Bicester Choral and Operatic Society

BCOS is a performing musical society with a difference: we rehearse and present works from both the choral and operatic disciplines, usually performing a major choral work in the spring and a staged musical production in the late autumn, both with orchestra. We see this wide repertoire as a strength, combining a wide range of singing styles with the opportunity for socialising which is a characteristic of societies presenting stage productions. We also normally draw our soloists from the society's membership, and are fortunate to have a number of excellent soloists to draw on.

Our concerts are normally presented in one of the main Bicester churches and the staged productions in Bicester Community College.

We rehearse on Wednesday evenings in St Mary’s School, off Queen’s Avenue (near the Sports Centre), Bicester, from 7:30-9:30pm. If you can sing, act, paint, sew, type, print, make-up, work lights or build scenery, you will be most welcome as a member! New members intending to sing will be required to take a simple voice test.

A Little Bit of History

BCOS had its origins in 1961 when members of Fringford Women’s Institute formed a small choir. The choir combined with other village choirs to perform joint concerts in Oxford. In 1963 the choir was re-launched at Bicester School and also sang in support of Bicester Music Society. By 1965 it was handed on to Mr Brian Cresswell, the enthusiastic head of music at the then newly created comprehensive school and by 1968 the Society was producing two shows a year: one light operetta and the other a large opera in partnership with Bicester School.

By 1974 choral works were being performed as well as opera, and before long a regular pattern was established: a spring choral work and a staged production in late autumn, a pattern which we still follow today.

The Society is now a registered charity with a formal constitution, and is managed by a ten-strong committee derived from its membership.