THIS season West Dorset chamber choir Cantamus is hoping to expand its following as singers perform at two venues for the first time.

The choir will perform this weekend at the Othona Community near Bridport on Sunday, June 30 at 4pm, and at St Andrew’s Church, Colyton, on Sunday, July 14 at 3.30pm.

Their summer programme is called Gloria! after a piece in the first half by 16th-century composer Christopher Tye. It also includes the gorgeously atmospheric Blagosloven yesi, Ghospodi from Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil, three songs by Bruckner (Locus Iste, Ave Maria and Tota Pulchra es Maria) and three of Elgar’s Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands, as well as The Heavens are Telling by Haydn, folk song Yarmouth Fair and an arrangement of Lennon and McCartney’s Blackbird.

Cantamus is in a state of transition at the moment following the retirement of its founding musical director, Malcolm Knowles. The choir will appoint a new leader in the autumn, and meanwhile local musician Nicholas Brown is directing the summer concerts.

Nicholas studied at the Royal Academy of Music, Manchester University and the Royal Northern College of Music. Since 1990 he has been teaching piano and flute in West Dorset and East Devon, as well as being director of music at Colyton Parish Church. He is also an examiner for the Devon area of the Royal School of Church Music.

Cantamus was founded in 2012 and performs the very best in sacred and secular choral music to audiences across the region in spring, summer and Advent.

Tickets for each concert are £10 on the door, to include interval refreshments. Othona is on the coast road between Burton Bradstock and Swyre. For more information, including full details of the programme, visit cantamus-dorset.org or the choir’s Facebook page (‘Cantamus - Dorset’).