- International Women's Day 2023
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Date Posted: Thu, 9 Mar 2023
Wednesday 8th March marked this year's International Women's Day. Thank you to those members who were able to feature in a photo (taken at rehearsal this week) that we shared on social media to celebrate the wonderful women who make up our members.
The picture of course doesn't reflect every female-identifying person in the choir, so we wanted to take this space to celebate you ALL and #EmbraceEquity - that is the theme of this year's IWD. It's so important for us all to understand the difference between Equality and Equity, ensuring that all people have the resources they need to achieve an equal outcome. This handy infographic from the International Women's Day website really helps to demonstrate that:
And here's the original, unfiltered version of our IWD photo - please email Danny at info@singoutbristol.org.uk if you'd like the full size image:
- Sing Out Bristol winners at the ShoutOut Radio Listeners' Awards
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Date Posted: Fri, 24 Feb 2023
We won! A huge thank you to ShoutOut Radio and everyone who voted for us as Best Performance Group in the Listeners' Awards 2023. What an honour. Our co-chair Mo (also nominated in the Community Radio Show category) and performing committee member Alfie were there to pick up the award at the ceremony on Thursday 23rd February.
Congratulations are also in order for Sing Out Bristol member Ollie Lewis, whose Bath Radio show, The Saturday Show, picked up Best Community Radio Show!For more information, see: https://shoutoutradio.lgbt/awards
- A thank you from the North Somerset LGBT Forum
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Date Posted: Sun, 1 Jan 2023
Attachment: 
- Review of the year 2022
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Date Posted: Sat, 31 Dec 2022
Here's our annual review of the year in slideshow video form.
A year of massive change for the choir and one where we mourned the loss of two members of our family.
For more information, see: https://youtu.be/W2Bdj8XX-Ys
- Trans Pride South West & Trans Day of Remembrance
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Nov 2022
This week (13 November to 19 November) is Transgender Awareness Week, leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance on this Sunday, 20 November.
This week is a time for transgender people and their allies to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community, while TDOR is an international day of remembrance to honour all the transgender people around the world whose lives have been lost to transphobic violence that year. There’s a TDOR vigil and service being held in The Lord Mayor's Chapel, College Green, 4pm - 6.30pm on Sunday 20th November.
Next week is Trans Pride South West – there’s a variety of fantastic community-led events still to come, including comedy nights, swimming classes, cabaret, an after party with a DJ set from Chelsea Manning and of course the Trans Pride Protest and March and the Community Day.
You can find full details on the TPSW website: TPSW 2022 « Trans Pride South West
- Relight My Choir Free Programme
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Date Posted: Sat, 8 Oct 2022
To download the programme in PDF format CLICK HERE
View online by clicking the
symbol below:
If you wish to make a donation to the choir, you can transfer money via:
Co-operative Bank
Sing Out Bristol
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Account No.: 65288391
For more information, see: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/01109b02c5.html
- Brigstowe: Join The March To End HIV Stigma
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Sep 2022
Join the fight against HIV stigma on Saturday 1 October 2022.
Only 30% of the British public say they would feel comfortable going on a date with someone living with HIV. The vast majority say they would not have sex with someone living with HIV who is on effective treatment.
We can’t let these old prejudices go unchallenged.
We will not be shamed or ignored.
We will not let people living with HIV stand alone in the face of HIV stigma.
We are Fighting HIV Stigma and Proud.
We’re partnering with over 20 HIV organisations to fight HIV stigma. On Saturday 1 October, we'll be marching in London from Belvedere Road to Trafalgar Square.
The march will take place from 12pm; gather on Belvedere Road, London (behind County Hall).
Brigstowe will be arranging transport to and from London. If you would like to take part please contact us using the link below.
Team Brigstowe. x
Join The March Donate to our Work Please consider becoming a Friend of Brigstowe by donating a regular monthly gift. Regular donations help us to make long term improvements to the lives of people living with HIV.
"Stigma is still there in the bucket loads. It's not something that is easy to live with. I lost my job and lived in my car for 3 years. I was pulled back from the edge by the people at Brigstowe. If it wasn't for Brigstowe, I'd be dead"
Kevin, Brigstowe Client
Just £10 a month (the price of one takeaway coffee a week) could be used to provide transport costs to a destitute client to access clinic and community services.Donate to our Work
- Listen Back to Recent Radio Interviews
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Date Posted: Sat, 2 Jul 2022
In the run up to our Sing Out For Bristol Pride 2022 concert, a number of our members have appeared on local radio stations to chat about the choir and the concert.
Listen back here:
Gena on Ujima Radio
Search for Living For The Streetz in the 10am-12pm on Mon 20th June
Direct Link
Dave on Bath Radio
Nick on Ujima Radio (Search for Living For The Streetz in the 10am-12pm on Mon 4th July)
- From The Archive: The Day We Hosted Our Own World Premiere
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Date Posted: Fri, 24 Jun 2022
On this day four years ago, we hosted the 'world premiere' of our latest concert movie, X - 10 Years Of Sing Out Bristol.
Ever so slightly tongue in cheek, we headed to the Everyman Cinema in Clifton to settle down with popcorn and a drink or two to watch ourselves on the big screen. We even made a couple of spoof trailers for the occasion.
A great night, with thanks to the two Darrens - Flaxstone for editing the video and Armstrong for letting us use his cinema for free. It's unlikely we'll ever be able to repeat this but just another quirky reason why we love this choir.
By the way, the concert is still available on DVD and/or download.
- TUNE-IN: Summer 2022
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Date Posted: Fri, 17 Jun 2022
Here is the latest edition of Tune-In, our quarterly newsletter. During the pandemic we only managed to produce two editions, due to the lack of activity, but we're now back to a full quarterly rota.
With this relaunch we've moved away from the previous magazine style to a more interactive newsletter format, using Microsoft's Sway software, which allows for greater flexibility with embedded videos etc.
We'd love to hear any feedback you may have
- Parliamentary Petition: Conversion Therapy
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Date Posted: Thu, 14 Apr 2022
Please consider signing the parliamentary petition toEnsure Trans people are fully protected under any conversion therapy ban
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/613556
It's shameful that the UK intends to deliberately exclude trans people from a ban in contrast to the approach taken by many countries, despite trans people being at a greater risk of experiencing the harmful & degrading practices.
The government's own figures show that trans people are nearly twice as likely to be at risk of experiencing the harmful & degrading practices of conversion therapy. A ban needs to ensure all forms of conversion therapy are banned.
If you are unaware of the original issue you can read more here- Conversion therapy: Ban to go ahead but not cover trans people - BBC NewsFor more information, see: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/613556
- Bristol Pride Day: First Artists Announced
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Date Posted: Wed, 30 Mar 2022
View this email in your browser 
She's the most exciting queen ever to grace the Canadian drag scene, the winner of Canada’s Drag Race and she'll be HEADLINING the Cabaret Stage.
What’s her name?
PRIYANKA!
Artist, performer, DJ, mashup specialist and one of the UK's most prolific LGBTQ+ artists we’re thrilled to welcome back Bright Light Bright Light.
Crossing pop and electronica, with influences from club culture and soaring 80s pop, we’re excited to introduce Scottish Music Award winners, HYYTS.
Rounding off the 1st release are; worldwide hitmaker and Eurovision winner, Katrina. Plus one of the most exciting drum & bass live acts to come out of Bristol, Dr Meaker and one of the longest-running & best ABBA tributes, ABBA Inferno.
More artists will be announced over the coming weeks!Pride Night
9 July 2022
The incredible Pride After Party returns, headlined by the fabulous Ana Matronic! Join us as we take over the Bristol O2 Academy for 3 incredible rooms, featuring DTYM, Dirty Pop, Trans Pride South West, plus much, much more.
A selection of wristbands are available to buy now; including Pride Day Supporter and Pride Day & Night Supporter, each with their own rewards and benefits - just click the image below!
For all the information about this year's programme of events head to our website.
For more information, see: bristolpride.co.uk
- MD Update - 29.03.2022
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Date Posted: Tue, 29 Mar 2022
Dear all,
This is a note to let you all know that, after 15 wonderful years (or thereabouts) with Sing Out Bristol I’ve made the difficult decision to step down as Music Director.
The last two years have been tricky ones for all of us in different ways, and from a choir point of view it was devastating to have to move to online rehearsals. However, we kept it going and it was amazing to see so many of you still wanting to stay in touch and involved. We have some great memories from that time, among them the lockdown videos and projects we produced.
The pandemic also gave us time to reset and rethink, and now that we’re moving out of those difficult times into hopefully easier, more stable times, I’ve reflected and decided that it’s time to move away from Sing Out Bristol and concentrate on other things.
The choir is massively important to me, but this period feels like a transition from what was pre-COVID to what happens post-COVID, and it’s also an opportunity for the choir to move to its next stage. We’ve seen people leave choir and not return, others have kept going throughout, others have been watching patiently to see what happens with a view to returning at some stage, and others have joined recently as brand new members!
While this transition has begun, it feels like the appropriate time for me to step back and allow someone else to pick things up and move Sing Out Bristol forward to its next life.
It’s been amazing to see how the choir has evolved from a tiny group of friends getting together in a living room to make some music into a massive beast of an organisation with almost 150 members!
I’ve had some incredible experiences with Sing Out Bristol during that time, and have grown massively in terms of my own musical skills and abilities - I’d never sung in public or conducted a group before initially joining the choir as a bass! The main feeling I’ll take away with me is the pride and love I feel for what we’ve achieved together since we began.
I’d like to thank all of you, current members, past members, committee members, volunteers and friends I’ve made during my time with Sing Out. It’s always dangerous to name any names in case (inevitably!) you leave someone out, but in particular I’d like to send my thanks and love to Lindsey, Gena and Amy on the MD team, and to Dave Johnson who has done the work of about 50 people over the last couple of years!
That’s not to take away from the gratitude and love I’d like to send to everyone else who has contributed to Sing Out Bristol in all those years, from Committee members to volunteers to singers to choralographers to project managers to performance directors to supporters to fans to families and everyone else!
The success we’ve achieved and the experiences we’ve had wouldn’t have been possible without all of you, and I’ll cherish the memories, wrinkles and grey hairs that appeared during my time at the helm!
I'm thrilled to say that Gena has agreed to step up and take over, which is very exciting! I’m sure you’ll all support her and a new MD team going forward, and I can’t wait to see how you all continue to make beautiful music. If anyone is interested in being part of the new MD team as an Assistant MD then please let me or Gena know!
I’ll be handing over gradually to Gena over the next few months, and plan to stay on until July when we have our next performances for Bristol Pride. I’ll still be attending rehearsals until then.
I’ll definitely keep in touch and will always be available to support and cheer you all on. I’ll also continue working with the new Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus and would love to be able to share the stage with Sing Out Bristol at future performances.
Love to you all,
Rónán.xx
- LEGATO members Supporting Ukraine LGBTIQ+ Appeal
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Date Posted: Fri, 4 Mar 2022
LEGATO, the organisation behind Various Voices has today appealed for members of the queer choir community to support two appeals set up to aid LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine.
We will be discussing this at our next committee meeting but if you want to help on an individual basis, you can read more at the link below
.
For more information, see: https://www.legato-choirs.com/ukraine
- Thank You From The National AIDS Trust
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Date Posted: Sat, 29 Jan 2022
As you will be aware, under normal circumstances we make two performances around the time of World AIDS Day - one for local charity, Brigstowe and one for the National AIDS Trust (NAT). In 2020, due to COVID restrictions we were unable to perform at all and instead, donated custom made videos of our remote performance of Gena's #BeTheChange to their respective 2020 campaigns.
Last year we were able to perform at the Watershed for Brigstowe but were unable to fulfill the request from NAT to perform in Cabot Circus. Instead the committee met and decided to donate the sum of £150 (just above the amount we would normally expect to raise during an hour in Cabot Circus on a busy Saturday)
This week, we received a letter of thanks from the NAT:
"Thank you so much for your kind and generous donation to National AIDS Trust on behalf of Sing Out Bristol – it means a lot to us. By donating, you’re helping to end new HIV transmissions in England by 2030, but we must also make sure nobody is left behind with our progress. We’re committed to ending HIV stigma and securing rights for all people living with HIV.
Your donation will make a massive difference. It will help support people experiencing discrimination, fight for HIV rights and educate people on HIV in the UK so that we can combat HIV stigma. With your help, we will continue to lobby decision makers to improve HIV-related policy; challenge stigmatising news stories in the press; help to fight isolation felt by many people living with HIV and much more.
As you may know, we’re completely independent, and we can only continue to do our vital work with the generous support of people like you and everyone from Sing Out Bristol.
Thank you again for your generous support.
Best wishes,
Chris
Chris Dye | Partnerships and Philanthropy Specialist | National AIDS Trust
E: chris.dye@nat.org.uk | DT: 020 7814 6726 | T: 020 7814 6767
The Green House, 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9DA
www.nat.org.uk"
- Bristol Pride Community Fund 2022
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Date Posted: Thu, 6 Jan 2022
Hello,
It's been a little while since we've been in touch, we hope that you've been keeping safe and well and had a wonderful Christmas & New Year.
After the Festival, the team worked through the feedback from this year's events and we had a little downtime too. However, we don't stop, we're quietly and busily working away on future plans and look forward to sharing those with you.
We're thrilled to say that Bristol Pride Community Fund is now open for applications. The fund has been created to provide opportunities and activities which enhance or improve the lives of LGBT+ people in Bristol and the surrounding areas. Head to our website where you can read more about the fund, guidance to help your application and details of how to apply. We're excited to see what projects are happing in the area!
Team BP x
FIND OUT MORE For more information, see: https://bristolpride.co.uk/community-fund/
- Tune-In 2021: End Of Year Review
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Date Posted: Fri, 31 Dec 2021
Here's the latest edition of our e-magazine, Tune-In containing news and articles and our annual review of the year.
You can view here or download using the link below if you prefer.
This edition contains more embedded videos than normal, so we've experimented with the format to allow the videos to be played without leaving this page. Unfortunately, this means it's not suitable for viewing on a mobile phone, but should work fine on a tablet or laptop. You may need to allow time for the file to load and you may be asked if you want to allow external media to be shown. Please click yes to enable the embedded YouTube videos to display.
For those who prefer the traditional magazine view, (the videos and other links aren't available)...
For more information, see: https://1drv.ms/p/s!Ajiy3Cs2NEHcgSfI7dK1djybQWu_?e=TOuie5
- Crick Crack Club Christmas Carol Show
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Date Posted: Wed, 24 Nov 2021
Hello,
I'm writing from The Crick Crack Club – we're one of the UK's biggest and boldest storytelling producers and we're based here in Bristol. We create wild, exuberant, intelligent live storytelling events for grown-ups who have big imaginations and like to feed them!
This December we are very much looking forward to hosting a Crick Crack Club Christmas Carol Show at The Cube Microplex, Dove Street South, Bristol.
With the awesome Sheema Mukherjee banging out carols on the sitar; stories from the very reverend Tim Ralphs, the not so reverent Ben Haggarty; disorders of service, chaotic carols and Christmas tree shrines - this is the Crick Crack Club Christmas Carol Show!
We've untangled our fairylights and polished our best baubles ready to fill your stockings with festive frippery, glee and a touch of magic. Join us to unwrap a teetering pile of winter-wonderlandish fairytales; eat mince pies; drink mulled wine; exorcise any hint of Scrooge and best of all, sing your heart out!
This is not your usual carol concert, but we would still love to have some super singers there, so if you think it sounds like a fun event, you can find all the information and link to book tickets here: https://crickcrackclub.com/crick-crack-events/carols- bristol/ but please do let me know if you are interested in coming and have any questions.
(There is more info below too). 20% of all the proceeds from the event will be donated to charities working with refugees in Bristol.
Thank you so much for your time and I hope to see you on 02 December! We'll be breaking out our kitsch Christmas jumpers and tinselling-up to excess.
All my best,
Saira
The Crick Crack Club Christmas Carol Show
Celebrate Christmas, Crick Crack style with music by Sheema Mukherjee, storytelling by Ben Haggarty & Tim Ralphs and singing by everyone!
With the awesome Sheema Mukherjee banging out carols on the sitar; stories from the very reverend Tim Ralphs, the not so reverent Ben Haggarty; disorders of service, chaotic carols and Christmas tree shrines - this is the Crick Crack Club Christmas Carol Show.
We've untangled our fairylights and polished our best baubles ready to fill your stockings with festive frippery, glee and a touch of magic. Join us to unwrap a teetering pile of winter-wonderlandish fairytales and glowing-by-the-fire other-tales; eat mince pies; drink mulled wine; exorcise any hint of Scrooge; skid down the icy lanes of the very best Christmas carols, and best of all, sing your heart out!
Break out your kitsch Christmas jumpers; tinsel-up to excess, bring your Christmas wishes to add to our shrine. We'll supply the mistletoe - you bring the kisses.02 December 2021, 7.30PM
The Cube, Dove Street South, Avon, Bristol BS2 8JD£20 for a pair of tickets
Booking via Headfirst Bristol: https://hdfst.uk/E68070
The Crick Crack Club is one of the UK's boldest and busiest performance storytelling producers and programmers. We create exuberant, intelligent, wild, weird and wonderful events that draw people from all walks of life into the stunning content of international fairytale, folk, myth and epic.
Every month we bring our wild haven of fairytale, myth and epic to the awesome surroundings of Bristol's finest independent cinema, theatre and place of happenings - the Cube Microplex.Marketing Manager The Crick Crack Club E: saira@crickcrackclub.com www.crickcrackclub.comFor more information, see: https://crickcrackclub.com/crick-crack-events/carols-bristol/
- Brigstowe World AIDS Day Programme
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Date Posted: Fri, 29 Oct 2021
World AIDS Day 2021 is fast approaching and as always Brigstowe have put together a full programme of events to celebrate and commemorate this special occasion.
Starting with our annual flag raising event outside City Hall and ending with the vigil there is an event for everybody. To ensure safety and full accessibility of all attendees we will be offering a mix of virtual and in person events.
We need you!
This World AIDS Day (Dec 1st) we will be at Bristol Temple Meads train station, raising awareness, handing out ribbons and most importantly raising vital funds with our collection buckets. Could you spare a couple of hours between 7am - 7pm to join our team?
If so, please email: jane.mcgoldrick@brigstowe.org
Team Brigstowe. xWorld AIDS Day 2021 - Programme Donate to our Work Please consider becoming a Friend of Brigstowe by donating a regular monthly gift. Regular donations help us to make long term improvements to the lives of people living with HIV.
"Stigma is still there in the bucket loads. It's not something that is easy to live with. I lost my job and lived in my car for 3 years. I was pulled back from the edge by the people at Brigstowe. If it wasn't for Brigstowe, I'd be dead"
Kevin, Brigstowe Client
Just £10 a month (the price of one takeaway coffee a week) could be used to provide transport costs to a destitute client to access clinic and community services.
Copyright © 2021 Brigstowe, All rights reserved. For more information, see: https://www.brigstowe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BG1439-World-Aids-Day_Programme_2021-v5.pdf
- New Webpage - Videos
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Date Posted: Fri, 8 Oct 2021
This week we added a new page to our website - VIDEOS
During our 13 year history, many videos have been posted on YouTube and other social media platforms by various members and followers of the choir and where possible, we've previously linked them back to the relevant website event page on our calendar.
However, this requires the viewer to know when an event took place or to scroll through the calendar, which can be time consuming. Given that we've also recently branched out into other areas, we've come up with this new page as a way of bringing them all together in one place. The page is still in construction but there are already several videos embedded and we'll be adding more in the coming months.
Videos are categorised as follows:- Annual End Of Year Slideshows (usually still images of highlights from the year in question)
- Live Performance Videos (recorded at our concerts or other live events)
- Lockdown Videos (non-live performances of the type we started during lockdown)
- Getting To Know You Videos (Desert Island Discs style interviews Lindsey made with choir members)
- Everything Else (anything that doesn't fit into the above categories)
For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/Videos
- Vote For Your Favourite In The Royal Philharmonic Society Awards
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Date Posted: Fri, 10 Sep 2021
The annual Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in association with BBC Radio 3, celebrate the treasured role that classical music plays in our lives and this year, the shortlist of six ensembles for the coveted Inspiration award (voted for by members of the public) contains two choirs with connections to Sing Out Bristol.
Firstly, our friends The South Wales Gay Mens Chorus, who have shared the same stage with us on two occasions are shortlisted, along with The Bristol Choral Society, who count former Sing Out Bristol co-chair Nick Stephenson in their membership.
You can read more about each choir and watch their videos by clicking on the blue links above (or the embedded videos below). Alternatively, click here for the full list and instructions for voting.
SOUTH WALES GAY MENS CHORUS
BRISTOL CHORAL SOCIETY
- Afghanistan LGBTQI Appeal
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Date Posted: Sun, 29 Aug 2021
Thanks to Emma Beeston for sharing this appeal with us...
CLICK TO DONATE NOW
GiveOut has activated our LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund in response to the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. We are asking you – our community and corporate allies – to donate to this appeal to support Rainbow Railroad in their urgent work to help LGBTQ+ Afghans at risk.
LGBTQ+ Afghans at risk
The Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan following the collapse of the government and will implement their strict interpretation of Sharia law. LGBTQ+ Afghans will face extreme persecution and grave human rights violations, including torture and even execution. A Taliban judge has already vowed to sentence gay men to death by stoning or by being crushed by a wall. Many LGBTQ+ people will feel they have no choice but to try to flee.
"Even when I see the Taliban from the windows I feel really scared. My body starts shaking from seeing them." Anonymous, speaking to BBC
Support the emergency response
There are no LGBTQ+ organisations in Afghanistan. Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian and US based organisation that assists LGBTQ+ refugees around the world, is leading the emergency response. They are relying on their deep international network and contacts within the country to reach people facing persecution.
We are asking you – our community and corporate allies – to support Rainbow Railroad’s vital work to:
Triage requests for help and offer advice to those at risk in Afghanistan. They have already received hundreds of requests for help and expect to receive more.
Further develop their networks in the country and identify ways for LGBTQ+ Afghans to escape.
Advocate for Western governments to step up and support LGBTQ+ Afghan refugees, including them in resettlement schemes.
"The Taliban will never accept LGBT people. They will kill all of them on the spot." Anonymous, speaking to BBC
All donations to this appeal will support this life-saving work. As a charity registered in the UK, GiveOut can claim Gift Aid on all eligible donations – an extra 25p for every £1 you donate.
CLICK TO DONATE NOW
For more information, see: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/afghanistan-appeal
- TOGETHERNESS - Our Latest Video
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Date Posted: Mon, 9 Aug 2021
Our latest (and hopefully final) lockdown video is now available.
To mark the lifting of restrictions and the resumption of rehearsals, we're celebrating being together and what that means for us.
You can find it on our Facebook and Twitter pages or directly from YouTube by clicking the video below:
There's even an extended version featuring more of our members and what they got up to during lockdown:
YouTube Video URL:
- A Step In The Right Direction?
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Date Posted: Wed, 21 Jul 2021
From time to time we receive stories from our members that we feel are worth sharing with our other members and followers. Here's one such example from Roland in the Bass section:
"I recently visited my local branch of Travis Perkins to buy some slabs and noticed that the Yard operatives all wore heavy dirty work boots but with Rainbow laces in.
I commented on the laces and was told that a training officer had recently visited to advise them on LGBTQ+ people in the community and how to extend the Company Policy of inclusivity and not to be judgemental or to discriminate against them. They were also given a forum where they could talk to people from the LGBTQ community and find out how difficult life had been or is for some of them coming out or staying in the closet.
When I went to pay I noticed the screen savers on the Monitors had a list of instructions to help and remind staff how to be aware of, react , and welcome LGBTQ+ customers.
They had all been given a pair of rainbow laces as well and thought they were all very brave to wear them lol
I rang the manager later and was informed that this training was being carried out throughout all branches of Travis Perkins together with all subsidiary Companies within the group.
A start from a progressive company.
So if any one needs building materials you can got to Travis Perkins and wear your Rainbow laces.
Roland"
- Getting To Know You - Episode Ten
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Date Posted: Fri, 16 Jul 2021
On Tuesday, we premiered the 10th episode of Getting To Know You with the effervescent Nigel Wilkins, who chatted with Lindsey about his passion for public service and his coming out story. If you missed it or would like to watch it again, you can view it below, along with the full videos of Nigel's music choices. And if you want to see any or all of the previous 9 episodes, you can view them all here.
Getting To Know You will take a break for the month of August, but we'll be back in September. If you'd like to be featured in a future episode, let us know by emailing us here.
- Bristol Pride 2021 UPDATE
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2021
As you may already be aware, Bristol Pride have made the difficult but not unexpected decision to cancel all Pride Day events scheduled for July 10th. Other festival events are going ahead and you can find full details on the Bristol Pride website. They are in discussions with the council regarding alternative dates should restrictions be lifted later in the summer.
Here's the statement from the organisers, released yesterday (17th June).
- Brigstowe Summer Newsletter
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Date Posted: Fri, 4 Jun 2021
For more information, see: https://www.brigstowe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Summer-2021-Newsletter-1.pdf
- Getting To Know You - Episode Nine
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Date Posted: Fri, 4 Jun 2021
On Tuesday we premiered the latest in our series of interviews with choir members.
This latest episode sees Lindsey chatting with Emma Beeston and it's another must see as the extremely affable soprano tells us about her very unusual job and how she, together with her partner became the first same sex couple to adopt in Bristol.
There's also her three, very different music choices.. Unfortunatey, one of Emma's choices was blocked by YouTube diue to objections from the copyright holder. but you can hear the full length versions of all three choices below
Emma's music choices:
- Getting To Know You - Episode Eight
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Date Posted: Fri, 7 May 2021
On Tuesday we premiered the latest Getting To Know You video which saw Lindsey chatting to Darren Flaxstone about his life and work. It's a great interview with some touching moments, a little comedy and lots of great music, which sees Darren reveal some of his favourite movies.
Here are the full length videos of the tracks selected by Darren in his interview.
We've deliberately not named them to avoid spoiling the surprise if you haven't seen the interview yet.
TRACK ONE TRACK TWO TRACK THREE
To see all the previous Getting To Know You videos, click the link below.For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/GTKY
- From The Archive Extra
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Date Posted: Fri, 7 May 2021
Here's another event that we missed first time around - 12 years ago this week, we attended our first Various Voices event in London.
Various Voices 09 | May 3rd 2009 | South Bank Centre, London
This was our first Various Voices (a worldwide festival for LGBT choirs, now held every four years). 22 of us headed to London for the weekend to join numerous other choirs from across Europe. The performances all took place at Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre and the festival was opened by Sandy Toksvig and Lesley Garrett (the latter with whom we shared a warm-up session).
Although we were there for the whole weekend, this event focuses on our performance on the Sunday.
Lesley Garrett
We performed last in the Sunday lunchtime set, after the ARCU from France and one of the world's oldest LGBT choirs Homokoor "Onder Anderen" from the Netherlands.
Amen Siakdumisa
Dream a Little Dream
Locus Iste
Adiemus
Barbara Ann
Dog Dog
I Feel Like Going On
Mayenziwe
Tragedy
Over the Rainbow
Rhythm of Life
Taking part in the festival was a turning point in that we bonded as never before and came back feeling the choir was like a family. Unlike Dublin 2014 which was on a university campus, this took place in the South Bank Centre. Those venues not being used for the festival, along with all the cafes and restaurants, were open to the general public. This meant that I was able to socialise with friends and family during the weekend and still partake fully in the events. It was my sister's birthday and she celebrated by coming to our concert and going for a meal afterwards with 7 other family members. It also meant that we were mingling with the general public but it was still an LGBT-friendly space so they had to behave!
Our set was our first experience of performing outside Bristol and went well. Some of us also sang in the chorus in a performance of "Carmina Burana" in the Festival Hall on the final night. We rehearsed it from scratch during the festival weekend and was a real confidence-booster. It made us realise we could afford to be more ambitious.
Well-known TV style guru Gok Wan saw our performance and our then MD seemed to enjoy the subsequent 'attention'.
Nick Gill (Bass)
We (very few in number compared to now!) went to Various Voices in London in May 2009 like little country mice heading to the big city for the first time. We hadn’t been in existence for very long and didn’t really know what to expect. I was still the accompanist for the choir and Max Wellingham was conducting. I don’t remember the exact details but according to the running order of our set we sang 11 songs, and the choir was instructed to put their folders down on the stage after the first 5. Can you imagine us having folders on stage now?!
The main thing I remember and took away from the weekend was the buzz of excitement and pure joy at being part of such a huge gathering of like-minded people. We attended as many workshops, performances and social events as we could, and having gone to the event full of trepidation we came back buzzing with ideas and plans for how we could push Sing Out Bristol way outside its comfort zone (even to the point of introducing moves that were more complicated than the odd finger-click). It was hugely helpful to see how so many other choirs had started out just like us and had gone through all the same highs and lows, giving us the confidence and push we needed to kicks-tart us into what has become the amazing institution that Sing Out Bristol is, and of which we’re all so justly proud.
Rónán de Búrca (Accompanist in 2009)
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Thanks to Suzanne Doyle for loaning copies of the programme and photo book (published after the event).
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO SEE THE FULL SIZE GALLERY
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Just one video, a dodgy phone recording of an interesting rehearsal!
YouTube Video URL:
- Bristol Pride 2021 UPDATE
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Date Posted: Fri, 23 Apr 2021
The organisers of Bristol Pride have released some details of their proposals for this year's event
It was widely expected that this year's event would follow the format of last year and be held online, however the event will now be a 'physical' event, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Details are below, but here are the main points:- Pride Day is Sat July 10 and will be held in Castle Park
- There will be no stage and no named line-up (there will be acoustic performers)
- The parade will take place, adhering to any social distance measures that may be in place
- As usual there will be two weeks of other events but these are subject to change/cancellation depending on government restrictions
- This goes without saying, but for the avoidance of doubt, Sing Out Bristol will not be involved this year
Here is the full Bristol Pride press release:
Bristol Pride Festival
3rd July - 16th July 2021
Two weeks of spectacular events including Pride Night at O2 Academy Bristol, the ever-popular Dog Show, a spectacular drag Cabaret Night featuring queens from RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Comedy Night, Circus Night, Theatre Night and Queer Vision Film Festival.
A very special and different Pride Day on 10th July will be held at Castle Park, following our Pride Parade March. This will be a day for the community to gather and celebrate! 🏳️🌈
For all the information about this years programme of events head to our website.
FIND OUT MORE Pride would not be possible without your kind donations and the support of our festival partners
and supporters. Please consider a donation to help Bristol Pride deliver events and do work that continues to support the LGBT+ community.Donate to Bristol Pride Headline Partner 
Copyright © 2021 Bristol Pride, All rights reserved. YouTube Video URL: For more information, see: https://bristolpride.co.uk/festival-21/
- Captain Tom #100 Challenge for Southmead Hospital
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Date Posted: Fri, 23 Apr 2021
As Captain Sir Tom Moore made 100 laps of his garden to mark his 100th birthday, he became a national hero for his support of the NHS. Will you join us and help Captain Tom’s legacy live on?
We're calling on you to take on your very own version of his 100 challenge with your colleagues. You have the chance to be part of a national event and make a huge impact on your community just like Captain Tom.
The Captain Tom 100 challenge for your local NHS in five simple steps:
1. Choose your 100
Go it alone or team up with your colleagues - whatever you choose to do is up to you! You could juggle for 100 seconds, walk 100 km collectively, bake 100 cakes, pick up 100 pieces of litter, or do 100 good deeds for others.
2. Start your fundraising
Set up your JustGiving fundraising page here. Make sure to tell people what your 100 is, and why supporting your local NHS in Bristol is important to you.
3. Share your journey
Share your challenge with friends, colleagues and family and ask them to sponsor you. Don't forget to check if your employer does matched-giving.
4. Capture your success
You can stream your activity live on social media, post about it using #CaptainTom100 or track your activity on an app like Strava.
5. Enjoy the experience!
While your 100 challenge is a chance to inspire others and support your local NHS in Bristol, it's also the biggest opportunity to have fun! We are excited to see what you come up with and the smiles you'll create along the way.
Whatever you choose to do, you’ll support the one million patients and 12,000 staff at your local hospitals in Bristol - and we'll be right there alongside you to support you and cheer you on.
If you have any questions or would like to talk through some ideas, please do give me a call.
With very best wishes
Adrian Brown, Community & Events Manager, Southmead Hospital Charity
07514 941449 | adrian.brown@nbt.nhs.uk.Set up your JustGiving fundraising page 
Copyright © 2020 Southmead Hospital Charity, All rights reserved.
Southmead Hospital Charity
Princess Campbell Office
Southmead Hospital
Bristol, Avon BS10 5NB
United Kingdom
Registered Charity No: 1055900Tel: 0117 414 0170
- From The Archive - 50 Shades Of Gay
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Date Posted: Fri, 23 Apr 2021
Although we completed a full year of 'From The Archive' recently, we'll occasionally dip into the archive to uncover some content that may have been missed. This is one such occasion, as 4 years this week, we were back at St Georges for our most colourful concert to date...
5o Shades Of Gay | Sat 22 April 2017 | St Georges
Following on from our last movie-themed concert, this performance made even more extensive use of on screen graphics to enhance the viewing experience. Some of our performances were accompanied on screen by slideshows of photos taken by choir members of Bristol themed by the colour mentioned in the song, from orange buses to green Gromits. Each section also produced their own colourful intro videos which were great fun to film and showed off the social side of the choir.
Here are the performances from the night with their colour themed slideshows
Then at the end of the evening, Rónán's Angels took to the stage for their debut in the final encore of the evening - Colour My World...
Finally, a compilation of the four section videos shown on screen during the concert...
YouTube Video URL: For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=events&id=62980
- Various Voices 2021 Virtual Choir Festival - A Spring Affair SAT Apr 24
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Date Posted: Wed, 21 Apr 2021
This Saturday is the first Virtual Various Voices - 'A Spring Affair' and we are part of the show. All the details you need are below, but be aware the concert starts at 6pm BST (7pm Central European time) If you can't make it on Saturday, the whole event will remain on YouTube to watch at your leisure after the event finishes. Unfortunately, this event came just a little too soon for our new video to be considered, so we have submitted our last video release (#BeTheChange). Here's the Proud Voices (UK & Ireland) Social Media Post: We're having a Spring Affair with our continental siblings on Saturday evening, and you're invited! Yes, several of the UK & Ireland LGBT+ choirs join forces with the LEGATO Choirs family across Europe and beyond in a celebration of song! 54 choirs are participating, but a special shout out to the 14 UK and Ireland choirs in the line-up! Here are the timestamps for the local choirs: 0:52:28 European Queer Choir 2:01:27 Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus 2:05:47 Barberfellas 2:13:32 Rainbow Chorus 2:38:42 Quire Belfast LGBT Singers 2:43:30 Pink Singers 2:47:37 Sing Out Bristol (approximately 8.45pm) 3:15:05 London Gay Men's Chorus 3:40:55 Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus (approximately 9.40pm) 3:48:25 The Sunday Boys 3:55:29 Deep C Divas 4:13:31 Out Aloud- Sheffield LGBT Choir 4:18:45 Homonics
54 choirs, 4 hours and 28 minutes of amazing performances!Get the party started!
Thank you all so much for your contributions to Legato's first Virtual Choir Festival "Spring Affair" . We are overwhelmed by the huge amount of participating choirs around the world. Thank you so much for 21 gigabytes (!) Of wonderful material.We really appreciate the time you have put into your videos which we happily linked together to create more than 4 hours of music , fun and togetherness, even if we still have to be apart for now.You can look forward to seeing glorious performances on stage , when life seemed to be so easy, heartbreaking recordings during Covid time, put together by technical wizards and videos filled with joy and so much fun… Invite your family and friends to join for the premiere performance of "Spring Affair" on our YouTube Channel - order a large pizza or prepare some extraordinary dishes to celebrate the creativity of our member choirs and some amazing guests from Asia and the USHow does it work?
The premiere of the video starts at 7 pm Central European Time (CET +1) on Saturday, April 24, 2021 on our YouTube Channel YouTube.com/c/legatochoirs . Just hit the play button and enjoy!
Want to share it with your Choir members, family & friends, here's the link: https://youtu.be/TXlc8l64brQ
During the premiere it will not be possible to go forward, but you can pause and go back - after the video has been shown completely you can play it as often as you like, go forward and backward, order more Pizza, drinks…: - )So let's unveil who's on the playlist
1 . Sing out Brussels!
2. Barcelona Gay Men's Chorus
3. Barcelona Rainbow Singers
4. Monadessa Munich Project Choir
5. Voces por la Tolerancia
6. Edinburgh Munich Ukraine EMU video project
7. Cromatica Chorus
8. Krakofonia
9. Brighton Gay Men's Chorus
10. Philomonic
11th European Queer Choir
12. Beijing Queer Chorus
13. Rozenkoor
14. Galakoor
15th Gay Lesbian Choir Cologne
16. Le Chœur Gay de Toulouse
17. Les Genevoix
18th podium Paris
19. Voces LGBT de Madrid
20th Rainbow Choir Munich
21. Komos Coro LGTB di Bologna
22. Tapala note
23. Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus
24. Barberfellas
25. Voces Gaudii
26. Rainbow chorus
27. The WEIBrations28. Out 'n loud
29. Checcoro
30. Rainbow Sound Orchestra Munich
31. Quire Belfast LGBT Singers
32. Pink Singers
33. Sing Out Bristol
34. Parruccoro
35. Stranivari
36th Choir +
37. The Good News Female Gospel Choir
38. Dissolute lesbians
39. Choreos
40. Roma Rainbow Choir
41. London Gay Men's Chorus
42. Canon Inverso
43. MenAlive, Orange County Gay Men's Chorus
44. Melodiva
45. Cincinnati Men's Chorus
46. Bristol Gay Men's Chorus
47. Maneuver
48. The Sunday Boys
49. Gemengd Dameskoor Groningen
50. Deep C Divas
51. Musica Lesbiana
52. Out Aloud
53. Qoro
54. HomonicsWe hope you enjoyed every minute
Your feed back is valued
We would love to he ar from you - Show us how you celebrated and send us your photos.
We will feature the best in next month's newsletter and in social media.
Share the love & fun.
"We are family"Follow us!Board:
Juancho Almenara, Martin Brophy, Misza Czerniak, Martin Gerrits, Dominik K. Jakob, Dr. Petra Pecha č ek, Annette Zahl
Registered as a charitable association under German law, registration court: Mannheim, registration no .: VR 102885.YouTube Video URL: For more information, see: https://www.legato-choirs.com/
- Bristol Voice & Influence Partnership Community Feedback Event
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Date Posted: Mon, 12 Apr 2021
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
![Text on image - Make your voice heard, community feedback, 22nd of April 6pm online. Special guest carmen monoxide [photograph of Bristol Drag Queen Carmen Monoxide]](https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/DXd4AtPLVgQ5f-tUVYCU4fnSDWvOCS5vGajddQrLmsaZQQl-gRstsO7Cts-dejANxh2PDqKQ4gpawmun818g3ZWgXG9uOxm30UkXcpwS_BtQyGUHRBi2ofOA6P8HKk2AGRk5Fg-vu-dRxz1qyJrXKU9IHAFZOg=s0-d-e1-ft#https://mcusercontent.com/ff2d7ba908eff63010126352b/images/fd7d1385-59e4-4b9c-b6b7-1962feb1e247.jpg)
For more information, see: https://mailchi.mp/4c9aa826f1e7/voice-and-influence-member-enews-6175011?e=b52465c489
- Getting To Know You - Episode Seven
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Apr 2021
Here's episode 7 in our Getting To Know You series, which premiered during Tuesday's Zoom event.
This month, Lindsey chats to fellow Assistant MD, Gena (Orgena) Rose about her amazing career prior to joining Sing Out Bristol, which saw her tour the world, performing at some prestigious venues, such as Carnegie Hall and on Broadway.
It's a great interview with some fabulous archive footage.
Next month, Lindsey will be chatting to BAFTA nominated tv editor and occasional movie director, Darren Flaxstone (this is a change to the caption at the end of Episode 7, which states that Emma Beeston would be the next subject - Emma's video will now be shown at the beginning of June).YouTube Video URL:
- Sing Out Bristol's Game Show Rip-Off: Episode One
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Apr 2021
If you were at Tuesday's Zoom event, you'll have seen our latest social video 'experiment'. Recorded as a one-off at the time, this half hour video saw the four section coordinators compete against each other in a Richard Osman's House Of Games (BBC2 6pm weekdays) style quiz, which we've called The Game Show Rip-Off.
It proved surprisingly entertaining to watch, so we're open to the idea of doing more and keeping a leader board of how each section does. If you'd like to take part in a future episode, get in touch (info@singoutbristol.org..uk). We need one person from each section. Although we'll be tackling other quiz show formats in the future, our next episode will stick with the House Of Games format, as there are plenty of other rounds that we haven't covered yet.
If you weren't at Tuesday's session, take 30 minutes out of your day and watch the first episode below and see how well you would have done. We need to say a massive thanks to Ian, Jo, Stephen and Suzanne for taking part so enthusiastically and representing their sections and to Vince for acting as the glamorous assistant off-screen, keeping score.YouTube Video URL:
- Bristol Pride to Continue LGBT Bristol's Directory of Organisations
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Apr 2021
When their funding was cut last year, Bristol lost a valuable resource in LGBT Bristol. One of the projects they ran was to maintain a directory of organisations providing services to the LGBTQ+ community in the Bristol area.
Bristol Pride announced this week that they have taken over the maintenance of this useful resource.
You can find the directory below (either browse the list or search by key word. As you'd expect, your favourite choir is on the list, of course. It's worth bookmarking this webpage as you never know when it may come in useful.
ORGANISATIONS DIRECTORY
VENUES AND NIGHTCLUBS
- From The Archive - Week 42
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Date Posted: Wed, 10 Mar 2021
Another social event this week. Two years ago we took another trip to the cinema.
SOCAL: Everybody's Talking About Jamie | March 6th 2019 | Everyman Cinema
Thanks to one of our members being the manager of a cinema, at the time (cheers Darren Armstrong), we were able to offer our members a free showing in the Everyman Cinema in Clifton of Everyone's Talking About Jamie, which was being streamed from The Apollo Theatre, London nationwide at a cost of £18 per ticket to the general public.
A great evening with a chance to mix socially away from choir rehearsals and pressures of the forthcoming ICONS performance.
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- From The Archive - Week 41
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Date Posted: Fri, 5 Mar 2021
This week we head re-visit 2017 when we headed across The Severn for our first performace in Cardiff. Four years ago, yesterday we supported South Wales Gay Mens Chorus for their spring concert...
SOUTH WALES GAY MENS CHORUS GO STATESIDE | 4TH MARCH 2017 | ROYAL WELSH COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DRAMA
We were delighted to receive an invitation from our friends, The South Wales Gay Mens Chorus to appear alongside them at the prestigious Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, in Cardiff.
Many choir members decided to make a weekend of it and booked a B&B or hotel and the entire weekend was an experience we'll all remember.
The theme of the concert was Stateside and we chose 8 songs from our current repertoire at the time (leading up to our 50 Shades of Gay concert), which we performed either side of the mid evening interval.
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Big Yellow Taxi Purple Rain Kiss From A Rose Nights in White Satin The Rainbow Connection Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Gold (from the movie Once) Briefcase Full Of Blues
We don't have any photos or recordings from the concert itself (except for one of our hosts performing), but there are plenty of other pics and one performance video (LSO) in the gallery (click on the images below to view).
Here's a summary slideshow from the weekend featuring the photos and video from the gallery
- BONUS From The Archive II
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Date Posted: Fri, 5 Mar 2021
A few weeks back we brought you a bonus FTA of the day the Sopranos filmed their section video for our 50 Shades Of Gay concert. Four years ago last week, it was the turn of the Tenors to film theirs. A similar approach taken, with powder paint and a specially choreographed piece by Dawei, saw the tenors take to Brandon Hill park for a day's filming - much to the bemusement of the many passers-by.
Also, on the same day, a brave group of Altos got together to film their video.
&
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW THE GALLERY OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM THE DAY.
THE FINISHED VIDEO WILL BE SHOWN ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHERS IN A FEW WEEKS TIMEALTOS
TENORS
- Getting To Know You - Episode Six
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Date Posted: Wed, 3 Mar 2021
For our latest GTKY, we turn the spotlight on our long standing multi-talented MD. Rónán discusses his early years growing up in a very conservative Ireland in the 1970s, through to his time with Sing Out Bristol.
We hear about his love of classical music, his three favourite pieces of music and he finally reveals his favourite choir songs. There's also a lovely treat for music fans at the end.
Not to be missed.
LINKS TO RÓNAN'S SONG CHOICES
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Clair de Lune
Ebben? Né Andro Lontana
- From The Archive - Week 40
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Date Posted: Thu, 25 Feb 2021
We hinted at this FTA in last week's email, after an Instagram post from our hosts mentioned we were the last group to sing in the chapel. So here's the full story of the day we went to a prison for the first time:
OUTREACH: HM PRISON SHEPTON MALLET LGBT HISTORY MONTH PERFORMANCE
Tuesday 28 February 2012
To mark LGBT History Month, we were invited to perform at Shepton Mallet prison by their GBT society, 'Inside Out' to promote acceptance of and offer support to gay, bisexual and transgender inmates. Our audience consisted of inmates, officers and volunteer prison visitors and was very well received. At the time the prison was the oldest operating jail in the UK, opening in 1625 and steeped in history, with many accounts of ghost sightings over the years. As far as we know, we were the first (and possibly only) LGBT choir to sing in a prison.
The evening comprised of our performance in the prison chapel, followed by refreshments and a tour of the working prison, which was both fascinating and very eery. The Great British weather played its part by shrouding the prison in thick fog, meaning our visit to the gallows and unmarked graves in the grounds of the prison was nothing short of terrifying - listening to our guide tell us of the long list of previous inmates who met their end at the hands of this grisly apparatus, all while fingers of icy cold fog wrapped themselves around this naive group of gay singers nervously looking over their shoulders into the murky darkness.
Being a working prison, no photographs or recordings were permitted, so you'll just have to take our word for it that the evening was thoroughly fantastic and yet another example of the varied and diverse history of this amazing choir.
We based our performance on the One In Ten concert (click the blue link to see performances of all the songs from that concert), which we had performed a few weeks earlier and featured in From The Archive, earlier this month. We performed 8 songs and introduced them with amended speeches about the LGBT history from the decade the songs featured in.
As mentioned, the prison was open and working at the time but it closed the following year and has since operated as a tourist attraction for the area; although controversial plans have recently been approved to convert the derelict areas into accommodation and community spaces. The prison recenty tagged our performance in an Instagram post to their followers (although they did get the year wrong!!):
SHEPTON MALLET INSTAGRAM POST 19TH February, 2021
CERI: Hello and good evening. It’s wonderful to be here this evening in one of our most unusual of performance venues and we’re delighted to be able to perform a version of a concert we did a couple of weeks ago. For those of you that haven’t heard anything about us before, we are Sing Out Bristol We are the largest lesbian gay bisexual and transgender choir in the south west - and one of the biggest in the UK. Tonight we are here this evening in conjunction with LGBT History month, representing the much quoted one in ten of the population who identify as LGBT.
RUNNING ORDER AND SCRIPT
KARL: Less than a lifetime ago people of marginalised sexualities lived in fear and silence. They had no voice. Tonight we will celebrate the story of how that voice was found, starting our journey in the 1950s, a time when being LGB or T meant a careful life of secrets. At that time in Britain alone, thousands of men a year were prosecuted and imprisoned because of their sexuality. But things were about to change.
CERI: This undercurrent of change took place to a soundtrack of big numbers and melancholic ballads but our first number features no melancholy. I hope you’re all feeling a little pretty and witty and gay....we are Sing Out Bristol.!
Choir sings West Side Story medley
Written Name Release Duration Style Accompaniment Movement Formation Choir 1957 Westside Story Medley 1957 00:08:15 Upbeat Piano Yes BAST ALL
KRISTINA: Moving up the tempo a little, we’re now going to the swinging 1960s- the decade of the Beatles, JFK, flower-power and the birth of the grass-roots gay rights movement. June 1969 saw an unconstitutional police raid on a New York gay nightclub turn into what would become known as the Stonewall Riots. For the first time, members of the LGBT community rose up together in protest to their treatment by the authorities - The riots were the starting pistol for gay activism. In Britain, acts of love between consenting men over 21 were decriminalised in England and Wales. A victory that was the first step towards equality. With our next number, written for the musical Sweet Charity, we’re going to put a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet as we sing an adapted version of Rhythm of Life.
EMMA: In the 1970s ‘the love that dare not speak its name’ became the love that wouldn’t shut up! 1970 saw the first Gay Pride March take place- an annual event that is now celebrated all over the world. The 80s saw some early victories- decriminalisation finally extended to Scotland and Northern Ireland and Britain had its first out gay MP. But the shadow cast over the 80s by HIV and AIDS was something that would change the LGBT community forever. However, our community campaigned for increased funding into research and education and for protection against discrimination. A personal and social tragedy of immense proportions, HIV and AIDS paradoxically strengthened the political arm of the gay movement. Our song for this era, while written during the 1970s was also a hit in the 90’s, feel free to sing along if you know either version.Written Name Release Duration Style Accompaniment Movement Formation Choir 1966 Rhythm of Life 1969 00:03:30 Upbeat Piano Yes TSBA ALL 1965 Feelin' Good 1965 00:02:30 Upbeat A Cappella Yes STBA ALL
Written Name Release Duration Style Accompaniment Movement Formation Choir 1976 Could It Be Magic 1992 00:04:00 Upbeat Piano Yes STBA ALL
MATTHEW: We’re now up to the 1990s which the lobbying group Stonewall, established in 1989, leading campaigns for not only the repeal of Section 28 but greater equality for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people in all aspects of the law. The age of consent was lowered to 18 which was an improvement but still not equality. Internationally, I was delighted that after over 30 years of suffering from the mental health illness which the World Health Organisation called homosexuality, in 1990 I was cured; they declared that it was not an illness after all. This decade gave some confidence and voice back to people. The 90s were also a time of musical change and we’ve chosen some lyrically beautiful ballads to celebrate the 1990s, many of which have become almost timeless.
WrittenName Release Duration Style Accompaniment Movement Formation Choir 1997 Make You Feel My Love 1997 00:03:50 Mellow Piano Yes SATB ALL 1992 Long Day Closes 1992 Mellow A Cappella No SATB ALL 1997 Angel 1999 00:05:30 Mellow A Cappella No STBA SMALL ENSEMBLE
PETE: Somebody once said 'history never feels like history when you're living through it' but the first decade of the 21st century saw some truly historic landmarks reached for the British LGBT community. The long-fought campaign for an equal age of consent was finally won and the ban on lesbians and gay men serving in the armed forces was lifted. Equal adoption rights for same-sex couples and the introduction of Civil Partnerships are a few examples of how our families and relationships now receive greater legal recognition. Our community now has the loudest voice it has ever had but there are many who are still to find it. Homophobic crimes and prejudice in the UK is still a reality and in other parts of the world LGBT communities and campaigners face fundamental challenges. In six countries, homosexuality is still punishable by life imprisonment; in ten others, it still carries the death penalty. Tonight our voices are their voices too. This will be our last song.
Written Name Release Duration Style Accompaniment Movement Formation Choir 2007 Shine 2007 00:04:20 Upbeat A Cappella Yes S-A-T-B ALL
CERI & KARL: Thanks - ENCORE - We Are Family
18 months after this performance, former choir member Mike Burgess, who was then volunteering at Bristol's LGBT+ Forum sent us this message:
"Hi Sing Out,
I received a touching reminder of what singing with Sing Out Bristol is all about this morning. As part of my role within the LGBT forum I receive many letters and emails from people seeking help and advice concerning their journey of coming to terms with their sexuality. Today I got a letter from a man currently in Leyhill prison, inside the system for 6 years – who came out within the system – and has campaigned from the inside for acceptance and support. He has set up successful support groups in every establishment he has stayed in – and is particularly proud that he (Inside Out) was involved in getting ‘Sing Out Bristol’ to Shepton Mallet – which he described as ‘a fantastic concert’!! As a member of that troupe of singers that braved that night – confirmation that it meant so much to him (and others there too) made me feel all weepy inside. I’d really like you to pass this on to all who were involved."
As a consequence of this contact, we went on to perform at Leyhill Prison for their Pride event in 2017 and ahead of that performance, we again received a message from another inmate who was Shepton Mallet at the time and later transferred to Leyhill:
"Thank you for agreeing to perform for us on May 29th – Leyhill Pride Day.
I was one of the organisers of your concert at HMP Shepton Mallet and I have been trying to get you to Leyhill ever since!
Leyhill Pride is a day of LGBT celebration held at the end of LGBT Awareness Month at Leyhill prison. The whole month is intended to increase awareness of LGBT issues facing prisoners and the wider community, and to promote a culture of tolerance and respect in prison.
This is our second year of staging this high profile and unusual (in a prison setting anyway) event. Last year was very successful but this year we plan to be bigger, better, bolder, brighter and gayer!
Our goal is to build a lasting, though rolling LGBT community within Leyhill, to strengthen ties with the wider community and to grow into a prison where all LGBT people feel comfort
- From The Archive - Week 39
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Date Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2021
I think we've pretty much covered every major Sing Out Bristol concert in From The Archive, with the exception of this one and it's truly a cracker. Ten years ago this very day, we made our one and only appearance at The Redgrave Theatre in Clifton for a glittering extravaganza that we called:
The proceeds from this concert were donated to Freedom Youth and it was a considerable donation as this was our first ever sellout concert.
Glamour concert | Redgrave Theatre | Saturday February 19th 2011
For the first time, we featured a non-musical guest performer, on stage with us; 'Stephen', who gave two of our songs some added visual content, displaying his aerial acrobatic moves as a rope climber. Stephen only came on board 4 days before the concert, so had a steep learning curve, as well as his climb. Here's one of those songs, Fever. (featuring current member Tanya and ex tenor, Mayowa sharing the solo). Thank you to Scott Farmer for the video clip.
click each title to see the video of the performance
The Heart's Cry (solo by Leila Stroud)
Welcome Speech by Ceri
Money, Money, Money
Beautiful
Hashivenu
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (with intro)
I Know Him So Well (small Bass ensemble)
Rehab (with intro)
Moon River
Adiemus
Bella Mama (with audience participation)
Mamma Mia (with intro)
Jai Ho
End of Act One speech by Ceri and Nick S
Hallelujah
Lacrimosa (Karl Jenkins)
She (Altos and Sopranos small ensemble) with intro
Lean on Me (Tenors & Basses) solo by Rob Sainsbury
Goodnight My Angel (Lullaby) with intro
I Feel Like Going On
Clapping Dance
Super Trouper (with intro)
Fever (solos by Mayowa and Tanya)
Waterloo
I Am What I Am
Encore 1 Thank You For The Music
Closing and Thank You Speeches
Encore 2 We Are Family
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW THE FULL GALLERY
- From The Archive - Week 38
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Date Posted: Fri, 12 Feb 2021
This week we had a choice - one year ago we held our last official physical event (away from our rehearsal venue) before lockdown, when we joined UWE LGBT+ society and the UWE singers for a joint rehearsal at 'their place', but we covered that in the recent review of the year, so instead, let's head back 9 years to 2012...
One In Ten Concert | Victoria Rooms | February 4th 2012
Our first performance at the Victoria Rooms, which first opened to the public in May 1842 and for many years served as the most important and lively cultural centre in the West of England,.playing host in 1852 to Charles Dickens!
The name 'One In Ten' came from the widely acknowledged statistic that around 10% of the population are LGBT+. The set list was split into decades, with each section preceeded by a brief spoken introduction, charting the significant events in the decade affecting LGBT culture.
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Click on the titles in blue to view the videos. The introduction speeches are worth a listen for their content, as well.
Alternatively you can view the wole concert as a YouTube playlist here.
Prelude
Mravaljamier 1914 (this was performed in complete darkness, so not much to see, but it sounds fab)
The 1950s:
Introduction
Westside Story Medley 1957
Every Time We Say Goodbye 1950
The 1960s:
Introduction
Rhythm of Life 1969
Feelin' Good 1965
River Deep Mountain High 1968
The 1970s & 1980s:
Introduction
And So It Goes 1989
Tragedy 1998
Could It Be Magic 1976
The 1990s:
Introduction
Rain Orchestra 2009
Make You Feel My Love 1997
The Long Day Closes 1992
Tears in Heaven 1991
Angel 1999
The 2000s:
Introduction
Rolling In The Deep 2010
Fix You 2005
Shine 2007
Encore
Could It Be Magic 1992
Fix You 2005
River Deep Mountain High 1968
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CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
- Getting To Know You - Episode Five
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Date Posted: Wed, 3 Feb 2021
Here's the latest instalment in our series of Desert Island Discs style programmes, this month featuring the energetic Emma Bagley. Emma discusses her nomadic choir life and sporty lifestyle outside of choir, as well as how politics has impacted her life.
If you'd like to hear the full versions of the songs Emma chose, you'll find links to the YouTube videos at the bottom of the page. We definitely recommend listening to Isaiah 40 all the way through.
Isaiah 40
LINKS TO EMMA'S SONG CHOICES
Go Your Own Way
Let The River Run
- From The Archive - Week 37
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Date Posted: Wed, 3 Feb 2021
For this week's FTA, we celebrate LGBT History Month. 8 years ago, we launched the start of the annual commemoration in Bristol at two events on consecutive days.
On the Friday evening we performed 6 songs at a launch event in City Hall, hosted by the Lord Mayor. Then the following morning, we moved across to The M Shed and performed again for the launch of Bristol OutStories 'Revealing Stories' exhibition. Some of the stories were contributed by choir members.
Friday February 1st 7.30pm | LGBT History Month Launch | City Hall
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- Perfect Day
- Something Stupid
- Imagine
- Siyahamba
- Say A Little Prayer (with moves)
- Shine
Saturday February 2nd 11am | OutStories Revealing Stories Launch | M Shed
- Perfect Day
- Something Stupid
- Imagine
- Siyahamba
- Say A Little Prayer (with moves)
- Shine
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Thanks to Matt Seow for these images.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW THE FULL GALLERY
- From The Archive - Week 36
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Date Posted: Fri, 29 Jan 2021
This week, we head back 2 years for our first social of 2019.
January Social | 31st January 2019 | The Lounge, Bedminster
A great way to start the new year, with our policy of holding a social event every month continuing despite the inclement weather. A sizeable group of around 25 of us met at The Lounge, in Bedminster, kindly arranged by bass member, Danny Champken, who even managed to arrange a free drink for everyone, lovely!
A fab evening of conversation, food and drinks accompanied by much laughter in the company of some great friends, ended with us venturing out on to Bedminster's streets to head home, to find they had turned white during the evening, following a heavy snowfall.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW THE FULL GALLERY
Thanks to Danny Champken and Stephen Santouris for the photos
- From The Archive - Week 35
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Date Posted: Sat, 23 Jan 2021
Our next edition of From The Archive takes us back just 12 months, but it feels like a lifetime ago, when an impressive two thirds of the choir crammed into a tiny venue in Clifton to answer some silly quiz questions. Annual Quiz Night | Saturday 18th January | 99 Queens
The return of the annual quiz night saw us move to a new venue, 99 Queens, in Clifton, for the 2019 event (actually held in January 2020). A bumper attendance of 62 choir members and friends saw a close battle between teams representing the four choir sections and, for the first time, our audience submitted a team, which also included our MD and Accompanist.
The cash prize for the winning individual team went to Hoof Hearted from the Bass section, who walked away with £60 between them. Runners-Up were The Groupies (representing our audience), who won £40, while the £20 third place prize went to Quiz Team & The Queens representing the tenors. Overall though, the Audience 'section' were the most victorious and took the coveted trophy home.
Full Results for the first part
For the second part of the evening, we scrapped the pen and paper format and individual members represented their sections in a House Of Games (Richard Osman on BBC2, if you've not seen it) style format. The points for each section were carried over from part one, with an average score being used if there were more than one team per section.
Sopranos and Altos performed particularly well in the second part but fell just short in a very close result that saw the Audience team take the trophy at their first attempt.
Final Overall Result
1st AUDIENCE 149
2nd BASS 138
3rd TENOR 131
4th SOPRANO 123
5th ALTO 108
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW THE FULL GALLERY
- Bristol Port Donates To Sing Out Bristol
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Date Posted: Sat, 23 Jan 2021
With the choir being unable to meet and perform for nearly a year now, our income has been severely impacted and the committee have started to explore alternative sources, including grants and corporate donations.
Thanks to some hard work from Emma Bagley and April Pye, the drive has already proved fruitful with our first donation received this week from The Bristol Port Company.
We are immensely grateful for the kind donation of £250 from this Avonmouth company who took over the site from Bristol City Council 20 years ago and have turned it into one of the country's busiest ports, directly employing over 500 people.
- Getting To Know You - Episode Four
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Date Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2021
Part four in our series of Desert Island Discs style interviews. Lindsey Williams talks with Nick Gill about the early days of the choir and Nick's own life journey as a gay man. YouTube Video URL:
- Brigstowe AGM
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Date Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2021
Please join us for
Brigstowe's Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Tuesday 19th January 2021
6pm - via Zoom
Alongside the formal business of Charity governance we will be hearing more about the vital work undertaken during Covid-19 and promoting two new exciting projects that will be starting in 2021.
Please register your attendance in one of the following ways
Email: info@brigstowe.org
Call and ask for Sofia: 01179555038.
Those who register will receive the full agenda, including the Zoom link, the day before the event..Donate to our Work Please consider becoming a Friend of Brigstowe by donating a regular monthly gift. Regular donations help us to make long term improvements to the lives of people living with HIV.
"Stigma is still there in the bucket loads. It's not something that is easy to live with. I lost my job and lived in my car for 3 years. I was pulled back from the edge by the people at Brigstowe. If it wasn't for Brigstowe, I'd be dead"
Kevin, Brigstowe Client
Just £10 a month (the price of one takeaway coffee a week) could be used to provide transport costs to a destitute client to access clinic and community services.
- Tune-In 2020 Edition
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Date Posted: Wed, 30 Dec 2020
It's been quite a while (15 months, to be exact) since our last 'quarterly' magazine, so here's a one-off edition for 2020, looking back over the previous 15 months and bringing non-members up to date with what's been going on (or not) in the choir.
This edition contains more embedded videos than normal, so we've experimented with the format to allow the videos to be played without leaving this page. Unfortunately, this means it's not suitable for viewing on a mobile phone, but should work fine on a tablet or laptop.
Alternatively, click on the link below to download the file.
For more information, see: https://1drv.ms/p/s!Ajiy3Cs2NEHcgRQCDcV1hhtekfQC?e=J6yGKH
- From The Archive - Week 33
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
Christmas Party | December 10th 2010 | The Southbank Arts Centre
For our final FTA of the year, we travel back a whole decade to our first ever winter social organised by the wonderful Tanya Hazell and held in the Southbank Centre, Southville. The night ended with snow, as we left the venue - a perfect White Christmas.
CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
- Getting To Know You - Episode Three
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
The third in our series of Desert Island Discs style interviews, with Lindsey Willimas in the chair.
This month's subject is the inimitable Otter Baker. who discusses her extraordinary life including all the highs and lows that shaped who she is today. One not to be missed.
YouTube Video URL:
- Review of the Year - 2020
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
It's fair to say this has been a slightly different year to normal. Not a single public performance and only three physical events, outside of regular rehearsals to speak of. All three are covered here, in our video review of the year. Not many of us had heard of the Zoom platform at the start of the year but oh how we came to rely on it.
Despite the coronavirus curtailing our activities, this was still an extremely busy year, in terms of online events, We participated in a total of 7 online events, including our first ever online concert, with 4 guest acts. We also made 7 lockdown videos, clips of which you can see here.
Hopefully next year will see a return to physical rehearsals and performances at some point, but in the meantime, we have memories of a challenging year which we came through together.YouTube Video URL:
- From The Archive - Week 32
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Date Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2020
For this week's FTA, we revisit the year 2016 for two performances and a social all in the space of a week.
World AIDS Day Commemoration | Broadmead Baptist Church | December 3rd 2016
Our annual performance for the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day commemoration at our rehearsal venue, Broadmead Baptist Church.
If Everybody Looked the Same
Big Yellow Taxi
The Rainbow Connection
Purple Rain
Fields of Gold
White Winter Hymnal
Skyfall
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Colour My World
CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
We participated in a full day of performances from local groups in Cabot Circus to raise funds for Ronald Mcdonald House children's charity. We followed this with an impromptu social in The Phoenix and later a few hardy souls even made it to The Queenshilling.
Ronald Mcdonald House Fundraiser 2016 | Cabot Circus | December 10th 2016
Big Yellow Taxi
Briefcase Full Of Blues
Colour My World
Fields of Gold
If Everybody Looked the Same
Let It Snow
Purple Rain
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Skyfall
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Rainbow Connection
Walking In A Winter Wonderland
CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW THE FULL GALLERY
- From The Archive - Week 31
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Date Posted: Fri, 4 Dec 2020
With this being World AIDS Day week, there's only one event to focus on.
Every year since 2010, we've performed for at least one World AIDS charity on or around December 1st (except this year, of course where we had to 'go virtual').
We don't have images from every event, and we already covered 2015, last week, but here's part one of a selection of past World AIDS Day events. Part Two to follow next week.
2019 - Busking for National AIDS Trust in Cabot Circus
It's De-Lovely
Just Give Me A Reason
One Day Like This
Elton John Medley
Truly Brave
Shallow
You Are The Reason
Colour My World
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE FULL GALLERY
2019 - Brigstowe/THT Celebration at The Watershed
For the second year in a row, we performed at Brigstowe's World AIDS Day celebration event hosted in The Watershed. This years's event also launched Bristol as a Fast-Track City (one of only a handful of UK cities to achieve this status), with Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees attending the event to sign the declaration. The Fast Track Cities initiative is a world-wide movement towards achieving zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths by 2030.
We performed 3 songs at the end of the 2 hour event. from our current repertoire: You Are The Reason, Shallow and Truly Brave. The audience seemed to react well, with the last song in particular moving some to tears.
Shallow
Truly Brave
You Are the Reason
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE FULL GALLERY
2018 - Busking for National AIDS Trust in Cabot Circus
This year was the 30th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day and this was the first of two performances for us on the same day. Last year we took part in the National AIDS Trust World AIDS Day fundraising campaign by performing at Temple Meads Railway Station (along with many other choirs who did the same at their local railway station).
This year we suggested moving the event to Cabot Circus to take advantage of the larger footfall there. This strategy seemed to work as we increased the amount raised last year considerably, collecting just under £200 in our buckets. This contributed to the national total which just under £100,000.
Thanks to everyone who came to support us and to the photographers who contributed to our gallery. Here's to next year's event.
Music Director & Conductor: Rónán de Búrca
Gig Coordinator: Nigel Wilkins
Africa
Colour My World
Elton John Medley
One Day Like This
Rise
River Deep Mountain High
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
This Is Me
We Are Family
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE FULL GALLERY
2018 - Brigstowe/THT 30th Anniversary of World AIDS Day Celebration at The Watershed
We were once again delighted to be invited to support Brigstowe's annual World AIDS Day event by performing at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day, held at The Watershed on Bristol's Harbourside.
We performed 3 songs for an appreciative audience.
Music Director & Conductor: Rónán de Búrca
Gig Coordinator: Nigel Wilkins
Rise
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Elton John Medley
Thanks to Dawei Qi, wo made these video clips of our performance:
Elton John Medley (Crocodile Rock)
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
Elton John Medley (Your Song)
Rise (Excerpt)
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
2017 - Brigstowe Vigil at St James PrioryA change from our usual World AIDS Day performances, which have largely taken place at the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) organised commemoration events in Broadmead Baptist Church. In 2017, THT lost its funding with the city and the premises in West Street closed.
In its place, this vigil was organised with Brigstowe and THT combining. We were invited to come along and perform a small number of songs with a positive 'vibe' and to provide some light entertainment as a celebration at the end of the vigil.
Music Director and conductor: Rónán de Búrca.
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
2017 - Busking For The National AIDS Trust at Temple Meads Railway Station
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY
Our second event of the World AIDS Day weekend, saw us performing outdoors at the entrance to Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station. The event was organised by the National AIDS Trust (NAT), as part of a nationwide fundraising campaign where Lgbt choirs sang at their local railway station with collection buckets to raise money for the NAT's support fund.
Again, our set consisted of songs from Fifty Shades of Gay and a couple of additional songs, suitable for outdoor performing.
Music Director and Conductor: Rónán de Búrca.
- World AIDS Day - Be The Change Videos
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Date Posted: Tue, 1 Dec 2020
Here are the two videos of Be The Change that we produced for HIV Charities.
Thank you to everyone who submitted audio and video files for the project and thanks as always to Rónán for the expert audio editing.
Firstly, here's the 'main' version featuring more of the choir - #BeTheChange
And the alternative version produced in support of The National AIDS Trust
- From The Archive - Week 30
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Date Posted: Fri, 27 Nov 2020
It's World AIDS Day weekend, so for this week and next week we're featuring past World AIDS Day performances.
Saturday November 28th 2015 | Armada House
We were invited to perform at the now annual Brigstowe/THT World AIDS Day celebration event, this year held in Armada House, off Baldwin Street. We performed 9 songs at this emotion laden event.
After the event, we relocated to the Queenshilling for our annual quiz night, this year won by the Altos.
Thanks to Michael Reynolds for the photos and video clips of some of our perfromance.
De Noche
Viva La Vida
Wind Beneath My Wings
Bread and Roses
One Day Like This
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Dulaman
Skyfall
Disco Fever
Click the image below to see the full gallery of photos and videos from the event and some photos from the quiz night
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SKYFALL
ONE DAY LIKE THIS
- From The Archive - Week 29
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Date Posted: Fri, 20 Nov 2020
Another social event this week.
Alto v Soprano 10 Pin Bowling Re-Match | November 15th 2019
So just 12 months ago, when we were able to still socialise in person, the altos, still smarting from their defeat at the hands of the sopranos in March of this year, challenged the their victors to a re-match.
This time, the result was much closer, but the Sopranos still won (despite having one less player).
Maybe a best of 5 is on the cards when we earge from COVID restrictions ;)
Result (Over 2 games):
Altos 1.319 points
Sopranos 1,392 points
Highest scorer on the night was Ali Blake
Thanks to Hilary and Lis for the photos
Click any image to see the full gallery of 14 photos
- From The Archive - Week 27
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Date Posted: Fri, 6 Nov 2020
No specific event to look back on this week, so instead, here's a link to our photo gallery from the various Festival Of Song events we performed at between 2010 and 2015. We brought you details of the first one in 2010, two weeks ago, but there were several others and we also have videos of our performance from 2011:
VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
- Getting To Know You - Episode Two
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Date Posted: Tue, 3 Nov 2020
The second in our series of Desert Island Surface style interviews with choir members. Here, Lindsey Williams talks to Marianne Hester, OBE about her life from growing up in Denmark to receiving an OBE in the UK for her work researching the causes of domestic violence. A fascinating interview.
YouTube Video URL:
- From The Archive - Week 26
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Date Posted: Fri, 30 Oct 2020
For this week's archive antics, we're heading back just 12 months to Saturday October 26th October and our autumn social on the Avon.
A group of around 40 of us took an evening boat trip on a chilly night, but what we wouldn't give to be able to do that now! 40 people definitely not socially distanced, enjoying each other's company and a few drinks accompanied by a typical Sing Out Bristol soundtrack.
To view all the photos, click the grid below.
Thanks to Michael Reynolds for the images.
For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/boattrip
- From The Archive - Week 25
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Date Posted: Fri, 23 Oct 2020
For this week's FTA, we head back a whole decade! Ten years ago today we participated in the first Festival Of Song in Bristol.
Organised by Bristol's Gathering Voices charity, the event was put on to establish Bristol as the UK's first "City of Song" and ran annually from 2010 to 2016. The festival consisted of various musical events held during the week in venues across the city, culminating in a day and night event in the centre. We were one of 70 choirs perforning around the harbourside during the day and then again at a more formal event in the evening at St Georges.
A showery morning, meant we sang under trees and umbrellas for the first part of our daytime set, but the sun eventually 'shined' for us. In the evening we dressed up and headed up to St Georges to round off a great day.
FLASH MOB
The following day, the organisers arranged a flash-mob performance of Hey Big Spender, in Cabot Circus for members of all the choirs who took part the previous day. You can view the clip here, courtesy of ShoutOut Radio.
Our Lesley taking part in the Flash Mob for Hey Big Spender in Cabot Circus
The choir pose for a photo on WelshBack, while sheltering from the rain
Sinner Man
I Feel Like Going On
Adiemus
Hallelujah
Money, Money, Money
Beautiful
Hashivenu
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Super Trouper
We Are Family
Mayenziwe
THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (afternoon)
SHINE (afternoon)THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (evening)
WE ARE FAMILY (evening)
HALLELUJAH (evening)
I FEEL LIKE GOING ON (evening)
Thanks to Dan Cragg and Nick Banks for the video links.
MONEY MONEY MONEY (evening)
SHINE (evening)
A slideshow of images from the weekendYouTube Video URL:
- Getting To Know You - Episode One
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Date Posted: Fri, 16 Oct 2020
From the results of the recent members survey, where we asked you what you'd like to see going forward during our Tuesday evening rehearsals, there was a majority view that more social aspects be built into the Zoom sessions.
This prompted Lindsey, one of our assistant MDs, to come up with the idea of doing our own version of Desert Island Discs. We have several volunteers andhave already recorded 4 interviews but ahead of these, we wanted to record a pilot to test and prove the concept. We showed the edited highlights from the pilot episode last Tuesday and going forward we'll keep to an edited 15 minute interview on the first Tuesday of each month, but we will bring you the full interviews, including the full versions of the chosen tracks, in the weekly email.
So here is the full length interview from the pilot episode, featuring Lindsey interviewing Dave Johnson. One of the tracks was blocked on YouTube due to copyright issues, so we have embedded it further down this page, below the main interview.
The third track (not available in the interview video due to copyright issues):
- From The Archive - Week 24
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Date Posted: Fri, 16 Oct 2020
For this week's FTA, we're returning to 2012 and a time when we used to put on two major concerts a year! Unthinkable now, of course. Following February's One In Ten concert, we somehow managed to perform at two Prides in the summer and learn new songs for a concert in October:
The Love Train Concert | October 13th 2012 | Victoria Rooms
Fittingly, this concert was mentioned our Getting To Know You interview, (see previous article) and is memorable for the end of act one song, Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler On The Roof, where we ended the song with the entire front row exiting the stage and walking down through the audience in couples, as though walking down the aisle at a wedding. It's the first and so far, only time we've attempted such a stunt.
The theme of the concert, obviously, was love and relationships, with the two acts split into sections to tell the story of a relationship from the first exciting moments through a fulfilling partnership, to an acrimonious split and edning with a reminder that love is eternal.
The concert featured our usual eclectic mix of styles with a particular emphasis on 60s soul love songs (hence the play on words with the title borrowing heavily from the popular Soul Train tv series of that time).
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Intro scene: We're all looking for love
Mister Sandman
You Can't Hurry Love
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Scene 2: New love arrives and the fun begins
Gloria (Vivaldi) - Gloria I
Oklahoma Medley
I Only Want To Be With You
I Say a Little Prayer
Scene 3: Short scene - union & marrriage
Chasing Cars
Happy Together
Sunrise Sunset
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me
BREAK
Scene 4: Things start to go wrong
Stop! In The Name of Love
Lascia Ch'Io Pianga
Gloria (Vivaldi) - Laudamus Te III
Fix You
Scene 6: The breakdown of relationships
Scarborough Fair/Sound of Silence
Gloria (Vivaldi) - Domine Deus, Agnus Dei VIII
Why Do Fools Fall In Love
Scene 7: New love arrives - love is eternal
You Are the New Day
True Colours (TTBB)
Seasons of Love
Dream a Little Dream
ENCORE
Final scene & thanks - love is eternal and transitory, fast and slow, like a journey? etc
I Say a Little Prayer
The whole concert is available to watch in one single video
Click any image below to see the full size photos in our gallery (thanks to Pete Spain for the images)
- From The Archive Week 23
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Oct 2020
Six years ago this week, we sang at the wedding of a former choir member, Nick Hooker at a ceremony held in Bristol Zoo. Unfortunately, there are no images or recordings available from the day, so it didn't make for much of a memory. Instead, we'll bring you one of the weeks we missed out when we had our summer break, back in August...
Swindon Pride - Saturday August 4th, 2012
Another visit to Swindon to perform at their Pride event. This time, we hired a coach and left Bristol coach park at midday heading to Swindon on a sunny August day. We performed twice, once to open the event (to a very small crowd) on the main stage, and then again at 3.50pm in the Variety Stage tent.
Main Stage Line-up
Although the main stage event went off without a hitch, we weren't so lucky in the Variety tent, with power to the main amp lost after our first song. Undaunted, we reverted to accapella numbers and improvised, like the troupers we are, including 'Bella Mama', a song normally reserved for warm-ups, but one that got the audience singing along. The show must go on after all.
Variety Tent Line-up
This was quite a test for our deputy MD, Leila, standing in for Rónán for the day, but she coped admirably (helped, in no small part by the odd glass of wine).
Deputy MD, Leila
River Deep Mountain High
All That Jazz
Shine
Could It Be Magic
Sway
Sho Sholoza
Bella Mama
Click the image below to view the gallery
- From The Archive - Week 22
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Date Posted: Fri, 2 Oct 2020
28th September 2014 | Living Springs MCC Bath
For this week's FTA, we're revisiting this week in 2014, when we travelled to Bath on a sunny Sunday afternoon to sing at a special service to celebrate 25 years of Living Springs MCC in Bath.
Living Springs Metropolitan Community Churches were founded in 1968 in the USA. Their mission was to be at the forefront of the civil rights movement in the US and later, worldwide, by addressing issues on race, gender, sexual orientation and other human rights violations.
In 1989, a branch of the church was started in Bath by Cecilia Eggleton, who later became a member of Sing Out Bristol. It initially met at Cecilia's home and then in a variety of venues, including the Bath CVS offices, before renting space at St Michael’s Day Centre in the centre of Bath. In 1998 it moved to the United Reformed Church Halls in Grove Street. Unfortunately, it closed in 2018, and held its last service on Sunday 23rd September.
Our deputy MD, Gena is a member and former director of Living Springs in her native US.
We performed twice during the afternoon - 5 songs at the main service and another 3 during the post-service reception.
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Main Performance
I Say a Little Prayer
Let The River Run
One Day Like This
Seasons of Love
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
2nd Performance
Shine
Top of the World
Viva La Vida
"Please can you pass on my most enormous thanks to the choir for Sunday. Having you there to entertain during tea was lovely, and the singing during the service was both beautiful and moving.
Thank you all so much for being part of our celebration, and for your involvement in the worship. I have had several emails from those present complimenting your beautiful voices, and one or two asking how they can be involved with "Sing Out". I have been directing them to your website...
I personally hope to be able to hear the whole choir in action soon. I know it will be fantastic.
So, thanks again, and God bless.
Mia"
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An audience member partially filmed Let The River Run
- From The Archive - Week 21
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Date Posted: Fri, 25 Sep 2020
We're cheating slightly with this week's FTA,as apart from the odd committee meeting and a new members evening, nothing much happened this week, in the past. Next week though, we have two events, so we've brought one of them forward to this week:
Bristol Hate Crime Services Launch
Friday September 27th, 2013 | The Park Centre, Knowle.
On an autumnal Friday afternoon in late September 2013, a small ensemble, made up of 12 singers from the choir performed at the launch of a new multi-agency initiative, in the Bristol area; Bristol Hate Crime Services, in partnership with SARI, LGBT Bristol, Bristol Pride, Brandon Trust, Bristol Mind is supported by Safer Bristol Partnership.
This took place in the room where we now hold our choralography workshops.
We sang just two songs, Over The Rainbow and Imagine.
This performance led to LSO (Little Sing Out) being set up.
Here's the video for Imagine, with thanks to Tom Richell
- From The Archive - Week 20
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Date Posted: Fri, 11 Sep 2020
For this week's FTA, we return to the year 2013. 7 years ago this week, we played our third Pride of the summer. After our usual appearance at Bristol Pride in July and a third trip to Swindon to perform at their Pride, in August, we travelled down the M5 to Devon for our first and so far only appearance at Totnes Pride.
September 14th 2013
We were invited to sing at the beautiful Devon town of Totnes for their first ever Pride celebration and ended up performing three times - a scheduled mini-concert outdoor performance, a one-off flash-mob performance of Hey Big Spender and an indoor mini-concert.
The day also gave us an opportunity to explore the town and spend some time enjoying the hospitality of the locals. We even hired a mini-bus to transport us there and back.
Mamma Mia
Money, Money, Money
Big Spender
I Say a Little Prayer
Perfect Day
Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps
Somethin' Stupid
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Mravaljamier
Siyahamba
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
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To view images at original size click here For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=events&id=64879
- From The Archive - Week 19
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Date Posted: Fri, 11 Sep 2020
For our latest instalment of FTA, we travel back to this week 8 years ago, when we played at OMG night club for Shout Out radio's second BreakOut takeover - a full day and evening broadcast of LGBTQ related content on BCFM and other radio stations.
We were invited to open the evening and performed a 20 minute set. It's safe to say, we've come a long way from those days.
8th September 2012
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All That Jazz
Could It Be Magic
Shine
Sway
River Deep Mountain High
Here's the video of our performance:
For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=events&id=64745
- From The Archive - Week 18
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Date Posted: Fri, 4 Sep 2020
Summer Social: Picnic & Murder Mystery Trail | Queens Square | Sat July 30th 2016
Our annual summer picnic for this year was combined with a murder mystery hunt, to hunt down the 'killer' of poor Wallace, who was found murdered. Choir members worked in teams to follow a trail around the harbourside area eliminating suspects as they went, until only the killer remained. The trail took in seven of the Gromit scupltures, on display for the summer in Bristol.
A grand day out. Thanks to everyone who came along and took part.
For those interested in solving the crime, the guilty suspect was Mai West (her song was Mai Lit Guy). We mentioned that she had confessed. The eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted that Mai West is an ananagram of 'It Was Me' and Mai Lit Guy is 'I Am Guilty' jumbled up.
Several teams solved the crime, but no team managed to eliminate all the suspects.
Look out for another picnic, next year.
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SLIDESHOW
VIEW FULL SIZE IMAGES For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=events&id=69666
- From The Archive - Week 17
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Date Posted: Thu, 23 Jul 2020
For this week's FTA, it's back to 2017 again (a bumper year for performances). Three years ago today (23rd July) we performed at The Watershed Arts Centre on a warm Sunday evening, to round off the Bristol Harbour Festival.
The event was a cabaret evening staged by the Terrence Higgins Trust and THT invited us to take part, along with several other acts.
We performed five songs from our recent Fifty Shades of Gay concert as well as a new song we had recently learned for Bristol Pride (Something Inside So Strong), to an enthusiastic audience.
Colour My World
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Nights in White Satin
Purple Rain
Something Inside So Strong
Briefcase Full Of Blues
Click the image below to view the full gallery
We don't have any audio or video from this event, so if you do, or know someone else that does, please share via our Share Your Memories page.
- From The Archive - Week 16
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Date Posted: Wed, 15 Jul 2020
Another week, another Bristol Pride, in Castle Park, July 11th 2015.
We started with the march leaving from Queens Square, led by members of the LGSM (Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners), whose inspirational story was featured in the film PRIDE.
We again opened on the main stage, later graced by Bucks Fizz and Heather Small (from M People).
Copacabana
Disco Fever
Fix You
River Deep Mountain High
Skyfall
View photos
- From The Archive - Week 15
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Date Posted: Fri, 10 Jul 2020
Our look back over previous years continues as we leave behind concert season and move into July's Pride season. For this week, we take you back three years to what was, at the time the biggest Pride event ever held in Bristol and it still remains the largest audience we have ever performed in front of, thanks mainly to the delayed start, allowing more people to get into the amphitheatre area.
We started the day by marching and singing in the Pride Parade from Castle Park circumnavigating Broadmead Shopping Centre and meandering down towards the Harbourside to Millennium Square for a fabulous sunny day of Pride celebrations.
This was the 9th consecutive year, we had opened Bristol Pride.
This was far and away, the biggest Pride event held in Bristol, to date, with approximately 35,000 people attending at some point during the day. At the time of our performance (around 1pm), the organisers reported that around 8,000 people were on the site. Although not all of them would have been watching us, it's safe to say that this was our biggest audience to date.
We performed a number of songs from our last concert, Fifty Shades of Gay, as well as a couple of additional songs, just for Pride. Our MD, Rónán cites this day as his favourite Pride, when after having had his back to the audience during our performance, he turned to wave at the crowd and was shocked to see thousands of faces staring back at him. A moment captured in this iconic photo:
Music Director & Conductor: Rónán de Búrca.
Parade:If Everybody Looked The Same
Let The River Run
Sweet InspirationStage:
Billy Brown
Briefcase Full Of Blues Medley
Colour My World
I Will Survive/Survivor
Nights In White Satin
One Day Like This
Something Inside So StrongFinal Rehearsal - Something Inside So Strong (July 4th 2017)
I Will Survive/Survivor (courtesy of Heather Wilson on Facebook)
Slideshows
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Click the image below to view the full gallery from the day
- From The Archive - Week 14
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Date Posted: Fri, 3 Jul 2020
7 years ago this week, we were celebrating our fifth anniversary as a community choir.
We held a celebratory concert at The Victoria Rooms where we performed some of our favourite songs from the previous four years worth of concerts. We also added a few new songs, most notably from The Sound Of Music, so it made sense to call this concert...
'Our Favourite Things'
To celebrate our fifth year as a choir, this year's concert theme was 'our favourite things'. the set list consisted largely of songs we had performed during the previous 5 years introduced by a new medley from The Sound Of Music.
We returned to the film's soundtrack, by ending our set with 'So Long, Farewell'. As with our 10th anniversary, we produced a DVD of the concert and you can view the individual videos below.
Here's a sample video from the concert, Take That's Rule The World
All the songs are available to view on YouTube.
Click the song title to view the video from the concert- Spoken Introduction
- The Sound of Music Medley
- Spoken Interlude
- Imagine
- Ave Verum
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- Adiemus
- Spoken Interlude
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- Mamma Mia
- Money, Money, Money
- Spoken interlude
- Hallelujah
- Sanctuary
- Angel
- Perfect Day
- INTERVAL
- Clapping Song
- Spoken Interlude
- The Long Day Closes
- Tsmindao Gmerto
- Lacrimosa (Karl Jenkins)
- Spoken Interlude
- Somewhere Over the Rainbow
- Rule the World
- You Are My World
- Spoken Interlude
- Bring Me Little Water Sylvie
- Somethin' Stupid
- The Long and Winding Road
- Spoken Interlude
- Hide and Seek
- Scarborough Fair/Sound of Silence
- Closing Speeches
- So Long, Farewell
- Money Money Money
- You Are My World
Click the image below to see full gallery
- From The Archive - Week 13
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Date Posted: Fri, 26 Jun 2020
Several choices for this week's FTA. In 2011, our summer concert at St Georges with The Pink Singers or maybe the Great Brunel Buskathon performance from Southmead Hopital in 2018. Instead though, we've plumped for a gig from over a decade go - June 19th 2010.
Here's the event page...
We returned to the Anson Rooms for our summer concert, this time with our first guest choir, The Stepford Singers.
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A memorable performance of West Side Story convinced at least one audience member that she definitely wanted to be part of Sing Out Bristol. She joined at the next new members evening and Dee is still a valued member of the choir to this day.
Westside Story Medley
Iqude
Beautiful
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Gabriel's Oboe
Java Jive
Angel
Bohemian Rhapsody
Hallelujah
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Lean on Me
Dancing in the Street
Shine
We're still trying to track down sound recordings from this concert, but here's a recording of Angel from the evening, courtesy of Conrad on YouTube.
Click any of the images below to see the full gallery
For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=events&id=64686
- From The Archive - Week 12
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Date Posted: Thu, 18 Jun 2020
Orlando Vigil | College Green | June 14th 2016
This week's memory came just two days after our Hippodrome performance in last week's From The Archive. We were already aware of the events in Florida as we stood on the Hippodrome stage, but not the full extent of what happened.
Following the appalling attack on innocent party goers, many of whom were members of the LGBT community, at the Pulse nightclub, in Orlando, Florida; a vigil was hastily arranged on College Green, here in Bristol. At very short notice we made the decision to cancel our regular Tuesday rehearsal and join other Bristolians in solidarity. Thousands turned out to show their support and the event was addressed by Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees and Bristol Pride Director, Daryn Carter.
We performed a short impromptu set:
Mad World
(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow
Wind Beneath My Wings
Click the image below to see our full photo gallery from the event
Photo courtesy of Bristol24/7
Our contribution to the vigil was well received with some great feedback afterwards and several new members on the back of it. At the end of a terrible week (Labour MP Jo Cox was also murdered two days later), our weekly email reflected the mood with its intro:
"Hello everyone,
Normally writing something to open the weekly
mail out is expected to be jolly and lighthearted but the
past week has been full of horrible events punctuated with
small but meaningful glints of hope. With the
Orlando attack on LGBT community, then the coming together
to show support and to receive support from non LGBT
individuals/groups I felt hope and then the terrible murder
of one of the wonderful and truly hard working MP's.
These awful attacks have left me feeling dismayed, sad,
angry, all at the same time. When I see the support of
good people I can only hope that through the power of good
we don't see anymore of these awful attacks, of humans
on humans, but history shows otherwise.I hope you
all have a peaceful weekend and spend it with people that
you care
about...................................................... .............................. ..
Gerald"
And Rónán's MD Update:
"I just wanted to say how proud I was to see Sing Out Bristol representing
the city so wonderfully at the vigil on Tuesday night. I was
really upset not to have been able to be there with you all,
but huge thanks and congratulations to Lindsey, Steve,
Angie, Becky, Matthew and everyone else who was involved in
very last minute arrangements. Of course, special thanks are
due to the wonderful Kellie who covered the MD duties for
the event - it’s not easy to step in to something like
this at the last minute, particularly under such challenging
conditions, so huge thanks and respect Kellie. There’s
been some great feedback on the contribution the choir made
to the emotion and solemnity of the event, so under very sad
circumstances thanks again to all of you for representing us
and the wider community so well. "
BBC Radio Bristol broadcast the event on Facebook Live:
Hopefully, such an event will never need to happen again but Bristol as a city and we as a choir can be extremely proud of how we came together in a show of solidarity with the victims of this terrible atrocity. It will live long in our collective memories.For more information, see: https://shoutoutradio.lgbt/shows/2016-06-16?
- Truly Brave Lockdown Video
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Date Posted: Tue, 16 Jun 2020
Here's our second video recorded during the lockdown period.
Taken from the repertoire for our next concert (delayed until January 2021) - Mash-Ups & Duets, this is a mash-up of two inspirational songs - True Colours by Cyndi Lauper and Brave by Sara Bareilles - Truly Brave.
Please feel free to share with your friends and family.
Arranger: Mac Huff Composer: Billy Steinberg/Tom Kelly & Sara Bareilles/Jack AntonoffFor more information, see: https://youtu.be/fjnOyQQqqqE
- From The Archive - Week 11
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Date Posted: Fri, 12 Jun 2020
For this week's FTA, we go back to 2016.
Four years ago today, we took to the stage of The Bristol Hippodrome,
This event was hosted by BBC Radio Bristol to raise funds for Children In Need.
Ahead of the performance, BBC Radio Bristol broadcast a preview show, interviewing 3 representatives from Sing Out Bristol and showcasing our version of Skyfall. You can listen to the preview show here:
Guy, Eddy and Marianne at BBC studiios waiting to be interviewed on the show
On the day, we joined a multitude of other musical acts and choirs to celebrate Bristol's contribution to the music scene over the last 100 years. Each act was asked to perform songs with a connection to the Bristol area.
From our current repertoire at the time, we chose Mad World (by Tears For Fears from Bath), Oh Danny Boy (lyrics written by notable Bristolian, Frederic Weatherly and two songs from the musical Mamma Mia (written by Katherine Johnson who has spent most of her life in the Bristol area). .
Mad World
Mamma Mia
Money, Money, Money
Oh Danny Boy
The infamous 'penguin turn' choralography from Mamma Mia
We had some good feedback about our participation in the, most notably from the MD of one
of the other large choirs who was particularly impressed with our version and rendition of Oh Danny Boy (and wants the arrangement), and also this message from the overall MD for the day:
Hi all, Now the dust is settling just to say many, many thanks from me for producing a wonderful evening you can be proud of. It’s obvious the audience did! The snippets of recording on BBCRB this morning sound great :) Please say thanks to your groups from me.. More power to your musical endeavours - may the singing never cease!
Richard Jeffrey-Gray
Plus a review of the concert in the Bristol Post, highlighted one of our songs:
- From The Archive - Week 10
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Date Posted: Thu, 4 Jun 2020
For our tenth foray into the past, we are heading back just 12 months. There really was only one choice this week - it's the one where we celebrated our favourite icons. (WARNING - It's a long read)
One year ago this week, we performed our second 2 night concert at St Georges, following the success of 2018's X-10 Years Of Sing Out Bristol double header. ICONS was our tribute to the musical artists, songwriters and human rights advocates.
that helped shape our lives.
Friday night was well attended by an enthusiastic audience and saw us kick off the evening with Stevie Wonder's haunting classic 'They Won't Go When I Go', covered by LGBT icon George Michael. The arrangement called for a soloist for part of the song and Bashema took on the responsibility with a fantastic performance. This set the tone for the entire weekend, On the Saturday a sellout crowd saw Gena take over soloist duties for the opening song.
Judging from audience feedback, we continue to raise the bar, year on year. These two concerts were probably our finest performances to date, from the challenging choralography and stage arrangements of 'Like A Prayer' to the stunning solo perfomances of Bashema, Gena and Kellie.
Music Director & Conductor: Rónán de Búrca
Assistant Music Directors & Conductors: Lindsey Williams & Kellie Walters
Accompanist: Amy Brewer
Concert Director: Christian Wismann
CLICK EACH SONG TITLE TO STREAM OR DOWNLOAD THE RECORDING OF THE SATURDAY PERFORMANCE
ACT ONE
They Won't Go When I Go
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
The Turing Test
Just Give Me a Reason
Nothing Compares 2U (Little Sing Out)
I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
Elton John Medley
Summertime
The Shoop Shoop Song (Tenors and Basses)
ACT TWO
Like a Prayer
Constant Craving
Rise Like a Phoenix
Fast Car
Elastic Heart (Little Sing Out)
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman (Sopranos and Altos)
Life on Mars
Rise
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy
ENCORES
The Show Must Go On
I Don't Feel Like Dancing
CASEY BROWNE
I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU for making my first big concert with you a blast. I really enjoyed it and I'm so glad it was a success! (Also happy Pride month, which is an added bonus)
HILARY MILLER
This was my first too, and I feel a great sense of achievement - the support and friendships help so much too. X
LIS BEERE
What an awesome evening and what a lovely appreciative crowd. Well done everyone involved x
GENA ROSE
It was an absolute honor and privilege to sing with all of you this past weekend!! Thank you for making me feel so welcome and a part of the SOB Family!!
DANNY CHAMPKEN
It's already been said time and time again but it bears repeating, these concerts have been an absolute delight and the cherry on top of a wonderful first year in Sing Out. So much hard work by so many wonderful people has well and truly paid off for what was just the most joyous experience ever. Overwhelmed by all the love in the room, you guys are my heroes. ??
RÓNÁN DE BÚRCA (MD)
I can’t even begin to say how proud I am of my Sing Out family tonight. That was easily our Best. Ever. Performance.
Congratulations to each and every one of you for all the hard work, rehearsing, moving, voguing.
It’s a privilege and an honour to stand in front of you and wave my arms about.
Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my shiny shoes
R.xx
MATT CROCKER
This really was our best performance in the 3 I've done, we should all be very proud :
POLLI MULDER
Was a fab night my family and friends were truly blown away x
RHI O'GORMAN
Best concert and audience yet
ALF GREEN
Every year we get better and better, onwards and upwards.
CHRISTINE HUNT
It was an amazing team effort that I am VERY proud to have been a part of. I'll be grinning like a Cheshire cat for days now Sing Out Bristol totally rocks!
ALISON JARMAN-FRY
How can an experience lift and join us all and yet leave me feeling I'd like to try to be even and much better?!! Thank you Sing Out Family. Still flying and feeling so humble..in the presence of such beauty! XxX
TANYA HAZELL
I know that Sing Out has such an impact to the audience that it’s made the emotionless emotional and lifted people in such a way they’ve said ‘I’ll be smiling all week after that’ ...I’m certain it’s the unity in the choir, the family like feeling. My other half cried at Just Give Me A Reason and she's not a crier.
STEVEN COOPER
Thank you all for yet another beautiful and memorable two nights with some the most fantastic people I know. SOB is really something special and we all play our part. Someone asked me after last nights show why I smile so much when I sing; my response was ‘doing this with these people makes my soul happy’. Uber love to all of you xxxx
LISAH STUART
What a night !! Hope y"all had a great time.Our Dream team triumphed again.
RICHARD DAVIES
My friends and family said that last night was yet another improvement over the previous year. My favourite Sing Out Bristol performance ever, thank you ??
NICK GILL
A huge thank you to the choir for creating an atmosphere encouraging us to try something new irrespective of age and ability. My 20-year-old confused and closeted self couldn't have imagined that at 65 I would be donning a tutu and pirouetting on stage (although I'm the first to admit my style is more Gloria-Hunniford-does-Strictly than Dame Margot Fonteyn).
SUZANNE DOYLE
Christian you put on a fab show with all the little touches like the strawberries and biscuits in our dressing rooms (we will be expecting that every time now!)
Matthew and Christian the ribbons looked stunning!
Loved the video clips and I loved the song choices Mr De Burca xx
Warblers one & all, you were absobloodylutely fandobbymazing!!!
What a treat to be in the audience, the quality of sound you made was completely joyful - rich & deep & unctuous. Altho' i moan about choralography, i have to admit that your moves were awesome!
job well done!
It was terrific, as ever, and everyone - audience and choir seemed to be having a really good time.
Was great to watch. Hard to believe that it still gets better each year xx
Lovely evening and a great performance. The quality of singing just goes up and up. The bar has again been raised xx
So proud of you all!!!! You sounded amazing! Well done to you all Amazing! Fabulous! Incredible! Professional! Oh you guys... what a simply joyous evening. It is such a different experience seeing things from the audience side and it really was an amazing performance. You are all ICONS
An "Iconic" night of singing.. Congratulations to one and all involved. A very slick production. Loved the video inserts.
Sing Out Bristol, Rónán de Búrca, you all were last night. Talented and beautiful. Such an inspiring and incredible show, feel like I have had an emotional work out! Thank you for sharing your creativity, there is so much yuck and horror and struggle at the moment... so it was simply lush to acknowledge and celebrate and party to some significant human achievements. Thank you!
I can honestly say you were all amazing and sounded truly beautiful. It was an absolute joy.
We received this wonderful email from Helen Porter, a renowned vocal coach who works with us on a regular basis. Helen attended this concert and sent Rónán her thoughts afterwards...
Dear Ronan
I haven’t been able to sit down at my computer before now, for various reasons, but in a way that’s good because I’ve had more time to reflect on your concert. I hardly know where to begin! Congratulations to you and all the choir on a truly fantastic performance on Friday night. I loved everything about it. To be honest, I was pretty sure I would really enjoy it, because I know you are a fantastic choir. But to see and hear you all in full glory was just amazing.
I wish I lived nearer to Bristol, because what I’d really love to do is sit down with you over a cup of coffee and talk about it all! The programming, arrangements, visuals, choreography (so well performed by the choir as well - that’s really hard to achieve - no one stood out or looked like they didn’t want to do it!) , performance, solos, conducting, venue and even the programme booklet were all TOP quality, professional, joyful. And the singing - WOW it was wonderful. I am so glad to have this amazing programme with all your names and photographs! I can’t promise to know everyone by October, but the choir is becoming more and more familiar to me, and I feel very proud to have an association with you.
It’s been invaluable to listen and watch you all in full swing, and puts me in a much better position to work on with you in October. There are (of course!) things I think the choir could work on, and it would be good to talk over some ideas with you before October. I made a few sneaky notes in my programme, to remind me..!
I know that long emails are a bit of a bore, so I will stop now, but please tell the choir I LOVED LOVED LOVED the concert! The audience went wild at the end, didn’t they? We didn’t want anyone to leave the stage! You are very modest, as well, so it was inspired to have that fabulous Freddie Mercury quote at the end!! Whose idea was that?!
With love, and huge thanks for such a wonderful, joyful performance that you and SING OUT gave to us all,
Helen XX
The following quotes were collected by St Georges feedback forms:1. EVENT
Such a professional show for a community choir!!
Well orchestrated and well choreographed considering the number of people in the choir
Quite remarkably distinct, engaging and at times profoundly poignant. The ending came too soon.
Fantastic atmosphere. Beautifully presented.
Fabulous show none stop entertainment from start to finish. Highly recommended
Fabulous performance and choir.
Excellent performance and acoustics
Uplifting and professional performance by a gifted team
Amazing show as always. Staff very courteous and helpful
Musically very good, great choreography and a choir that were clearly enjoying themselves
Varied, enjoyable choice of songs, beautifully sung.
Choir fantastic but given their number the sound was very muted. Needed much better amplification. I said this politely to the team on the sound desk at the beginning of the interval and surprisingly they did not heed my advice.
2. THE VENUE
Lovely new space
The best acoustics of any hall in the UK
Providing water jugs near the seating was a life saver. Thank you.
Very smart and well- designed.
It would have been helpful to have toilets on each floor.
Love the next building make the place so much better to get around and for socializing.
Fantastic venue and acoustics. Loving the additional building.
Very nice venue
It is fabulous
Beautiful architecture and great organisation.
Extension and extra facilites a great improvement and presumably much easier for you. More nudges needed to get us to order our drinks ready for the interval - am guilty so had to wait almost missing out.
I love St George's as a venue and think the new renovations are wonderful. However I couldnt give it 5 stars as we were not able to take glasses into the show.
Excellent acoustics. Lovely bar/cafe area
Compact, comfortable and acoustically perfect - also some very clever lighting
Great acoustics
I like the redevelopment. Having the doors opening out on to the new patio is good.
3. VALUE FOR MONEY
A great evening entertainment for a very reasonable price.
What value do you put on something so memorable?!
5 star excellent
Excellent value
The performance was incredible. I wish they could have gone on for longer.
Would have been happy to have paid Hippodrome and Colston Hall prices for this show.
THEY WON'T GO WHEN I GO (Solo: Gena Rose)
SHOOP SHOOP SONG (Tenors and Basses)
FACEBOOK PHOTOS SLIDESHOWS PART ONE
PART TWO
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERIES
- From The Archive - Week 9
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Date Posted: Fri, 29 May 2020
For our 9th instalment of FTA, we go back to 2017. Three years ago today, we were all in prison!
Here's the event page details:
LEYHILL PRIDE - May 29th 2017
This was our second visit (and performance) to a prison, following our performance for the Shepton Mallet Prison LGBT+ Group of inmates back in 2012. Since then, Shepton Mallet has been closed and some of the prisoners transferred to Leyhill Open Prison, a category D prison housing low risk male offenders. The LGBT+ group has been resurrected and we were invited to perform at their Pride Day; an invitation we eagerly accepted.
The day started with some of our group meeting at a restaurant near the prison for a pre-performance lunch, after which we arrived at the prison for introductions and warm-ups, before we took to the stage for our performance.
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We performed eight songs in total and spent some time looking around the Pride exhibitions and chatting to inmates over some light refreshments. A wonderful experience and one we hope to repeat in the future as part of our outreach programme.
Unfortunately, due to security restrictions, we were unable to make any recordings or photos inside the prison, but the experience will live long in our memories.
Colour My World
Big Yellow Taxi
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Nights in White Satin
Purple Rain
Something Inside So Strong
Briefcase Full Of Blues
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"It was a great experience for both choir and audience. Proud to have been part of it...what a great performance we put on this afternoon and wasn't it well received! It certainly seemed that everyone really enjoyed the concert and we certainly got some positive feedback afterwards. It was lovely to look out at the audience and see people singing along and some even dancing around, I think it was a real high point for many of the inmates attending." - Dee Mooney (Small Performance Coordinator 2017
"Very proud of 'Mini Sing Out' following a very successful performance at Leyhill today, you sounded and looked amazing. R.xx" - Rónán de Búrca (MD)
"Well done everyone. Great gig and great buzz from the audience." - Leanne Chambers (Soprano)
"It was a great experience, and a real eye-opener - particularly the display with the testimonies of being LGBT within the prison system." - Karl Shilton (Bass)
"I'm really happy to have taken part and to talk to members of the audience" - April Pye (Tenor)
- Hand In Hand Update
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Date Posted: Fri, 22 May 2020
Last week, representatives from the Hand in Hand Bristol 2023 team met with the organisers of Hand in Hand Newcastle 2021 and the coordinators of Proud Voices (HiH’s umbrella organisation) in a virtual meeting to discuss the challenges facing hosting their event in the current climate. The decision was taken to postpone the Newcastle festival from August 2021 to August 2022 – please see the statement below.
We are aware that Various Voices is scheduled for June 2022 in Bologna, Italy and this may create certain challenges for some choirs and their members. By balancing the needs of the UK and Ireland community choirs and Hand in Hand Newcastle’s financial commitments, the organisers anticipate that the extra time between now and the next festival will allow choirs to prepare and fundraise.
The change to the Newcastle festival does not affect our plans for Hand in Hand Bristol 2023.
Choir members are asked to:-
Make a note of 20-21 August 2022 for Hand in Hand Newcastle
-
Volunteer to coordinate SOB’s preparations for Hand in Hand Newcastle – email info@singoutbristol.org.uk
The Hand in Hand Bristol 2023 team will keep you informed of any developments – we will be presenting an update at the SOB AGM (lockdown permitting!). If there are any questions, comments or offers, please contact Mark Hubbard, Festival Director handinhandbristol@gmail.com
Hand In Hand Bristol Planning Team, 22/5/2020Joint Statement from Proud Voices and Hand in Hand Newcastle 2022
Hello fellow singers,
We live in unprecedented times. Never in our lifetimes has the entire country, and indeed the entire world, been affected by a pandemic which such deep and long-lasting restrictions to our health, our livelihood and our passion to meet, rehearse and perform as choirs. Each of us has personally felt the effects on our community – as singers, as individual choirs and as a choral family – and are with resilience adapting to this “new normal” in many innovative ways. There is no denying, however, that over us hangs a great uncertainty about how long this situation is likely to continue and what this means for all of us in the near future.
Hand in Hand is the UK & Ireland’s LGBT+ choir festival and is usually the first, and often the only, LGBT+ choral festival our choirs participate in. The sheer joy and pride to be found in singing and sharing is boundless, and the energy and enthusiasm it brings is heart-warming and especially important for new and developing choirs, particularly in these times. As such, one of the guiding principles of Hand in Hand has always been accessibility: we are committed to keeping all barriers to participation as low as possible, particularly financial ones. Our goal is to deliver an engaging festival while keeping registration fees as low as possible, and for this reason, the festival is highly dependent on external sponsorship.
Over the last year the Hand in Hand Newcastle team have been hard at work getting our next festival in place. We have a fantastic concert venue at Sage Gateshead, situated right on the bank of the River Tyne. We had also secured a great Friday party venue, and some excellent but affordable accommodation in the city centre. Deposits had been paid on all of these. Our next priority was to attract grand funding and sponsorship by applying to funding bodies and engaging with local businesses.
Sadly, with most funding bodies currently freezing all non COVID related applications, or refocusing their spending priorities, delivering on our own high expectations has become impossible in the time frame that we originally set. One possibility was to therefore consider a scaled back festival next year.
However, we feel there are more than financial considerations. There is still more to understand about the virus. We do not know when or if a vaccine will be available and we do not know when large gatherings will be permitted or what format these may take. With all these unknowns lying in the year stretching out before us, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone our next festival by a year. Hand in Hand Newcastle will now take place over the weekend of 20-21 August 2022.
We know that the news of this postponement will come as a disappointment to many of you – no one is more disappointed than the organizing committee – but we hope that you can see the decision hasn’t been taken lightly and has the wellbeing of all front and centre. We can’t wait to share the wonderful city of Newcastle with you, and we will continue to look forward to this, just a year later than planned. We are sure the celebrations will be huge when the time finally arrives and we look forward to making Hand in Hand 2022 the biggest and best yet. Watch this space!
To tide us over, please do look out for a new virtual event from the Proud Voices development team, and we look forward to seeing you at Hand in Hand in 2022, 2023 and beyond!
Take care everybody, and hopeully see you very soon.
Stay safe!
Hsien, Lynzee and Jon
Proud Voices UK & Ireland and Northern Proud Voices
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- From The Archive - Week 8
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Date Posted: Fri, 22 May 2020
Back to 2013, this week and a performance at the exquisite Mansion House in Bristol, otherwise known as the Lord Mayor's Parlour. We don't have any photos or videos from this event, so if you do have any, please upload them to our Share Your Memories page.
Lord Mayor's Reception, May 20th 2013
To mark the end of his tenure as the Lord Mayor of Bristol, openly gay, Peter Main held a reception at Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor in Bristol and invited his favourite choir to sing for his guests. Peter is a big Abba fan (his email address is one of their song titles) and asked us to 'Up the Abba ratio' for the performance (we had only planned one song from Sweden's leading quartet until Peter intervened. It's hard to say no to the Lord Mayor, so of course we obliged.
After the event, we received a lovely email from Peter:
Subject: RE: Sing Out Bristol - Lord Mayor's Reception May 2013
Hi Sing Out Bristol
Just wanted to say a big thank you to the choir for their lovely performance on Monday, marred only by my participation. Your singing certainly made the evening unforgettable. I will never forget that evening and your contribution to it.
Thanks again
Peter
Thank you for the music, Peter.
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- Imagine
- Mamma Mia
- Money, Money, Money,
- Thank You For The Music,
- Perfect Day,
- Rule the World,
- Somethin' Stupid,
- Somewhere Over The Rainbow,
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- From The Archive - Week 7
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Date Posted: Fri, 15 May 2020
A bit of a no-brainer this week, as many of you have already shared pics and videos from this event, all this week on Facebook. Yes, two years ago this very week we were in Munich for our third Various Voices and what an amazing week it was.
The next one is in Bolognia, Italy in 2022, assuming things are back to normal by then. If you've never been to a Various Voices, make sure you come with us as it will be a blast.
Here's what happened during our week in Munich:
Click the links below to visit the event pages for our two performances, containing members' anecdotes and the photo gallery from our week in Munich.
FRIDAY PERFORMANCE IN THE GASTEIG
SATURDAY PERFORMANCE IN ODEONSPLATZ
Don't forget if you have photos and/or videos from the week, you can upload them on our Share Your Memories page.
- Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Lockdown Video)
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Date Posted: Tue, 12 May 2020
Here is the finished video. Thanks to everyone who submitted a video and/or audio recording. There are 61 individual voices and 58 faces on the video. An amazing response! Thanks also to Rónán for the amazing sound editing job. It sounds truly beautiful.
As mentioned previously, we wanted to try something a little different from other choirs who have made some great videos and we came up with a concept of the lockdown video - a tongue-in-cheek spoof intro, where we're all held in a fictitious choir lockdown centre and bored out of our minds, until Gena invites us all to sing from our social media profiles (hence the circular imagery).
The intro may not be everyone's cup of tea, so there are two versions available, the one below and one without the intro. You are welcome to share either on social media and we'll be doing so on the choir's social media platforms.
Thanks for reading; if you want to know more there's an explanantion about why it all took so long, below the video.
YOUTUBE LINKS
With spoof intro: https://youtu.be/0GCuW6ab4OU
Without intro: https://youtu.be/SGEC_bmkjjk
Additional notes:
Just to give some context as to why it took so long, the original plan for editing this was ruined early on, when my PC packed up and my laptop wasn't powerful enough to support the software needed. I resorted to using my phone, which has a great video editing app, but it wasn't really designed for a project of this size, needing lots of video layers. I could only load four singers at a time, so had to make 14 separate videos and layer them on top of each other, which meant the earlier videos degraded somewhat and took on a weird green hue as well as going slightly out of sync. You can see the green hue effect in the current video, at the end, as I kept the very last crescendo from the first video, so we are all on screen together.
To get around the issue, I've had to reduce everyone's on-screen time to one verse (the basses also have their 'solo' bits, along with a few random backing singers). Everyone who submitted a video is on the final edit somewhere I nearly forgot Stephen Biles, and there was only room for a tiny Stephen, so to make up for that, he's in it all the way through (apologies Stephen). It's been a useful learning curve but if and when we do another video, we'll stick to convention and it won't be edited on a phone, I promise!
Dave.
- From The Archive - Week 6
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Date Posted: Sat, 9 May 2020
A very sombre memory for us, this week.
Six years ago this weekend, we said goodbye to one of our members who sadly took his own life after years spent battling mental illness. Ricardo was only a member of the choir for one year but we took solace from the fact that choir rehearsals gave him a lift and a temporary escape from his illness. Fittingly, we sang 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' at the service.
Here's the text from the memorial event page we performed at, a very moving day:
One of our more difficult performances.
We were asked to perform at one of our own member's memorial services, at Alma Church, arranged by a support group that Ricardo, a former Sing Out Bristol Bass, had belonged to. The service was particularly moving as it featured eulogies and speeches from people Ricardo had helped, through the group.
Our performance proved very emotional for both the audience and ourselves and was a fitting way to say goodbye to someone who had found happiness, albeit short-lived, in the choir.
His friend Leila, told us that she could always tell when Ricardo had been to a choir rehearsal on a Tuesday evening, as he would come home with a spring in his step and would sing around the house.
Afterwards, we received this thank you message from Leila, who also organised the day:
"Thank you so very much for coming along with the choir and making it a great service. You really helped lift the spirits in the room and contributed to the opening of our hearts. You were all amazing.
Pass on my heartfelt thank you to each and every person who helped make that possible."
Ricardo kept a blog about his life, 'love as an existence' which is still online.
![[rick2.jpg]](http://bp0.blogger.com/__JDyYPbMjH8/Rdd80QMq11I/AAAAAAAAAAU/QugctI8Rn9A/s1600/rick2.jpg)
Ricardo Romero 1972 - 2014
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Beautiful
We Are Family
- Hand In Hand Cardiff Official Photographs
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Date Posted: Fri, 3 Jan 2020
Back in August we joined other LGBT choirs from across the UK and Ireland for the 4th Hand In Hand Festival. Our own photos can be found on our gallery pages, but we have also been sent a link to the official photos from the event.
Click the link below to view the images. There is a folder for each choir's performance (so we have two folders). We'll be adding the images from those folders to our own, in due course.
Photographs courtesy of Rhian Dixon and Simon Ayre.For more information, see: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RzQFKwaRtJBKKYWlXYa_8FBF5lS1r1ut&fbclid=IwAR1-Kr_amXWM_B4yfVq4KAbzV-OKXk8vmY1a4KGij6ocSah6kDo469UypWM
- Black Friday promotion
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Date Posted: Thu, 28 Nov 2019
Get your hands on concert tickets to see Sing Out Bristol live in St George's for their upcoming performances, with an amazing 25% off
Head over to St George's website and grab your tickets. The Black Friday promotion is only live Friday between 9am and 9pm, and you need to use promo code BLAFRI when checking out.
Duets & Mash-Ups
Friday 22 May 2020, 7pm
This time we’re taking you on a journey through some of the greatest, most beautiful or most remarkable duets ever sung. On top of that we’re also venturing into mash-ups, where some of our favourite songs have been combined into truly stunning arrangements.
Add to the mix our iconic moves and the beautiful performances from our breakout group Little Sing Out, and you’re in for a treat of an evening. Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.More information: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/sing-out-bristol-duets-and-mash-ups/
Pride Fundraiser
Wednesday 1 July 2020, 7pm
For the second time, following the 2019 success, Sing Out Bristol and friends are putting on a fundraiser concert for Bristol Pride 2020.
Expect an evening of top class entertainment, touching personal testimonies, and musical performances from Sing Out Bristol as well as from our friends in Bristol’s LGBT+, Queer and allies communities.
Bristol Pride is close to our hearts, and we want to highlight and underline the importance of having a Pride. All profits are donated directly to Bristol Pride, helping them keeping Pride inclusive for everyone.
More information: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/sing-out-for-bristol-pride-2/
- Our 2020 Concert Tickets Are On Sale Tuesday 22nd October
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Oct 2019
Tickets for our 2020 annual concert, 'Duets & Mash-Ups' go on general sale on Tuesday 22nd October at 10am.
A booking fee applies for online and telephone sales or you can buy in person from St Georges box office.
Here are the links to buy online from Tuesday:
DUETS & MASH-UPS
FRIDAY 22nd May 2020
SATURDAY 23rd May 2020After the sell-out success ‘ICONS’ in the spring of 2019, Sing Out Bristol are proud to present their 2020 spring concert theme: ‘Duets & Mash-Ups’.
This time we’re taking you on a journey through some of the greatest, most beautiful or most remarkable duets ever sung. On top of that we’re also venturing into mash-ups, where some of our favourite songs have been combined into truly stunning arrangements. Add to the mix our iconic moves and the beautiful performances from our breakout group Little Sing Out, and you’re in for a treat of an evening. Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Thank you, once again for supporting Sing Out Bristol. We look forward to seeing you in May.
For more information, see: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/sing-out-bristol-duets-and-mash-ups/
- TUNE-IN AUTUMN 2019
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Date Posted: Fri, 20 Sep 2019
The latest edition of Tune-In, the choir's quarterly magazine is available now, free for all choir followers and members.
As usual, you can view the magazine online at the link below, or download as a PDF here.
For more information, see: online.fliphtml5.com/teksr/lzic/
- ICONS official photos
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Aug 2019
Somewhat later than planned, we have received the images from our official photographer on the night at St Georges on June 1st this year.. They've been added to the existing gallery of images, giving us over 500 photos from the night.
You can view the whole gallery here, or if you'd just like to see these new images, click the image below
.For more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/icons2
- Lord Mayor meets Sing Out Bristol representatives
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Date Posted: Fri, 5 Jul 2019
Following our successful Pride Fundraiser on Wednesday and ahead of our Pride performance, the Lord Mayor of Bristol invited our MD, Co-Chair and Outreach Coordinator to the Lord Mayor's parlour for a chat and tea.
After the informal meeting, the Lord Mayor tweeted:
"Pre Pride Festival I had the opportunity to invite members of@SingOutBristol for tea. I very much enjoyed their concert earlier in the week."
- Feedback from St. George's customers
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Date Posted: Wed, 12 Jun 2019
I have today received an email from St. George's with some feedback from their customers. St. George's have been asking them about 1. the event, 2. the performance space and 3. value for money:
1. EVENT
Such a professional show for a community choir!!
Well orchestrated and well choreographed considering the number of people in the choir
Quite remarkably distinct, engaging and at times profoundly poignant. The ending came too soon.
Fantastic atmosphere. Beautifully presented.
Fabulous show none stop entertainment from start to finish. Highly recommended
Fabulous performance and choir.
Excellent performance and acoustics
Uplifting and professional performance by a gifted team
Amazing show as always. Staff very courteous and helpful
Musically very good, great choreography and a choir that were clearly enjoying themselves
Varied, enjoyable choice of songs, beautifully sung.
Choir fantastic but given their number the sound was very muted. Needed much better amplification. I said this politely to the team on the sound desk at the beginning of the interval and surprisingly they did not heed my advice.
2. THE VENUE
Lovely new space
The best acoustics of any hall in the UK
Providing water jugs near the seating was a life saver. Thank you.
Very smart and well- designed.
It would have been helpful to have toilets on each floor.
Love the next building make the place so much better to get around and for socializing.
Fantastic venue and acoustics. Loving the additional building.
Very nice venue
It is fabulous
Beautiful architecture and great organisation.
Extension and extra facilites a great improvement and presumably much easier for you. More nudges needed to get us to order our drinks ready for the interval - am guilty so had to wait almost missing out.
I love St George's as a venue and think the new renovations are wonderful. However I couldnt give it 5 stars as we were not able to take glasses into the show.
Excellent acoustics. Lovely bar/cafe area
Compact, comfortable and acoustically perfect - also some very clever lighting
Great acoustics
I like the redevelopment. Having the doors opening out on to the new patio is good.
3. VALUE FOR MONEY
A great evening entertainment for a very reasonable price.
What value do you put on something so memorable?!
5 star excellent
Excellent value
The performance was incredible. I wish they could have gone on for longer.
Would have been happy to have paid Hippodrome and Colston Hall prices for this show.
- IMPORTANT: No rehearsal Tuesday 4 June
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Date Posted: Wed, 29 May 2019
IMPORTANT: There is NO REHEARSAL this coming Tuesday (4 June 2019)
I have decided in agreement with the committee and the MD team, that we shall not hold the usual feedback session at the first rehearsal after the concert. Instead feedback will be done online this year, giving everyone an equal chance of providing feedback anonymously. More info about how to do this will follow in a separate post.
We have agreed to give everyone next week off - which means that there will be no rehearsal and noone in the rehearsing space on Tuesday 4 June. Instead we suggest to meet up at Brewers Fayre between 7:30 and 9:30. Respond to the event here.
Christian
Concert director
- Latest Edition of Tune-In Published
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Date Posted: Tue, 26 Feb 2019
1.jpg "Latest Edition of Tune-In Published")
Issue 7 of Tune-In, our quarterly online magazine is available now in two formats:
ONLINE MAGAZINE FORMAT
DOWNLOADABLE PDF FORMATFor more information, see: https://www.singoutbristol.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=newsletters&id=68
- We want you on the big screen // call for volunteers
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Date Posted: Tue, 19 Feb 2019
It’s time to film our introduction/welcome video for the ICONS concert - and I am now looking for volunteers to star in this.
I need between 10-25 volunteers - the more the merrier
My idea is that everybody will read the same script - and we can then cut the lines together so every person will have their own line in the video - think airline safety video, think Nothing Compares To You music video - that style! The look I am going for is something like this below - it will tie in nicely with the ICONS concept.
Don’t be afraid of failing this - we really want AS MANY as possible from the choir to showcase on the big screen - we will be doing the filming at rehearsals and we can take and re-take as many times as we need - and finally - we’ll only use your the bits recorded. That’s the beauty of this concept.
If you are interested in this - please let me know by sending me an email on concertdirector@singoutbristol.org.uk, alternatively come have a chat with me or Alex Williams (bass) at rehearsals.
The script we’d be asking you to read, is as follows:
- Willkommen,
- Bienvenue,
- Welcome.
- Welcome one and all to our home for tonight, St George's Bristol,
- and thank you for coming.
- Tonight is the culmination of 9 months hard preparation for us.
- it's been tough - we are not gonna lie to you - but we've had a lot of fun along the way
- and we are so proud of the performance we are about to put on for you.
- The theme for this years concert is Gay Icons,
- as you can see, the programme is varied, with a few "classical" pieces,
- pop tunes from the charts,
- good old sing-along classics as well as songs from our favourite human rights activists
- in other words: a concert reflecting some of our icons,
- the people who have played a big role in our community and in our lives.
- But before we start,
- a few pieces of practical information:
- Please turn off your mobile phones, or put them in silent mode.
- You're allowed to take pictures, but please do not use the flash.
- If you need to use the facilities during our performance,
- you might be asked to wait a short time when coming back
- just until we finish the current song,
- so you don't disturb the performance and people sitting around you.
- Now sit back
- Relax
- And enjoy this show by Sing Out Bristol
- Welcome!
Christian
Concert director
ICONS 2019
- Will we sell out at St George's?
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Date Posted: Sun, 17 Feb 2019
Many of you have asked, "how is it going with ticket sales?". As of today, status is; we've come off to a good start - but could use a bit of a push.
Friday 33% of seats sold Saturday 65% of seats sold Sing Out Bristol 79 St George's 118 Total sales 197 Sing Out Bristol 156 St George's 229 Total sales 385 As you can see we've sold 582 tickets over both days so far - St George's have a total of 590 seats - so we've sold the hall completely out - but only once. We need to sell twice this number of tickets to have two sellout nights, so please do all you can to push sales for Friday. It would be a shame to perform for a half full St George's.
Remember - you can still buy tickets from me at Tuesdays rehearsals. I have 121 left for Friday across all ticket bands, and only 44 seats left for Saturday (mainly balcony seats).
Christian
Concert director
ICONS 2019
- Charity Of The Year
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Date Posted: Fri, 18 Jan 2019
Hello Everyone.
The Committee have decided that we would like to choose a charity of the year.
The chosen charity would receive a percentage donation of the profits we make at our concert this year.
How will we decide?
We would like to receive nominations from choir members for local charities they would like us to support. To make this process as easy as possible please follow the following guidance.- Please nominate only one charity
- Within your nomination please explain why this charity should win
- Try to make it a local charity
- Send nominations to outreach@singoutbristol.org.uk or comment on this post
Happy nominating!
- Review Of The Year 2018
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Date Posted: Wed, 2 Jan 2019
This video was posted to Facebook on New Years Eve, to mark the end of our 10th anniversary year. It's a 10 minute slideshow interspersed with a couple of clips of our performances. YouTube Video URL:
- Certificate from National AIDS Trust
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Date Posted: Mon, 10 Dec 2018
Here's the Gold Award certificate we received from The National AIDS Trust, veryfying the amount we raised for them on World AIDS Day 2018, with our performance in Cabot Circus.
Thank you to evryone who came along to perform or support us on the day.
Attachment:
- Bristol Trans Support Pledge
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Date Posted: Thu, 26 Jul 2018
If you were at Pride, recently, you may be aware of the Bristol Trans Pledge, in support of the trans members of our community. After consulting the trans members of the choir, Sing Out Bristol is proud to support this pedge as a choir, on our social media pages and we invite our members and followers to do the same.
From the Trans Pledge website:In the past few months trans people have come under increasing attack in the media. So much so that the International Lesbian & Gay Association has downgraded the UK in its annual Rainbow Europe rankings.
We believe that Trans People have the right to be treated equally. This includes:
- The right to exist
- The right to live freely without fear
- The right to be treated with dignity & respect
- The right to enjoy the security of UK legislation
- The right to speak and be heard
We will be asking the people of Bristol to support this pledge via social media in the run-up to Pride.
For further information about possible changes to the UK’s Gender Recognition Act, please see: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/truth-about-trans.
#IPledgeTransSupport #KeepHateOutOfBristol
Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor
Alex Raikes, SARI
Sarah-Louise Minter, LGBT Bristol
Daryn Carter, Bristol Pride
Bristol MIND
T.I.G.E.R. Bristol Coop
The Diversity Trust
Unite the Union South West Region
Bristol Labour
Stephen Williams (former LibDem MP)
Andrea Young, Chief Executive North Bristol NHS Trust
Bristol Green Party
Bristol Green councillor group
University of Bristol
Mike Jempson
Cllr. Mhairi Threlfall
Dr. Finn MacKay
OutStories Bristol
The University of the West of England
Dru Marland
Brigstowe
Feminist Archive South
Bristol Temple Meads Ambassadors
Voice & Influence Partnership
Bristol Women’s Voice
Bristol Queercaf
Bristol Panthers FC
Kiki Bristol
LaDIYfest Bristol
Andrew Brown, Secretary LGBT+ Lib Dems, and Bristol Lib Dem Member
Bristol LibDems
Sue Sanders, School’s Out
Fran Edwards
Katie Herring
Bristol Bisons RFC
Stephen Collings, Equality Lead, Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service
Bristol Independent Mental Health Network
Tom Renhard
Glenn Townsend
Travis Alabanza
Sarah Savage
Kate Adair
Kate Hutchinson
GIRES
Alice Denny
Ben Vincent
Simon Henwood
Fox & Owl
Lewis Hancox
The Priory Hospital BristolTo report transphobic hate crime call SARI: 0800 171 2272 | to talk to someone call MindLine Trans+: 0300 330 5468
Pledge wording taken with thanks from that used by Pride Cymru & Wales Equality Alliance.
The artwork was provided by Frank Duffy.
For more information, see: https://transbristol.wordpress.com/2018/07/01/bristol-trans-support-pledge/
- One Day Until Pride
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Date Posted: Fri, 13 Jul 2018
We are so excited about our performance at Bristol Pride tomorrow.
Join us on the march from 11am and come watch us on the main stage from 12.30pmYouTube Video URL:
- Tune-In Summer 2018 Edition
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Date Posted: Thu, 12 Jul 2018
Click the magazine to view online, or download the PDF from the link below.For more information, see: www.mediafire.com/file/9p6zsok49632a7a/Mag5.pdf
- World AIDS Day 2017 Update
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Date Posted: Fri, 29 Jun 2018
Dear Sing Out Bristol,Thank you for supporting World AIDS Day back in December. The six months since have just flown by!I wanted to get in touch to let you how much we raised from the campaign:£88,414That’s a staggering achievement, and it’s all down to your hard work. Thank you.
I wanted to let you know how your donations have helped to prevent new cases of HIV and champion the rights of people living with HIV. I’ve compiled a full report on what we've achieved, which you can access below. Please share it with anybody who took part in your World AIDS Day fundraising, so they can see the impact of their donation.How you've helped us prevent new cases of HIV
If you tuned in to BBC2 at 9pm last night, you might have seen our Chief Executive and Director of Strategy in a documentary about PrEP. If you missed it, it's available on BBC iPlayer here.
The documentary tells the story of how we fought to make PrEP available to 10,000 people on the NHS. PrEP has already prevented thousands of cases of HIV. It could spell the end of the HIV epidemic.
With your support, we’ve been making the case to NHS England that more people should have free access to the drug. Having considered our evidence, it seems likely that NHS England will make more places available soon.What next?
We’re already planning our World AIDS Day 2018 campaign, including a full revamp of our educational resources and a campaign that will get even more people nationwide to wear the red ribbon with pride.
It would be great to have your support again for this year’s World AIDS Day. Save the date - and we’ll be in touch before then about how to get involved.
Thank you,
Oliver Nicholls
Fundraising Officer
- 10th Anniversary Edition Of Tune-In
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Date Posted: Wed, 11 Apr 2018
To celebrate reaching our 10th anniversary, and just ahead of the concerts, this weekend, here is the latest edition of the choir magazine, 'Tune-In, for all members and friends of Sing Out Bristol..
As usual, if you prefer a basic PDF version, you can download it here
- Hand In Hand 2019
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Date Posted: Tue, 20 Feb 2018
There's so much for our choir to look forward to in the next 18 months.
As well as Munich, in May this year, we're excited about performing on this stage, next year!
UK LGBT choir festival, Hand In Hand 2019 will take place in Cardiff at the prestigious St Davids Hall, following a successful festival in Manchester, last year.
And, before all that, of course, there's the small matter of our 10th Anniversary concerts, this April.
Just 24 tickets left for the Saturday performance, and around 90 for the Friday.
For more information, see: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/x-10-years-sing-bristol-show-one/
- Happy New Year
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Date Posted: Wed, 3 Jan 2018
It's been an amazing 2017 for the choir.
We performed 10 times, more than any other year, and increased our members' social events to one a month.
We end 2017 with 141 paying members and another 9 newbies who are in the process of deciding whether to join.
2018 will be even bigger and better. Thank you for supporting us in 2017 and we look forward to seeing you again in our 10th Anniversary year.
Watch this space!
But before that, watch this video: our highlights from 2017.
YouTube Video URL:
