Choir
Beckington Village Choir
Beckington Village Choir was formed in 1996 through the Leisure Links 'Arts in Mendip Villages Programme 2000'. These leisure links Arts programmes were set up to run for 4 years, from January 1996 to the year 2000. Their aim was to involve Mendip villages in various areas of the arts.
Leisure Links appointed Rupert Bevan as the first conductor and the choir started off with 12 members. Rupert conducted the choir for 2 years.
Ruth Phillips - former Head of Music at Frome College - who lives in the village, took over as conductor from Rupert Bevan. The choir is now conducted by Neil Moore, a musician new to the area, who once took a choir to the BBC Choir of the Year Finals. He currently sings with the Paragon Singers and A Handful of Singers in Bath. The choir has also been very pleased to welcome Jamie Mason , a former pupil of Ruth Phillips, as their accompanist. Beckington Choir is an SATB mixed choir, with a membership of around 35 singers, of all ages and they perform two concerts a year in Beckington. In addition to our two concerts we sing at carol services and at the annual Remembrance Day Service, in St. George’s Church, Beckington.
Membership of the choir is open to all singers of any ability and there are no formal auditions; those who have never sung in a choir will be asked to let the conductor hear their voice, in private, before admission. The main requirement for membership is a love of making music in an atmosphere of relaxed fun. The choir welcomes new members of all voices, including complete beginners who have never sung before and who, perhaps, cannot read music; the choir has a voluntary programme of educational events to teach interested members how to read music and the rudiments of music theory. The choir urgently wishes to recruit more men, both tenors and basses. Those interested in joining the choir, or just coming along to have a taste of what singing with the choir is like, are invited to contact the choir via our conductor Neil Moore on 07864-628932.
The choir sings a wide range of music from light (songs from the shows etc.) to the more serious classical repertoire.
The choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7.45-9.30 pm in Beckington Memorial Hall. We are rehearsing a wide selection of music for our Christmas Concert, titled 'Christmas Cracker' on Thursday 13th December 2012 at 7.30 pm. This will contain many different varieties of song for the festive season featuring composers such as Rutter, Chilcott, Darke and the most famous of all, Anon! Tickets are £6 and can be purchased from choir members or on the door on the night. Children may attend free of charge. Our legendary refreshments will be provided. We will also be singing at the village's Service of 9 Lessons and Carols on Sunday 16th December at 6 pm.
Looking further ahead our Spring Concert will be held in the village hall on Thursday 9 May 2013. Should you wish to join the choir for this please contact its director.
For more details about the choir please contact our Musical Director, Neil Moore on 07864-628932 neilrmoore@hotmail.co.uk.