WE are a Choir that started in January 2006, and the picture above was taken at our first concert on Saturday November 4th 2006, in the Guildhall Bath. The Mayor of Bath, The Choir Patron is pictured with the Choir.
Founder conductor Grenville Jones is aiming for the highest standards of music and presentation, the photograph below was taken at the end of April 2006 and shows the increasing numbers who were then enjoying singing in the Choir. Numbers continue to increase and there are now over 70 singers as the Choir prepares for 2008.
The target that Grenville has set is to have 80 men in The City of Bath Male Choir when they sing at the Bath SHOWCASE concert in May 2008.
Looking back - the picture below was taken at the very first meeting of The City Of Bath Male Choir on a cold January evening in 2006.
Find out about our weekly rehearsals here. If you are aged between 16-65 and enjoy singing, come along and meet us. Sight-reading is not important, just a love of singing, and the ablity to buy a round at The Bear where some of the boys go after rehearsals.
Looking ahead, concerts for 2008 will include an appearance at the Bath Forum on May 3rd 2008, at The Bath SHOWCASE raising money for local charities. The Choir enjoyed a memorable concert tour to Germany in October 2007 and plans are in place to visit Bath's twin town in Holland, Alkmaar, in June 2008.
The members travel from far and wide to attend weekly rehearsals at Beechen Cliff Methodist Church.
The Choir is fortunate to have an experienced accompanist, who has been with the Choir from the strat, Philip Evry lives in Timsbury and has known Grenville for many years.
Philip says:
“When I heard Grenville was starting a choir I wanted to be a part of it. It really is quite amazing how far the Choir have got in such a short time. It has a new bright sound with some very good voices and with Grenville at the helm the sky really is the limit.”
Philip received his musical education at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied piano with Harry Isaacs and piano accompaniment with Rex Stevens, gaining the LRAM (piano teaching) and the Academy’s Certificate of Merit for piano accompaniment.
His career in music, spanning more than 40 years, has embraced dance, music theatre, publishing (EMI, Chappell, IMP, Studio Music); arranging and editing, education, concert and cabaret performance.
He retired in 2003 from his position as Deputy Director of Music at The Arts Educational School, Tring and since then has been increasingly involved in concert performances in the Bath area as both pianist and harpsichordist. In 2002 the Society of Recorder Players awarded him an Honorary Life Membership in recognition of his contribution to the published repertoire for recorder players.
Previous experience as a choir repetiteur includes seven years with Brentwood Choral Society and the Essex Choral Union."
Click here to hear what some of the Choir members have to say about their new singing hobby. |