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 David Simmonds, a local composer and conductor, who is a member of the Association of British Choral Directors. The choir is very pleased to have their former conductor Ruth Phillips as their pianist. Ruth has been indisposed this term and we have been very grateful for Kris Emmett, Musical Director of St. Nicholas Church, Child Okeford, Dorset for standing in.

Beckington Choir is an SATB mixed choir, with a membership of around 35 singers, of all ages and they perform two concerts a year, one in late May and one at Christmas.

Membership of the choir is open to all singers of any ability and there are no auditions. 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). 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 David Simmonds 01761 419367.

The choir sings a wide range of music from light (songs from the shows etc.) to the more serious classical repertoire. Christmas 2006 saw the choir give the first performance of David Simmonds' "Away in a Manger" written for the choir, as well as a fine performance of the sublime "O Magnum Mysterium" by the American composer Morten Lauridson, in St. George's Church Beckington. At Christmas 2007 the choir gave the first performance of David Simmonds' "While shepherds watched", also written for the choir.

The choir sang “Call to remembrance” by the Elizabethan composer Richard Farrant andDavid Ogden's “We will remember them” at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day service in St. George's Church, Beckington.

The choir’s Christmas Concert, will be in St. George’s Church, Beckington on Friday 12^th December, starting at 8.00pm; tickets on the door or from choir members. The concert will include traditional carols, along side seasonal items from the classical and light music repertoire including again, by popular request, Morten Lauridsen’s "O Magnum Mysterium" The choir will also be singing in the Beckington Carol Service, in St. George’s Church, on the evening of Sunday 21^st December.

The choir meets on Thursday evenings in Beckington Memorial Hall, at 7.45 p.m. for rehearsal from 8.00 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., the next term will start on 15^th January 2009. We will be preparing for our May concert, which will include a selection of items from “Les Miserables”. The choir have also been invited to sing Choral Matins in St. George’s Beckington on the first Sunday in March.