History

The Durham Scratch Choir, formerly known as the Durham People's Opera Group (DPOG), evolved from a Workers' Educational Association (WEA) 'Singing from Scratch' class when participants decided to compose and put on a community opera. "Sell By" was performed in Stanley, County Durham and in the Linbury Theatre, Covent Garden.

One of our regular fundraising performances is for 'Voices for Hospices', a biannual event in November. The first such performance was of 'Carmina Burana' in 2003. Subsequently with funding from Awards for All, Andy was commissioned to write 'The Gospel Requiem'. It was performed at the Stanley Lamplight Theatre and performed and recorded at the Sage, Gateshead in November 2005 with four children's choirs and the regional Cobweb Orchestra. A modified version went on tour to community locations in County Durham, performing to raise funds for five voluntary organisations.

There have been five residential winter weekends in the North East and in 2007 a residential week in the Perigord region of France. Over the last three years there have been a series of five day (non residential) summer workshops for children in liaison with Durham Cathedral out of which has grown 'The Scatchets', our children's choir which meets regularly in term time and cut its first CD in summer 2008.

Other activities have included singing at weddings, concerts for the Durham overseas students group 'Amigos', singing with the York Unifying and Multicultural Initiative concert at York Minster and artistic collaborations including films, poetry and installations.