Brighton Consort   is now the leading specialist chamber choir in Brighton. It was formed in 1971 by Daphne Elston, a local singing teacher and tuba and recorder player. Daphne's original aims were to preserve the performance of Latin Polyphony which was disappearing from regular use and to give a platform to local musicians composing in the same idiom. In its early days, Consort participated in "Let the People Sing", a forerunner of "Choir of the Year", and sang Low Sunday Services at St. George's Chapel Windsor castle. On three occasions , Consort performed in the Purcell Room, and at the Royal College of Music as well as giving concerts locally.

The second long term conductor, Michael Donkin, maintained the tradition of presenting rarely-heard works to the people of Brighton and Hove, with showcase concerts in the Brighton Festival, a highlight of local music making. "Masters of the King's Musicke", a historical presentation of words by Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal from Tallis to Purcell, and "Homage to Henry" a concert of Purcell's music were particularly successful.

Performances of Rachmaninov's "Vespers" and Tallis' "Spem in Alium" were sell-outs. Consort also performed as the after dinner entertainment for a conference of EEC ministers at a secret location in Sussex.

Under Deborah Roberts, Consort are performing more Renaissance music, often edited by Deborah herself. The 2001 Brighton Festival Concert saw the premiere of her edition of "Dixit Dominus" from the Vespers by Margharita Cozzolani. In 2001, Consort were also featured in Anglia Television's "Sunday Morning" for the first time.

In May 2002, we performed the rarely heard Missa Et Ecce Terrae Motus by Antoine Brumel as part of the Brighton Festival, repeating the performance in October 2002, for the first season of the Brighton Early Music Festival.

In November 2002, we gave a concert of music by Thomas Tallis, including Spem in Alium, his famous 40 part motet.

 In 2003, we intend to  do a "Sistine Chapel Concert"  - including the famous Miserere by Allegri, and a performance of  the Vespers by Cozzolani,  a Milanese nun.

Tapes of "Madrigals at St Mary's" and "Monteverdi at St Mary's" are on sale at St Mary's House, Bramber, West Sussex. The House is open to the public in summer.