The African Choir of Norfolk was founded in 2019 as a Signature Project of The AUTUMN FESTIVAL of Norfolk.

On 22nd October 2021, the African Choir of Norfolk’s debut performance was a sell-out spectacular and saw the choir perform songs from 16 different nations across Africa. The choir has been in high demand ever since and has enjoyed performing at a wide variety of events, from local community and charitable performances to major festival concerts and national occasions.

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How it all began

In 2018, Artistic Director of The AUTUMN FESTIVAL of Norfolk, Stash Kirkbride, came up with the idea of creating an African Choir for Norfolk. He had met Anna Mudeka in his role as Artistic Director of Holt Festival and, on approaching her to head up the choir, Anna immediately said yes.

Anna and Stash were supported by Festival Executive Producer Peter Barrow MBE, whose philanthropy enabled the choir to begin under the creative umbrella of the festival. It quickly became one of the Signature Projects, with Stash giving it a five-year commissioned remit to perform songs from all 54 countries of Africa at annual gala concerts each autumn.

Anna was joined by Eunice Kokrasset, who became the choir’s ambassador, and together they created a community of African women living in Norfolk.

In 2019, the choir gained three years of development funding from Arts Council England through Arts L’Olam, which, along with the festival’s support, helped sustain the choir for its first five years.

Anna’s unwavering commitment, talent and energy for the choir are outstanding and continue to inspire not only choir members but all who witness the choir in performance; whether at a charitable local event in Norfolk, a gala AUTUMN FESTIVAL concert, or at a national event such as the installation of the new Archbishop of Canterbury in March 2026, where the choir reached a global audience.

"It’s a joy to have such a mix of established singers and complete novices come together and put in so much passion and energy for the good of the choir. And what is at the heart of it all is that choir members offer their expertise in various fields from social media, choreography, fundraising, costume design, make up, proofreading and many others. It’s certainly the team work that makes our choir unique and we love it."

- Anna Mudeka, Director of the African Choir of Norfolk