Our Newsletter
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South Cotswold Big Sing Group creates a newsletter periodically to keep our friends, supporters and followers up-to-date with the activities and events of the Choir. It is delivered via our friends email mailing list.
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Below is a list of all past issues...
2025 Big Sing
Thu, 22 May 2025Printable version
Dear Singers
We start rehearsals for our July 5th concert on 10th June so a mere three weeks from today. I am sending this becaude you took part in the 2025 Workshop and I am notifying all those who took part but have not yet signed up for the Big Sing.
I attach a booking form and if you are intending to sing it would be most helpful if you could fill this in and send it off to me as soon as possible as I have a lot to do before rehearsals start. I also include a booking form for buses from Thornbury and a list of tickets still available and a map of where they are.
If you have already informed me that you will not be able to sing I do apologise!
I look forward to seeing you all at rehearsals
Jos Gregson
South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
We start rehearsals for our July 5th concert on 10th June so a mere three weeks from today. I am sending this becaude you took part in the 2025 Workshop and I am notifying all those who took part but have not yet signed up for the Big Sing.
I attach a booking form and if you are intending to sing it would be most helpful if you could fill this in and send it off to me as soon as possible as I have a lot to do before rehearsals start. I also include a booking form for buses from Thornbury and a list of tickets still available and a map of where they are.
If you have already informed me that you will not be able to sing I do apologise!
I look forward to seeing you all at rehearsals
Jos Gregson
South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
2025 Workshop
Tue, 19 Nov 2024Printable version
Dear Singer
We are sending you this email because you have asked to be kept informed of future events.
Our next event will be a Workshop at The Crypt School in Gloucester on 26th April 2025. This will be conducted by Adrian Partington and we will be rehearsing the three works that we will be performing for the Cheltenham Music Festival in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 5th July 2025, accompanied by the British Sinfonietta. The works to be performed are the Messe des pêcheurs de Villarel by Gabriel Fauré and André Messager, the Brahms Alto Rhapsody and the Berlioz Te Deum. The Messe is for women's voices, the Brahms for soloist and men's voices and the Berlioz for double choir with tenor soloist.
The South Cotswold Big Sing Group would like to invite you to join us and I attach a booking form. As we did for our last concert you may keep the hire scores after the Workshop for rehearsals for the performance. A full schedule for rehearsals is on the website www.bigsing.org.
If you no longer wish to receive these emails let me know and I will remove you from the database.
Jos Gregson
South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
We are sending you this email because you have asked to be kept informed of future events.
Our next event will be a Workshop at The Crypt School in Gloucester on 26th April 2025. This will be conducted by Adrian Partington and we will be rehearsing the three works that we will be performing for the Cheltenham Music Festival in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 5th July 2025, accompanied by the British Sinfonietta. The works to be performed are the Messe des pêcheurs de Villarel by Gabriel Fauré and André Messager, the Brahms Alto Rhapsody and the Berlioz Te Deum. The Messe is for women's voices, the Brahms for soloist and men's voices and the Berlioz for double choir with tenor soloist.
The South Cotswold Big Sing Group would like to invite you to join us and I attach a booking form. As we did for our last concert you may keep the hire scores after the Workshop for rehearsals for the performance. A full schedule for rehearsals is on the website www.bigsing.org.
If you no longer wish to receive these emails let me know and I will remove you from the database.
Jos Gregson
South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
March 2024 Update
Wed, 10 Apr 2024Printable version
Reply to Jos Gregson,
18 Willoughby Close,
Alveston,
Bristol BS35 3RW
Tel: 01454-411652
Email: josgregson@gmail.com
2nd March 2024
Dear Singer,
This is being sent to you as you have either sung with the South Cotswold Big Sing Group before or have signed up for our April Workshop on Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Poulenc’s Gloria with the possible intention of singing in the July performance of these works.
BOOKING FOR THE APRIL 20th WORKSHOP
Bookings may be made by accessing the South Cotswold Big Sing Group website at www.bigsing.org and downloading the booking form. If you are a member of Bristol, Gloucester, Stroud, Thornbury or Wycliffe Choral Societies and require scores these will be handed out by either Adrian Partington, Steven Kings or choir representatives. Otherwise they will be posted to you.
CRYPT SCHOOL APRIL 20th 2024 WORKSHOP
This will take place at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE and will run from 10am-4pm. We will be rehearsing both works as well as the Messiaen “O sacrum convivium”, see the note below.
Teas, coffees and biscuits will be served in the morning. Please bring your own lunch. There will be no afternoon tea break.
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
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CONCERT 2024
The date for this will be Friday July 12th 2024 in the evening. Usually our concerts are on a Saturday with our rehearsal to sort out the seating plan on the Friday. We have the Cathedral booked for Thursday July 11th 2024 so that we can do this. The performance will be accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Adrian Partington.
ADDITIONAL WORK
In addition to the Holst and the Poulenc the choir will sing Olivier Messiaen’s “O sacrum convivium”. Scores for the Messiaen will be handed out at the Workshop and there will be no additional charge for these scores. The orchestra will also play Vaughan Williams’ “Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus”.
SCORES
A reminder that you may keep your score/scores between the Workshop and the June/July rehearsals and performance with no charge for the second hiring. If you only do the performance there will be the normal charge of £2 per score, again with no charge for the Messiaen.
SOUTH COTSWOLD BIG SING GROUP CONCERT 2025
The Cheltenham Festival have asked us to move our planned June 2025 concert to July 2025 and make it part of the 2025 Cheltenham Music Festival. This will be on Saturday 5th July 2025. This is helpful as it means that we will be using the Cheltenham Festival’s publicity and ticketing facilities.
This concert will be accompanied by the British Sinfonietta and conducted by Adrian Partington.
The full programme will be as follows:-
Messe des pȇcheurs de Villerville by Gabriel Fauré and André Messager – for women’s voices.
Alto Rhapsody by Johannes Brahms for men’s voices.
Te Deum by Hector Berlioz.
There is a full rehearsal schedule on the website, Choir 1 comprises singers south of Stroud and will rehearse in Alveston, Choir 2 consists of singers from Stroud and north and will rehearse in Stonehouse. Joint rehearsals for both choirs are either at The Crypt School, Gloucester, Christ Church, Cheltenham, St John’s Northgate, Gloucester or in Gloucester Cathedral.
BUS
There will be a bus from Thornbury to Gloucester for the Workshop on 20th April. This will leave from outside Aldi at 08.45 and return from The Crypt School at 16.15. Tickets will cost £15 and can be obtained from Jos Gregson (email jos@josgregson@gmail.com, tel. 01454-411652)
SINGING NUMBERS
Choir numbers will be limited to 150 by the organisers so as to comfortably accommodate the choir. The Holst is written for three choirs, the third choir will consist of Gloucester Cathedral choristers and these will be seated separately. There will be a small group of six lay clerks who will be accommodated among the main choirs so that we will only have space for a maximum of 144 singers.
WEBSITE
The new website is now up and running, the address is www.bigsing.org. There have been a few minor teething problems but Mike Elcock has worked very hard over the summer and autumn to integrate the old database and we now have the system running to Mike’s satisfaction. The website is always kept up to date, so please refer to it for the latest news and events.
Jos Gregson
Chairman South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
Please do not reply to this email. If you want to unsubscribe from our emails, please email webmaster@bigsing.org.
18 Willoughby Close,
Alveston,
Bristol BS35 3RW
Tel: 01454-411652
Email: josgregson@gmail.com
2nd March 2024
Dear Singer,
This is being sent to you as you have either sung with the South Cotswold Big Sing Group before or have signed up for our April Workshop on Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Poulenc’s Gloria with the possible intention of singing in the July performance of these works.
BOOKING FOR THE APRIL 20th WORKSHOP
Bookings may be made by accessing the South Cotswold Big Sing Group website at www.bigsing.org and downloading the booking form. If you are a member of Bristol, Gloucester, Stroud, Thornbury or Wycliffe Choral Societies and require scores these will be handed out by either Adrian Partington, Steven Kings or choir representatives. Otherwise they will be posted to you.
CRYPT SCHOOL APRIL 20th 2024 WORKSHOP
This will take place at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE and will run from 10am-4pm. We will be rehearsing both works as well as the Messiaen “O sacrum convivium”, see the note below.
Teas, coffees and biscuits will be served in the morning. Please bring your own lunch. There will be no afternoon tea break.
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
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CONCERT 2024
The date for this will be Friday July 12th 2024 in the evening. Usually our concerts are on a Saturday with our rehearsal to sort out the seating plan on the Friday. We have the Cathedral booked for Thursday July 11th 2024 so that we can do this. The performance will be accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Adrian Partington.
ADDITIONAL WORK
In addition to the Holst and the Poulenc the choir will sing Olivier Messiaen’s “O sacrum convivium”. Scores for the Messiaen will be handed out at the Workshop and there will be no additional charge for these scores. The orchestra will also play Vaughan Williams’ “Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus”.
SCORES
A reminder that you may keep your score/scores between the Workshop and the June/July rehearsals and performance with no charge for the second hiring. If you only do the performance there will be the normal charge of £2 per score, again with no charge for the Messiaen.
SOUTH COTSWOLD BIG SING GROUP CONCERT 2025
The Cheltenham Festival have asked us to move our planned June 2025 concert to July 2025 and make it part of the 2025 Cheltenham Music Festival. This will be on Saturday 5th July 2025. This is helpful as it means that we will be using the Cheltenham Festival’s publicity and ticketing facilities.
This concert will be accompanied by the British Sinfonietta and conducted by Adrian Partington.
The full programme will be as follows:-
Messe des pȇcheurs de Villerville by Gabriel Fauré and André Messager – for women’s voices.
Alto Rhapsody by Johannes Brahms for men’s voices.
Te Deum by Hector Berlioz.
There is a full rehearsal schedule on the website, Choir 1 comprises singers south of Stroud and will rehearse in Alveston, Choir 2 consists of singers from Stroud and north and will rehearse in Stonehouse. Joint rehearsals for both choirs are either at The Crypt School, Gloucester, Christ Church, Cheltenham, St John’s Northgate, Gloucester or in Gloucester Cathedral.
BUS
There will be a bus from Thornbury to Gloucester for the Workshop on 20th April. This will leave from outside Aldi at 08.45 and return from The Crypt School at 16.15. Tickets will cost £15 and can be obtained from Jos Gregson (email jos@josgregson@gmail.com, tel. 01454-411652)
SINGING NUMBERS
Choir numbers will be limited to 150 by the organisers so as to comfortably accommodate the choir. The Holst is written for three choirs, the third choir will consist of Gloucester Cathedral choristers and these will be seated separately. There will be a small group of six lay clerks who will be accommodated among the main choirs so that we will only have space for a maximum of 144 singers.
WEBSITE
The new website is now up and running, the address is www.bigsing.org. There have been a few minor teething problems but Mike Elcock has worked very hard over the summer and autumn to integrate the old database and we now have the system running to Mike’s satisfaction. The website is always kept up to date, so please refer to it for the latest news and events.
Jos Gregson
Chairman South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
Please do not reply to this email. If you want to unsubscribe from our emails, please email webmaster@bigsing.org.
October 2023 Newsletter
Wed, 4 Oct 2023Printable version
Dear Friends
Welcome to the new South Cotswold Big Sing Group website. Our Webmaster Mike Elcock has worked very hard over the summer months to set this up in conjunction with Making Music and all future group email communications about Workshops, Big Sings etc. will come through this website.
The website address is https://www.bigsing.org and you are invited to look over it and make helpful suggestions or comments. It is very new and Mike can add extra features according to requirements and also adjust any entries where necessary.
Our next event is a Workshop on Saturday 20th April 2024 at The Crypt School in Gloucester where Adrian Partington will introduce us to Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Poulenc’s Gloria which we will be performing in Gloucester Cathedral on behalf of the Cheltenham Music Festival on 12th July 2024. Rehearsals for the performance start on 13th June in Alveston and 18th June in Wycliffe.
Enjoy the new site, the committee will be making every effort to publish all relevant information with timings, dates etc. for relevant events.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
Tel: 01454-411652
email: jos@josgregson.plus.com
4 October 2023
PS Please let us know if you wish to be taken off our mailing list.
Welcome to the new South Cotswold Big Sing Group website. Our Webmaster Mike Elcock has worked very hard over the summer months to set this up in conjunction with Making Music and all future group email communications about Workshops, Big Sings etc. will come through this website.
The website address is https://www.bigsing.org and you are invited to look over it and make helpful suggestions or comments. It is very new and Mike can add extra features according to requirements and also adjust any entries where necessary.
Our next event is a Workshop on Saturday 20th April 2024 at The Crypt School in Gloucester where Adrian Partington will introduce us to Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Poulenc’s Gloria which we will be performing in Gloucester Cathedral on behalf of the Cheltenham Music Festival on 12th July 2024. Rehearsals for the performance start on 13th June in Alveston and 18th June in Wycliffe.
Enjoy the new site, the committee will be making every effort to publish all relevant information with timings, dates etc. for relevant events.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
www.bigsing.org
Tel: 01454-411652
email: jos@josgregson.plus.com
4 October 2023
PS Please let us know if you wish to be taken off our mailing list.
July 2023 Interim Newsletter
Thu, 6 Jul 2023Printable version
Dear Singer
I am pleased to say that we now have a date for our Cheltenham Festival performance in 2024.
We also have a new Secretary and are in the process of setting up a new website based on the Making Music Platform.
In the attached Update you will also find details and a date for our 2025 performance of the Berlioz Te Deum and the two works that will accompany it.
There will be a Workshop in April 2024 on the two works we are performing for the Cheltenham Festival, I am awaiting final confirmation from The Crypt School of our reservation. Score have been ordered for December 1st 2023 and booking forms will be sent out in mid-November.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
I am pleased to say that we now have a date for our Cheltenham Festival performance in 2024.
We also have a new Secretary and are in the process of setting up a new website based on the Making Music Platform.
In the attached Update you will also find details and a date for our 2025 performance of the Berlioz Te Deum and the two works that will accompany it.
There will be a Workshop in April 2024 on the two works we are performing for the Cheltenham Festival, I am awaiting final confirmation from The Crypt School of our reservation. Score have been ordered for December 1st 2023 and booking forms will be sent out in mid-November.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
