Dear Singer,

Thank you for signing up to take part in the Workshop on the Brahms’ Academic Festival overture, the Bruckner Te Deum and Mahler’s Das klagende Lied. This will take place on Saturday 11^th April at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE and will be conducted by Adrian Partington.
This will lead to a performance of these three works on 4^th July 2026 in Tewkesbury Abbey as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival, accompanied by the British Sinfonietta and conducted by Adrian Partington with soloists.
This Newsletter is to update you with information about the day. On this occasion there will be no splitting of the choir into Choir 1 and Choir 2 so the seating plan is much easier.

THE CRYPT SCHOOL
Coming from Junction 12 on the M5 follow signs ro Gloucester city centre on the dual carriageway. Cross two roundabouts and at the major lights that are next, turn right on the A38 to Gloucester City Centre, After around 800 yards Podsmead is on the left at lights. Turn left, go round a small roundabout and drive into the Crypt School driveway through the main gates. Please follow the SCBSG car park signs. There will be a car park on the left before you reach the school building and a further parking area for around 75 cars in front of the building. Check-in is at the main entrance on the other side of the building from the first car park.

TIMETABLE
9.30am – Arrival and registration
10am-11am – first rehearsal
11am-11.30am – coffee break
11.30am-1.00pm – second rehearsal
1.00pm – 2.00pm lunch break. PLEASE BRING A PACKED LUNCH
2.00pm – 4.00pm third rehearsal (No tea break)

CATERING
There will be a coffee break at around 11am. To make sure we make minimum impact on the environment please bring your own mug and we will fill it for you. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available including gluten free biscuits. Recyclable cups will be available if you forget.

SCORES
The hire score that we are using for the Bruckner Te Deum is Peters, for the Mahler it is a special version that we have printed ourselves and for the Brahms we are using a one sheet printout which is available free. We will have copies of all scores at check-in.

SCORE AMENDMENTS
Adrian has produced a number of revisions to all three scores. These are available to download on the website bigsing.org or if preferred ask me and I can email them to you. I will also have printed copies at rehearsals. The amendments are available on the website at  https://www.bigsing.org/commonfiles/bigsing/db_uploads/Concert_notes_17722152557399.pdf.

BUS
The SCBSG will be running a bus from Thornbury to the Crypt School for the Workshop. This will leave from outside Aldi in Thornbury at 08.45 and will return from Gloucester at 16.15 after the workshop. There are two car parks adjacent to Aldi though South Gloucestershire Council has now initiated parking charges. There is free parking in some local streets but please be careful to read the signs. The cost is £16  and the 33-seater coach will be operated by Mike’s Travel.  Please book through myself if you want to use this service, payment may be made by BACS to SCBSG, sort code 55-61-38 account 72408375.

To get to Aldi and the car park – approach Thornbury on the A38 from Bristol. Turn left at the lights by Berkeley Vale Motors (Hyundai agents) and proceed down Thornbury Hill to go straight ahead at the first roundabout (the Tesco roundabout) and left at the second roundabout. The turn to the car park is then the third right turn, the long stay section is well marked down the far end of the car park.

BOOKING TO TAKE PART IN THE JULY CONCERT
When you take your place at the Workshop you will find a booking form on your seat, this has details of all the rehearsal venues. These are also listed on the bigsing.org website. Please fill this in, pay by BACS or cheque and return the form to Jos as soon as possible to ensure your place. From 12^th April 2026 it will be possible to sign up through the website www.bigsing.org.

Note that the concert is in Tewkesbury Abbey on Sat 4th July this year and that you will be expected to attend the eve-of-oncert rehearsal in Tewkesbury Abbey on Fri evening 3rd July as this is when the Concert Manager organises the seating plan.

Tewkesbury Abbey is very close to J9 on the M5, just north of Gloucester, so is easy to get to.

If you have any queries at all please contact me at any of the contact points at the head of this Newsletter.

All the best and I look forward to meeting up with you all.

Jos Gregson

Chairman,
South Cotswold Big Sing Group
20th  March 2026