Just So Singers

Who are Just So Singers?

Just So Singers choir started in September 1994 and has an impressive history of performances and achievements under the founder, Alison Wrigley. Caroline Pearce was appointed as the new musical director in September 2019 following Alison’s retirement after the choir’s  25th anniversary concert.

We currently have about 25 members from local schools. 

  • Philip Southcote
  • Meath
  • Freemantles

Any student from a Surrey SEND school, full time education within Surrey or home educated can come between the ages of 9 – 19 years. We aim to develop life skills, team work, communication and hopefully a love of singing through the choir. 

We do this through weekly rehearsals working together and by offering performance opportunities of the highest calibre with professional musicians to raise expectations and achievements and develop confidence and self-esteem. 

Just So rehearses on Wednesday evenings (term time) at Philip Southcote School, Addlestone, 3.45 – 4.45pm 

Reasons to join Just So Singers

  1. To be part of a team
  2. To develop life skills
  3. Increased sense of achievement
  4. Performance opportunities

How do I become a member of Just So Singers?

Membership is free and open to students aged 9 – 19 and educated in Surrey and specifically for students with SEND.

To join sign up online at:

Surrey Arts Portal: Just So Singers

Alternatively please contact us directly at:

Conductors and tutors

Just So Singers is led by Caroline Pearce  and supported by Lucy Zirrins .

Caroline is an engaging  and experienced choir leader , piano teacher and  class tutor for Surrey arts . She creates a welcoming atmosphere, managing to draw out the best from students as they can relax and learn whilst having fun together. 

Lucy, an administrator for Surrey Arts , is a wonderful young  singer in her own right and now works as an assistant teacher with Just So. She relates brilliantly to the students and is a great asset to the ensemble.

Repertoire

We sing a variety of songs from musicals, folk songs, ballads and pop which extends the knowledge and understanding of different musical genres. We use some Makaton signing and movement alongside singing.

Concerts and Events

We have numerous commissioned works by Paul Ayres, Gareth Giles, Nick O’Neil and Simon May. We have sung in the House Of Commons to MP’s, met and talked Ed Balls and Lord Adonis as well as sing to about 300 VIPs at the commons.

We have worked with The Globe Educational team producing music for Shakespeare productions at Gosden House School and recently working with the Lighthouse project at Gosden House whose patron is Julie Walters.

We have sung with VOCES8 – internationally acclaimed a cappella group – at the Yehudi Menuhin School in a concert to a packed concert hall (2011 and 2013). This was the highlight of 2 days of workshops (200 SEN students from 9 schools around Surrey) with the a cappella singing group VOCES8.

As a result of this the Director of Surrey County Council David McNulty (who attend the concert and was very impressed) offered sponsorship of £90,000 to develop a singing residency over 6 years with VOCES8 and to develop gifted and talented SEN work and support future work with Just So Singers.

How we sound

Have a look at some of our performances

See some of our talented musicians in action in our photo album

Alumni

Many of our members now sing with High Notes Adult SEND Choir and Wholenotes SEND Choir.

Bethany was a Just So Singer from age 9 – 16 years of age. She was one of the rising stars. She had many solos and although she lacked confidence she gradually began to sing solos and her self-esteem and confidence grew.

When she left Just So at 16 she went off to college, eventually went to the ACM in Guildford and at 21 years of age from the time this was written lives on the Isle of Wight with her parents. She came all the way up from the Isle of Wight to come and watch the choir at Daisyfest 2016 because she said she really missed being part of the choir. She has not found a choir where she lives that will accept her which is sad. She arrived with flowers, wine and chocolates for Just So Musical Director, Alison Wrigley and said she had not really fully appreciated what an amazing experience she had had being in Just So. She had previously sent Alison a text:

‘I want to thank you so so much for your support. You are my inspiration for every job/audition I get. When they ask what inspired me to apply I say you every time because you have helped me with my confidence and self-esteem. I wouldn’t be singing if it wasn’t for you so thank you. I miss Just So Singers very much and singing solos. Thank you for every opportunity you gave me’.

Bethany Clay – ex Just So Singer

Previous concert venues the choir have sung in

  • St John’s Smith Square as part of John Tavener’s celebration of his life weekend – we sang the UK premiere of one of his compositions with the St John’s Smith Strings conducted by John Lubbock
  • Albert Hall on several occasions through our work with Surrey Arts
  • The Barbican – as part of a massed choir
  • The Anvil – as part of a massed choir
  • The Electric Theatre Guildford as part of an SEN show written by Alison Wrigley
  • Farnham Festival at the Maltings with specially commissioned work by Paul Ayres for choir and percussion
  • Rhoda MaGaw Woking collaborative show with SEN students from around Surrey commissioned work by Gareth Giles
  • Guildford Cathedral on numerous occasions – sponsored by Surrey Arts and involving 18 of the SEN schools from around the county
  • Camberley Theatre – ABBA presentation for Just So and High Notes adults SEN choirs
  • Live on BBC Southern Counties Radio
  • Filmed for BBC working lunch with a commissioned piece by Simon May
  • The Mermaid – commissioned work for Just So and percussion by Nick O’Neill and performed at Loseley House
  • Collaborative Christmas concerts around the county with SEN schools from Surrey
  • Christmas concert at Wellington College chapel
  • We have sung with the Epworth choir, Occam Singers (David Gibson director) and Cantique (Chris Gardner director) and a local orchestra singing Bond songs
  • In 2012 as part of the Olympics themed concert in the Albert Hall, we sang a song written by me to 4,000 including the Duke and Duchess, Sophie and Edward and some of the students went with me to meet the Duke and duchess
  • 2015 – we again sang to the Duke and Duchess as part of an opera written by Hannah Conway and Richard Stilgoe to celebrate the Magna Carta’s 800 anniversary in the Albert Hall
  • 2016 – filmed by ITV Meridian on Wednesday 16th March – which went out on 11 April 2016.