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About the Choir

The Choir Now...

Welcome to the website for the Bembridge Singers. The choir is a mixed community choir based in Bembridge. The Musical Director is Richard Hutchins.

 

The choir is currently around 60 strong and generally performs 3 concerts per year. Our Christmas Carol concert has been a sell out for the last few years and consists of a major seasonal work and audience participation with some popular carols. The Spring concert is a chance for some lighter music and we also feature a young performer from the Island. Thomas Luke (Piano) and Thomas Nash (Piano and Guitar) have been our recent performers. The Summer concert is our opportunity for big "serious" works and is normally held in St. John's Church, Ryde which allows us the space to perform with an orchestra.

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Examples of repertoire from recent concerts include: Mass in G, Schubert; Chichester Psalms, Bernstein; Choral Medley from West Side Story, Bernstein; Gloria, Vivaldi; Requiem for an Angel, Paul Carr; Nelson Mass, Haydn; Beatus Vir, Monteverdi; Gloria, Rutter; Requiem, Mozart; Mystical Songs,  Vaughan Williams.

 

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The choir welcomes singers of all abilities - all you need is an enjoyment of singing and a commitment to attend rehearsals. Practice is currently on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm - 9.00pm at the Cloisters, adjacent to Holy Trinity Church, Bembridge. If you are interested in joining, go to the contact page.

The Choir Past...

The choir that exists today had its origins as the Bembridge School Choral Society in 1979 by the Head of Music, Martin Cooke. The choir consisted of pupils and staff from the school as well as some parents and adults from the village. Martin also became the organist for Holy Trinity Church in the village as did two of his successors who continued to run the choir.

 

In 1995 Richard Benger took over the choir and the role of church organist for Holy Trinity church during the last few months of the school's existence before its merger with Ryde School.

 

When the school closed, the choir moved to the church and the name was changed to `The Bembridge Singers`.

 

Other previous Musical Directors were:

2007-08 - Stuart McKerracher (left to study music at Oxford)

2008-09 - Richard Benger

2009-12 - Howard Wilkie (left to take over the role of Musical Director at Newport Minster)

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