About Surtal Community Choir — A Derby Community Choir for All
Formed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic as part of our Arts in Health programme, Surtal Community Choir is an inclusive Derby Community Choir created to combat social isolation and support mental wellbeing. The group quickly bonded over their shared love of singing and poetry and now meets fortnightly on Sundays with around 15 regular members from diverse South Asian backgrounds, including India and Pakistan.
Open to anyone aged 13 and above, this Derby choir is free to join and welcomes all voices — no experience needed.
Singing Together, Celebrating Cultures
The choir performs songs in Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Hindi, and Urdu, reflecting the rich multicultural heritage of Derby. Their first public performance in 2021 was a special Remembrance Sunday event honouring South Asian soldiers who served in the World Wars, with powerful renditions of patriotic songs such as Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon (Lata Mangheskar 1962) and Aye Mere Pyare Watan (Kabuliwala (1961).
Since then, the group has become a valued part of Derby’s cultural scene, performing annually during the Derby Season of Light festival — produced by Surtal Arts in partnership with local organisations — as well as at city-wide events.
Highlights include:
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International Women's Day (2024)
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Derby Remembrance Sunday (2024) – in collaboration with the British Legion and Derby City Council
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Holocaust Memorial Day (2025) – invited to share music and remembrance through song
Join Our Derby Community Choir
If you enjoy singing in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali — or want to try Indian singing classes in a welcoming setting — come and join us! The group is friendly, informal, and open to men and women aged 13+.
We meet every other Sunday (2–4pm)
Sessions focus on singing for joy, with occasional community performances
Professional artists sometimes visit to help with vocal coaching and performance preparation
You don’t need prior experience or training — just a love of music or a willingness to give it a go. If you’d rather listen than sing, that’s fine too. Everyone is welcome.
