3rd August
The first Humanist and non-religious head chaplain in the NHS, Lindsay van Dijk, has invited us to sing at Stoke Mandeville Hospital for an audience of staff, patients and families on Saturday 3rd August.
Lindsay has asked us to perform at the hospital to help reflect the non-religious aspects of pastoral care in NHS settings, with many religious groups having previously performed at the hospital.
Lindsay has been in post since 2018, and oversees a team of multi-faith and belief healthcare chaplains at the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Her appointment was the first time chaplains have worked under a non-religious lead chaplain in the health service. Her team includes people from both non-faith and range of faith-based backgrounds.
We're really happy to help Lindsay spread the word about a Humanist approach to life, and to be given the chance to (hopefully) entertain those visiting, staying and working at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
If you're in the area, please do pop along! There will be two sets - one at 12:00 and the other at 14:30.
Norway Choir Tour 5-8 Sept
LHC is going INTERNATIONAL!
More details to follow soon, but we will be travelling to Stavanger, Norway, to sing with our friends Humus, a humanist choir based there.
We'll be performing a few times (including on top of a cliff overlooking a fjord) - but the main reason for our trip to to help Humus celebrate their 25th anniversary in a big concert in central Stavanger on Saturday 7th September.
(image from https://www.crossed-flag-pins.com)
One Life 2019 – 13th July
One Life is BACK for 2019! Save the date - Saturday 13th July at Conway Hall.
This year's event also happens to be the 10th anniversary of the choir, and we'll be performing some of our favourite songs from our repertoire, as well as some new numbers – expect everything from John Lennon to Eric Whitacre.
Returning as this year's compere is science showoff Dr Steve Cross, who will once again be wrestling the evening into some sort of order. Also gracing the stage will be the hilarious Bec Hill, a professional comedian and self-described dork – you will never look at a flip chart in the same way again! And Ahir Shah, twice nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, and a regular guest on the Mash Report, will entertain as he finds the funny in the most unlikely places.
Entry is FREE, but please register at www.humanists.uk/onelife2019
Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 7:30pm.
There will also be a cash bar and raffle to entertain you.
Conway Hall is fully accessible. Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL
Common and Kind – 27th June
We'll be hitting the stage again soon - this time as part of the house choir in the star-studded Common and Kind 2019 concert at Union Chapel, Islington, on Saturday 27th June.
As well as us, there will be performances from New York soul sensation J. Hoard, West End star and member of Leading Ladies Cassidy Janson, ENO Harewood Artist soprano Nadine Benjamin, The Beethoven Orchestra for Humanity, Bengali pop star Saida Tani, and comedian and star of BBC's The Mash Report, Nish Kumar.
We'll be part of a massed choir, featuring school partners from six London boroughs - Brent, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest - as well as singers from refugee communities in the UK.
Thanks to official Friend of the Choir (TM) Michael Solomon Williams for asking us to take part!
Tickets cost £20/£14. Doors open 19:00. Get your tickets here
More about Common and Kind
Singalong 2018
Join The London Humanist Choir for a fun night of singing in a London pub on Monday December 17th - what's not to like? It's our annual antidote to carols and once again it's in the delightful Scolt Head pub, fast becoming a favourite destination for the choir. Join in (lyrics provided) or just sit back and be entertained as we look back over a year of concerts and cram it all into one evening.
We'd love to see you there from 8pm. Admission free!
If you can't make it, fear not! Do your best to catch us the day after, busking outside Charing Cross tube from 7pm.
The Scolt Head
107a Culford Road
London N1 4HT
Trans Day of Remembrance – 20th November
We'll soon be taking part in the first specially created humanist ceremony to mark Trans Day of Remembrance on Tuesday 20th November at Fitzrovia Chapel.
The ceremony will remember and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in acts of violence against transgender people and celebrate the contributions of transgender people to society. Humanists UK celebrant and patron Adèle Anderson will lead the ceremony.
We're very proud to be supporting our fellow Humanists UK section, LGBT Humanists, who have organised the ceremony as part of Transgender Awareness Week.
If you would like to book a ticket, please go to https://humanism.org.uk/events/trans-remembrance-2018/
And for more information on the event, Humanists UK have a handy press release https://humanism.org.uk/2018/10/18/humanists-uk-to-hold-first-trans-day-of-remembrance-ceremony/
Herne Hill Music Festival 13th Oct
We'll soon be singing at the Herne Hill Music Festival, as part of Herne Hill Sings On - an exciting combined concert featuring four choirs (including us). Saturday 13th October is the day, 3-5pm at St Faith's Church SE24 9JQ.
We're working hard on some new music which we plan to perform for the first time (eeep!) and we'll be performing on a bill with The Cambria Choir, Mind and Soul Community Choir, and Clapham Community Choir.
It's a great little festival featuring everything from us (a highlight, obviously) to jazz, blues, classical, open mic events for young talent and folk. It would be easier to list what isn't happening!
For more information about everything happening during the Festival, and to buy tickets to hear us sing (at a VERY reasonable £5/£3) check out http://hernehillfestival.org/home
Busking in Golders Green
No we hadn't all missed the last tube home - we'd just finished almost 2 hours of busking to raise money for Health Poverty Action, at Golders Green underground station.
We then headed off for a well-deserved drink to recharge the tonsils.
One Life 2018
Alasdair Beckett-King /
Ariane Sherine /
Steve Cross /
On July 14th 2018 the London Humanist Choir presents ONE LIFE, our annual evening of music and comedy 'in celebration of the one life we have'. It's the climax to a busy year of rehearsals and concerts by the UK's foremost community atheist, humanist, and secular choir.
This year's guests include:
- Guardian journalist, stand-up, and singer-songwriter Ariane Sherine, noted for her sharp, often risque, and always hilarious songs. Ariane created the Atheist Bus Campaign, which ran in 13 countries during January 2009;
- Alasdair Beckett-King. Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2017, Alasdair has featured on BBC radio as a comedian and sketch writer, and performed stand-up across the UK, at Glastonbury, Citadel Fest, the Udderbelly Southbank and at the Edinburgh Fringe. He has a passing resemblance to John The Baptist.
- Alex J Hall – pianist, composer and singer;
- Steve Cross – founder of Science Showoff ('a chaotic cabaret for science lovers') will once again compere the evening.
The choir is directed by Laurel Neighbour.
There will be a collection and a raffle of some very special items to cover staging costs and to raise funds for Humanists UK.
DATE: July 14th 2018 - 7:30pm - 10pm. Doors open 7pm. Licensed bar.
VENUE: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL
TICKETS: Admission is FREE, but to be sure of a ticket, please click to register beforehand.
The event is presented in association with Conway Hall Ethical Society
Remembrance: A secular reflection
Defence Humanists will be holding a secular reflection from 15:00 to 17:00 on Armistice Day, 11 Nov 2017 and the London Humanist Choir has been invited to perform. The event is at the gorgeous and unconsecrated Fitzrovia Chapel, a popular secular event space at 2 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF. Once again we'll be singing Elgar's beautiful and haunting setting of 'We Will Remember Them', plus 'The Lonesome Road', an a cappella piece composed by James Taylor. As the chapel is so small, only a subsection of the choir will be performing.
The event will consist of readings from members of Defence Humanists, talks from Humanists UK’s Chief Executive Andrew Copson and Defence Humanists’ patron Professor AC Grayling, alongside music from the choir. From 16:00 there will be a reception and opportunity for conversation and reflection.
This event will be funded by the Ministry of Defence, underlining their commitment to support humanists and those of no religion who work within the department. If you'd like to attend please register here.