Like most country market town institutions, the Waveney Choir was born at a meeting.
It was in 1970 when a group of singers from Diss churches had just completed a
short season under the baton of Ken Bloomfield. They had already decided they
wanted to carry on but what to call themselves?
“Diss United Choir” had an unfortunate ring to it!

Having settled on the Waveney Choir as a suitable title, they did all the
usual things – formally appointed their conductor, accompanist (who never
thought it would last), a committee – very small – and set the annual subscription
at 10 shillings. An announcement was inserted in the Diss Express and
rehearsals began on 2^nd October 1970.

 In the first full season the choir of some 30 singers gave four concerts, performing
Handel’s Lenten Cantata in Roydon Parish Church, Eye Baptist Church, Bury St Edmunds
and Diss Congregational Churches.

Since then we have continued to meet on Wednesday evenings from September to March,
welcoming singers of all abilities. However, the yearly subscription has risen forty-fold to £20,
the membership has pretty well doubled and our repertoire expanded greatly.

Certainly, in the early days we stuck to traditional English, mainly Victorian,
oratorios of which Stainer’s Crucifixion is probably the best loved. Although we retain
an affection for music of this type and could string off a long list of similar works to
the Crucifixion which we have sung over the year, we have adapted to the
changing tastes of our audiences singing Requiems by Fauré and John Rutter,
the Gloria’s of both Vivaldi and Poulenc – some contrast! – as well as Christian
musicals by Roger Jones. This possibly makes the Waveney Choir difficult to
pigeon-hole – strictly speaking it’s not a choral society, gospel or evangelical
choir, and yet it can be a little of all those things for some of the time.

Forty years ago, John Betjeman described Diss as ‘the jewel of the Waveney
valley.’ We’re not about to disagree, but Diss is not just about its architectural
heritage and it’s natural beauty – it’s also about the people. So if you love this area,
love being part of it – and love singing – then the Waveney Choir could be the one for you.