Chew Valley Choral Society 

News

Our new Piano has Arrived!

Our decision to move to Bishop Sutton Village Hall in September (see below) meant that we needed to find a piano, as the hall didn't have one of its own. 

After exploring various options, we finally bought one from All Instruments Ltd, of Westbury, who helped us to choose the right instrument and set it up so that it could be moved safely.  Here it is, safely out of the van and ready to be wheeled into the building. 

CHEW VALLEY BIG SING 2024!

It’s Back!

After the success of last year, this exciting day-long event for singers of all abilities is returning.

The day celebrates the fun of choral singing in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

It is organized by Chew Valley Choral Society and Caroline Lowe (Vox in Frox, Singaholics and Better Than Chocolate).

The day will be led by Stuart Overington, an accomplished conductor, composer and educator.

Together we will be learning from scratch a selection of pieces to suit all tastes, including excerpts from Vivaldi’s Gloria, a Spiritual and Gospel.

 No experience of singing as a group is needed, nor ability to read music. Just come and enjoy!

Existing Valley choirs will also showcase some of their repertoire so you know what’s on your doorstep.


When and where:

Date: 28th September 2024, 10am-5pm

Venue: Chew Valley School

Tickets: £15 available through Eventbrite           

We are moving! From September 2024 our new rehearsal venue will be Bishop Sutton Village Hall.  


We meet on Tuesdays from 7.30 to 9.30, and rehearsals will be starting on 10th September in preparation for our autumn concert on 30th November, at which works to be sung include Saint-Saens’ Requiem.

 

We have a taster session on 17th September.  We are looking for new members for all parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. The taster session is a chance for you to sing alongside regular members to see how you get on. Some music-reading ability is an advantage but support will be given to those with less confidence. The session is free of charge. You are welcome to turn up on the night - no need to register in advance, but to give us some idea of numbers it will be helpful if you let us know if you plan to attend. 


All singers will be very welcome to take part in the second Chew Valley Big Sing  to be held on Saturday 28 September, to which CVCS is contributing. 


Next Concert and taster session 


Our spring concert will be on Saturday 18th May 2024  - programme to be announced. Rehearsals will start on 23rd January 2024. 


You are welcome to come to the first rehearsal but, if you aren't sure whether this is for you, we would love to see you at our next taster session on Tuesday 30 January from 7.30 – 9.30pm, at Church Hall, Church Lane, Chew Stoke, BS40 8TX. 


We are looking for new members for all parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. The taster session is a chance for you to sing alongside regular members to see how you get on. Some music-reading ability is an advantage but support will be given to those with less confidence.


The session is free of charge. You are welcome to turn up on the night - no need to register in advance, but to give us some idea of numbers it will be helpful if you let us know if you plan to attend by emailing info@chewvalleychoral.org.uk 


Singers at Chew Valley Big Sing

Chew Valley Big Sing


The rafters of Chew Valley School hall were lifted on 30 September 2023 as around 230 singers from across the valley sang happily and harmoniously under the expert direction of Bristol choir master David Ogden. 


The Chew Valley Big Sing was born when the leaders of four local choirs decided to promote choral singing more widely across the valley to all singers of all abilities. Caroline Lowe (Better than Chocolate, Singaholics and Vox in Frox), Catherine Hunt and Mia Thursby-Pelham (Chew Valley Choral Society) invited all choirs in the valley to participate, as well as any individual singers who fancied a day out to experience the fun of singing together in harmony.


Everyone learned seven pieces from scratch, guided with humour and skill by David. He coaxed and cajoled each part, from low energy and insecure beginnings to highly engaged and highly joyful renditions of such diverse pieces as Handel’s Hallelujah chorus to jazz and South African freedom songs in a teatime concert.


The participating choirs (Better Than Chocolate, Chew Valley Choral Society, Harptree Parish Choir, Priddy Singers, Singaholics, Vox in Frox) each sang a short selection of their repertoire in the concert, so all present could hear the wide variety of choral styles available to them on their doorstep. Literature in the hall gave details of those choirs, plus the many others available.


The event could not have happened without a donation from another local choir (Cats Whiskers) and financial support from Paragon Music Trust and Valley Arts, enabling the ticket prices to be kept as low as possible while covering costs. Other key players in the day were David Bednall for his tireless and skilled accompaniment, Chew Valley School for hosting the event and their wonderful PTA who fuelled the singers with tea and cake.


Plans are already underway to make this an annual event, thanks to the enthusiastic response of those who attended. 


Share by: