Take Note Community Choir is a friendly group of people who live in and around Whickham who love to sing. We are a choir that places fun and community at the centre of what we do, so we try not to take ourselves too seriously (check out our photos and video page). It is our love of singing and good company that binds us together.
The choir was founded over 15 years ago by a small group who met in a tiny room at Swalwell Community Centre. Over the years, the choir has grown and grown; we now have over 90 members of all ages.
From summer 2013 to Christmas 2025, Mark Deeks was our Music Director. Mark arranged all the songs we performed. From January 2026, Joanna Tarpey became our new MD, and we are continuing our musical journey with Joanna leading us.
We sing a wide variety of songs; songs from decades past to the present day; songs from films and even a couple of classical numbers; we have even sung in Latin! All of our songs are arranged for our choir.
Before each term, choir members are asked to suggest songs; however, our Music Director makes the final decision.
Since the back rooms in pubs are no longer big enough, we meet on a Tuesday night at Whickham School between 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm for rehearsals.
The highlights of our year are the concerts we perform in the local area. Typically, we perform at Christmas, Easter, and early summer.
During the festive season, you may find a few of us singing carols for the residents of care homes in the Whickham area, at Christmas fairs, or at local hospitals.
