PRESS RELEASE
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
Wednesday 10 August 2022
October celebration for Bath Male Choir
Image shows: Bath Male Choir at a charity concert in Bath Abbey conducted by founder Grenville Jones.
Back in 2007 Bath music man Grenville Jones had the idea that a new Male Voice Choir would take off in the City.
“Everyone said I was barking mad. The many choirs in Bath were all struggling to recruit male singers, so to start a new choir in the City for men – no chance!”
Grenville persisted with the idea and promoted hard across the area, reaching out to churches, clubs and pubs with leaflets and flyers. A recruitment drive that saw leaflets given out at Bath Rugby home games started to pay dividends.
“Our first meeting was not a rehearsal as such, just a get together in a room at Beechen Cliff School. We had about 15 men turn up including two of my sons who I press-ganged into being there. Rehearsals then moved to Tuesday nights at Beechen Cliff Methodist and slowly but surely the choir grew in size.”
Grenville then had a call from a new BBC Saturday night entertainment show called ‘Last Choir Standing’ inviting him to put one of his choirs forward to audition.
“I thought we were pretty unique, a NEW male choir with members from all sorts of backgrounds and jobs. I imagined that it might appeal and not long after we were on a coach, and on the way to London. We sang for the judges, three songs at the Cadogen Hall in Smith Square.
“The tenor Russell Watson was one of three judges. After we had sung one song we told us that were the Wall of Sound he had been waiting all week to hear! We were chosen from hundreds of choirs and then appeared over a number of weeks, singing on prime-time BBC 1 on Saturday evenings plus some dance ‘moves’ for the big showstopper song at the close of each show.”
Bath Male Choir reached the finals and not long after sang at their first major concert in the Banqueting Room at the Guildhall, a packed audience of families and friends, plus many who had voted for them each week on the TV show.
The intervening years have seen them establish a reputation as one of the leading UK male choirs. They have sung across the UK, visited Japan, Boston and later this year set off to Nashville. They performed at the Menin Gate in Ypres at the 2018 Remembrance Ceremony and have raised many thousands of pounds for local and national charities.
On Sunday October 10th they celebrate 15 years of music making with 65 singers who live across the area. They are returning to the Guildhall for a very special concert starting at 5pm and featuring songs both old and new from their repertoire. Grenville has been joined by his youngest son Laurie, 42 and they now share conducting duties.
“We’ll both be in action on the night!” says Grenville.
Tickets can be purchased for £15 online from www.bathmalechoir.org or call 01761 472468.
A concert not to be missed.
ENDS
Press enquiries to Grenville Jones on 07778 282934.
Wednesday 10 August 2022
October celebration for Bath Male Choir
Image shows: Bath Male Choir at a charity concert in Bath Abbey conducted by founder Grenville Jones.
Back in 2007 Bath music man Grenville Jones had the idea that a new Male Voice Choir would take off in the City.
“Everyone said I was barking mad. The many choirs in Bath were all struggling to recruit male singers, so to start a new choir in the City for men – no chance!”
Grenville persisted with the idea and promoted hard across the area, reaching out to churches, clubs and pubs with leaflets and flyers. A recruitment drive that saw leaflets given out at Bath Rugby home games started to pay dividends.
“Our first meeting was not a rehearsal as such, just a get together in a room at Beechen Cliff School. We had about 15 men turn up including two of my sons who I press-ganged into being there. Rehearsals then moved to Tuesday nights at Beechen Cliff Methodist and slowly but surely the choir grew in size.”
Grenville then had a call from a new BBC Saturday night entertainment show called ‘Last Choir Standing’ inviting him to put one of his choirs forward to audition.
“I thought we were pretty unique, a NEW male choir with members from all sorts of backgrounds and jobs. I imagined that it might appeal and not long after we were on a coach, and on the way to London. We sang for the judges, three songs at the Cadogen Hall in Smith Square.
“The tenor Russell Watson was one of three judges. After we had sung one song we told us that were the Wall of Sound he had been waiting all week to hear! We were chosen from hundreds of choirs and then appeared over a number of weeks, singing on prime-time BBC 1 on Saturday evenings plus some dance ‘moves’ for the big showstopper song at the close of each show.”
Bath Male Choir reached the finals and not long after sang at their first major concert in the Banqueting Room at the Guildhall, a packed audience of families and friends, plus many who had voted for them each week on the TV show.
The intervening years have seen them establish a reputation as one of the leading UK male choirs. They have sung across the UK, visited Japan, Boston and later this year set off to Nashville. They performed at the Menin Gate in Ypres at the 2018 Remembrance Ceremony and have raised many thousands of pounds for local and national charities.
On Sunday October 10th they celebrate 15 years of music making with 65 singers who live across the area. They are returning to the Guildhall for a very special concert starting at 5pm and featuring songs both old and new from their repertoire. Grenville has been joined by his youngest son Laurie, 42 and they now share conducting duties.
“We’ll both be in action on the night!” says Grenville.
Tickets can be purchased for £15 online from www.bathmalechoir.org or call 01761 472468.
A concert not to be missed.
ENDS
