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
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
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
Voices Now @ The Roundhouse, 9th July
Singing together is becoming an increasingly important activity for more and more people in our rapidly changing world, but everyone’s journey is different and personal.
Here the Roundhouse Choir, Veda Slovena Bulgarian Choir, Côr Llunsain, London Humanist Choir and Soul of the City explore why we sing and why we sing together.
The choirs have been collaborating with 3 artist curators: American singer-songwriter Willy Mason, singer and arranger Mara Carlyle and choir leader and arranger Osnat Schmool (Filament Theatre) to create a unique evening of song and stories exploring music from all over the world.
It's a two-day event; the London Humanist Choir will be performing on the Sunday evening from 7:30pm. You can also catch us on Sunday morning (11:30am) in the Roundhouse bar - (singing, in case there was any doubt.)
One Life 2017 – with Mae Martin, Tim Renkow and Steve Cross
Don't miss our 5th Annual One Life concert celebrating World Humanist Day.
This year our special guests will be comedians Mae Martin & Tim Renkow. And once again we'll be expertly led by 'Science Showoff' Steve Cross.
(Tony Hawks has unfortunately had to withdraw for family reasons).
Tickets are £12 (£10 for Students/BHA & Conway Hall Members. ) available here.
Saturday June 24th, 7:30pm at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
Mae Martin
Mae Martin is a writer and stand-up comedian. Mae trained in improvisation and sketch comedy for four years at the Toronto outpost of the internationally acclaimed comedy institution, The Second City.
Performing comedy since she was aged 13, Mae received her first Canadian Comedy Award nomination at 15, and at 16 made her Canadian television debut on The Comedy Network’s Cream of Comedy. After moving to the UK in 2011, it was Mae’s appearance as the stand-up guest on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3) that first catapulted her into the consciousness of the UK’s online teen community. The clip now has half a million views on YouTube, and Mae has emerged as a bright new role model for nervous teens everywhere.
Mae has enjoyed many live appearances on radio, such as performing stand-up for The Phil and Alice Show’s Lolz Lounge for BBC Radio 1 and again for their Live at the Edinburgh Festival feature, as well as Series 2 of live comedy night Sabotage for BBC Radio 4 Extra and again for the third series of Life: An Idiots Guide where Stephen K Amos and some of the comedy circuit’s best stand-ups attempt to unravel the knotty problems of modern life.
Mae is the regular host of cult London hit Popcorn Comedy, currently residing at The Hackney Picturehouse. She has also toured with The New Wave, a compilation of the brightest, most exciting, dynamic and ground breaking comedy performers in the country, produced by The Invisible Dot – producers of highly inventive, often left-field comedy shows. Mae now hosts The Sunday Showwith The Invisible Dot, as well as curating her own monthly stand-up night, For Once in our Terrible Lives, in venues across London.
Mae has written for series 10 of Newsjack on BBC Radio 4 Extra and for Endemol and Beyond’s new all female sketch series Sketch My Life for YouTube.
Tim Renkow
American-born comedian Tim Renkow has been making quite a name for himself over here in recent years. He’s won the title of Leicester Square New Comedian Of The Year, been nominated for Best Newcomer at the Chortle Awards and won the Amused Moose Laugh Off Award. And, as his publicity notes, he has also been awarded severe cerebral palsy, by God.
Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects the part of the brain responsible for controlling muscles. As Tim explains, “I did comedy because it’s the only thing physically I can do, all I can do is talk”.
Tim is currently working on his semi-autobiographical BBC TV comedy series ‘A Brief History of Tim’.
Steve Cross
If you were thinking that Science-geek Steve Cross would added much needed gravitas to our One Life show, think again. Steve is the founder of Science Showoff – ‘a chaotic open mic night for scientists, science communicators, science teachers, historians and philosophers of science, students, science popularisers and anyone else with something to show off about science.’
We’re delighted Steve has agreed to compere for us once again – and he’s also promised to spend time sharing snippets of his scientific knowledge with us – so be prepared to come away with your brain expanded in unexpected directions. You have been warned!
The London Humanist Choir
We are a non-auditioned choir for anyone who wants to sing non-religious music. We’re part of the British Humanist Association, the national humanist charity. We get involved in many types of events; from the Edinburgh Free Fringe Festival to humanist weddings, music festivals, stage shows, conferences and conventions.
For the show we’ll be performing a wide-ranging selection of music from our current repertoire.
Sangerstevne
The choir performed at the beautiful Cadogan Hall, just off Sloane Square, London, as part of the Londone Sangerstevne. The Sangerstevne is a non-competitive festival for all choirs, sacred or secular, large or small, singing a repertoire of their own choice.
All of the pieces we performed had words by the Bard William Shakespeare.
- Elegy (Ian Assersohn)
- Live With Me (George Shearing)
- Who Is Sylvia (George Shearing)
We were delighted that the composer Ian Assersohn was in the audience to hear us perform his piece.
Humanists UK Convention 2017
We are delighted to be performing as part of the 2017 Humanists UK Convention in Cambridge this year.
The initial line-up is the largest ever for a Humanists UK Convention, with twelve speakers announced, including BBC science broadcaster Helen Czerski, social psychologist Karen Douglas, human rights and counter-extremism activist Sara Khan, environmentalist Mark Lynas, along with theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili and Chief Executive Andrew Copson.
The choir is performing on Sunday 11th June at 2pm in the Large Guildhall.
We look forward to seeing you there!
World Humanist Day Celebration
June 21st is World Humanist Day! Join Young Humanists, LGBT Humanists, and the London Humanist Choir as we celebrate the work and achievements of humanists around the world. Whether you’re a committed humanist or have never heard of Humanism before, all are welcome to join us in London on June 21st.
Our venue is The Battersea Barge — moored on the Thames with great views of the river and Battersea Power Station, we’re in a fantastic location. Featuring live entertainment, a performance from the London Humanist Choir, and an address from Humanists UK, this is a night not to be missed.
Come along for drinks, entertainment, and great company from 7pm - 11pm. Register here
Address
Nine Elms Lane
London, SW8 5BP
United Kingdom
Death Café at Conway Hall
We sang at the Death Café at Conway Hall on 12th May.
A Death Cafe is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.
We sang:
- One Day Like This - By Elbow
- In my life - by The Beatles
- and Elegy - by Ian Assersohn, lyrics by William Shakespeare
Death Cafes are always offered:
- On a not for profit basis
- In an accessible, respectful and confidential space
- With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action
- Alongside refreshing drinks and nourishing food – and cake!
There was indeed a lot of cake - more than we could eat!