The society was formed in 1948 by Miss Elma Russell, who had conducted the Village Choir and the Ingatestone Women’s Institute Choir during the war years. She was keen to set up a local SATB Choral Society.
Their first conductor was Mr. Arthur Davis from Chelmsford. He was quickly succeeded by Mrs. Dorothy Bayman, who rehearsed the choir in her house, Tor Bryan in Ingatestone. She also conducted the Shenfield Choral Society (now Hutton and Shenfield) and the two Choirs gave several combined concerts. The first performance was a complete work of ‘Merrie England’ in May 1949. In celebration of our Golden Jubilee we revived this very performance of ‘Merrie England’ and a booklet has been published commemorating not only this celebration but that of our 60th Anniversary.ICS has frequently performed with Billericay Choral Society and Brentwood Choral Society, mostly in Brentwood Cathedral on a regular basis. We also hold out own ‘standalone’ concerts at Christmas and in the Summer.ICS has had a few ‘ups and downs’ over the past 73 years! Its regular participation in the Essex Musical Association Festivals held each May for many years, saw them hovering between Divisions 1 & 2 until competition gave way to cooperation in combined performances of major works seen as simply too large for a small number of singersIngatestone Choral Society was led for many years by Bruce Pennick whose devotion to the Choir was immeasurable, after over forty years he had to retire due to ill health but is still a supporter.