NICOLA LISLE talks to members of Didcot Choral Society as they prepare to celebrate their 50th anniversary

Reaching 50 is a considerable achievement for any choir, and Didcot Choral Society intends to celebrate in style with its first-ever trip abroad, a summer garden party and a community opera project - as well its usual schedule of concerts, the first of which takes place tomorrow at St Peter's Church, Didcot.

"We're trying to build on our history and involve the local community," said chairman Alison Lane. "There's a new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art arts centre due to be opened in May and this will give us a real focus in involving the community, and hopefully bring a renaissance to the arts in Didcot."

The seeds for the choral society were sown when the combined choirs from local churches met for a Friday service at the Picture House in Didcot (now a bingo hall), under the baton of Cecil Evetts. From this came the idea of forming a choral society, which was launched in 1958 with that stock choral favourite, The Messiah.

Sadly, Cecil Evetts did not live to see the first concert, but his daughter, Crystal Mitcham, was the soprano soloist. Now nearly 80, she is still singing with the choir, and has many fond memories of her experiences.

"We've done lots of nice things over the years," she recalled. "We've had several conductors, including Margaret Hedger, who was Head of Music at Didcot Girls' School, and my daughter-in-law, Marilyn Mitcham - that was a nice family connection to carry on the good work. My son, Andrew, has also conducted a few times. Margaret Hedger had Welsh connections, so she gave the men Welsh hymns to sing, which they loved."

Another long-standing member is Barbara Hillman, who joined in 1970.

"It was very important to me personally, because I'd just arrived in Britain from South Africa," she said. "I was only 22, and had no roots, but I soon made friends in the choir. Some of the friends I made then are still friends now.

"It was very exciting to me because I'd never sung in a big choir before. Later I had singing lessons with Marilyn, and got to sing some solos and duets. Being in the choir has become a very important part of my life."

Like many choirs, Didcot Choral Society has tackled a huge variety of music over the years, from the standard choral repertoire to more unusual, modern pieces. In 2005, they commissioned an oratorio, Bernadette of Lourdes, from local composer and teacher Debbie Rose, and the piece premiered in November that year.

"One of my highlights was singing a set of poems by Edward Thomas, beautifully set to music by David Mitcham, Crystal's son," said Barbara. "We joined forces with a local school and an orchestra of local people, and it was one of the most exciting things we've done.

"I've particularly enjoyed doing the more modern pieces by Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Britten and Poulenc - it's very interesting to come to composers I didn't know much about."

"We have gone through some difficult times, but we've managed to keep it going for 50 years, so it's a big cause for celebration."

That celebration starts in earnest tomorrow with a French-themed concert that includes the Duruflé and Fauré requiems, as well as some unaccompanied pieces by a chamber choir, including Franck's sublime Panis Angelicus and Tippett's Spirituals. Accompaniment will be provided by the Isis Chamber Orchestra, with whom the society has a long-standing relationship.

Soloists include the Didcot-based soprano Susan Young, an experienced recitalist who was one of the founder musicians of the Oxford Lieder Festival in 2002. Joining her is baritone Ronan Busfield, a former Magdalen College choral scholar and now a lay clerk at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

The conductor is Robert Legg, who joined the society as musical director five years ago and is Senior Lecturer in Music Education at Oxford Brookes University and Director of the Frances Kitching Music School, Abingdon.

"It's quite an ambitious concert this time," admitted Alison. "We're having a harp to play with the orchestra, which I hope will add a certain something!"

A summer gala concert follows on June 14, when the society will invite people from different local community groups to sing with them. Then in July they are off to Paris, where they will sing at the Evangelical Church and the Eglise de la Madeleine.

The big community project, scheduled for next year, will be a specially-commissioned opera by local composer Lyn Marsh, and will be based on local themes and folk tales.

"We're still trying to get funding," said Alison, "but there's been a lot of interest from local schools and the Wallingford Children's Choir, and Susan Young's interested in doing some workshops for us. The idea is to get the community singing together, so we want to involve as many people as possible."

For tickets for Didcot Choral Society's concert tomorrow, telephone 01235 810349. For more details about the society, visit www.didcot-choral-society.org.uk