Cantiones

Cantiones is based in the market town of Oswestry in North Shropshire. We have kept going throughout the pandemic by zoom or getting together as soon as regulations permitted. We are a flourishing group of 36 singers under the baton of distinguished composer Martin Bussey whom we have asked to challenge us to a higher standards of performance while ensuring that rehearsals are fun and well paced.
Cantiones was founded in 1982 by Michael Smith, the then organist of the Parish Church of St. Oswald, King & Martyr, Oswestry. Under its original name \"Cantiones Sacrae\" the choir comprised 15 voices and set its sights on performing some of the more challenging music in the chamber choir repertoire.

Before long it swelled to well over 20 voices and concerts were given as far afield as Chester and Shrewsbury, as well as an appearance at the Llangollen International Festival. Cantiones dropped the \"Sacrae\" from its title in the mid-nineties when its repertoire widened to include more and more of the quality secular music available.
We perform three substantive concerts per year and informal sessions in the town. We hold a Come and Sing event in the autumn