Philip
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Jun 26, 2009, 10:22 AM
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Opportunities to sing in Taunton Chamber Choir - The Phoenix Singers
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The Phoenix Singers, originally founded in Devon in 1971, has developed into a prominent chamber choir in the Southwest. Based in Taunton, its 25 members come from a wide regional area.
Its concert repertoire has expanded enormously in recent times, made possible by the ability and vast experience of the choir's members. With an eclectic approach to styles and periods of choral music including various contemporary composers and arrangers, The Phoenix Singers performs programmes that often have religious themes and draws heavily on the composers of the 16th and 20th centuries.
However, the summer concert always has a decidedly lighter-music content, with wine and food in close support. Of the two annual Christmas events, the first at Taunton’s St. Mary Magdalene Church involves guest performers from local schools and colleges or performing groups from further afield. The second, just several days before Christmas, is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Taunton School Chapel. Joining The Phoenix Singers - http://thephoenixsingers.co.uk/
Singers with relevant small choir experience who would be stimulated by our range of repertoire are warmly invited to introduce themselves to our Director of Music, Andrew Maddocks.
We normally undertake four concerts a year that are our own promotions - plus other, sometimes less formal, engagements by invitation. For each concert a schedule of dates for rehearsal is drawn up at least six months in advance. This characteristically takes the form of an initial rehearsal for a first run-through, and where the music is handed out. Then, some weeks later and depending on the repertoire challenges, 4 – 5 rehearsals are called at weekly intervals leading directly to the concert date itself. Rehearsals take place at Taunton School, on Tuesdays 7.45 – 9.30pm.
Details of our recent concerts can be found by going to
http://www.gerontius.net/cgi-bin/concertarchive.cgi?db=concertarchive&uid=default&view_records=View+Records&sb=2&keyword=the+phoenix+singers&x=30&y=9
The interval between the first and the series of weekly rehearsals are for each individual singer to become familiar with the notes of the works to be performed. CDs are made available at the first rehearsal, using the recording that best reflects the style and interpretation that Andrew has in mind.
We are formally a charitable trust, reflecting in particular the choral scholarship scheme we have for local Taunton schools and colleges. A number of our singers each year are therefore students of 16 years & over, for whom their year or so with the Phoenix Singers contributes in a major way to their personal musical and choral development. We see to it that they are made very welcome.
Apart from the music-making itself, the social and convivial side of the Phoenix Singers is important to us. We manage to find excuses and opportunities for parties and get-togethers of one kind or another.
It is our ambition each year to progress as the chamber choir presenting the best of choral music in Somerset. Singers who would find such an aspiration attractive and musically rewarding are cordially invited to introduce themselves to:
Andrew Maddocks tel 01823 252658 email a.maddocks@mac.com.
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