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For tickets for any of our concerts, to book the Wedding Choir, or to book the choir
for your event, contact our concert secretary, Ros Meehan, on 07862 736766
Saturday
27th October, 20:00h
in the Church of St Jaume, Palma, Majorca. the priest said Mass first,
and then at about 8.30pm, we sang a full concert. Richard Lea accompanied us on the church organ, and Eunice
Coates turned the pages for him, and pulled out stops as requested. So of course, we sang Handel's "Zadok
the Priest", and Colin Mawby's "Ave Verum Corpus". Other items included Rory Johnston's
"O Sacrum Convivium", Eric Whitacre's "This Marriage", and Caccini's "Ave Maria",
arranged for the Brixi Singers by Dr A H Claire. It was a wonderful church in which to sing, and we all enjoyed
ourselves, choir and congregation!
 Sunday 28th October 12:00h,
we sang Mass in the Palma La Seu Cathedral,
followed by a short concert of 3-4 appropriate pieces. During the Mass, accompanied by Richard Lea at the organ, we
sang, amongst others, Thomas Weelkes' "Hosanna to the Son of David", the Sanctus by Thomas Tallis,
and Viadana's "Exsultate Justi". During Communion, we sang Rory Johnston's "O
Sacrum Convivium", and Cacchini's "Ave Maria", arranged for the Brixi Singers by Dr A H Claire.
The three pieces after the Mass included Handel's "Zadok the Priest", and Henry Purcell's
"Hear my prayer". The short concert finished with Colin Mawby's "Ave Verum Corpus". Most
of the large congregation stayed after the Mass to hear these extra pieces, and the whole thing was very well received.
It was wonderful to sing so near the Catalan Modernist work of Gaudi, which included an enormous crown-of-throns illuminated
canopy that hangs over the altar. And we were so close to his redecoration of the chancel, using natural flower
and leaf motifs, that we could have touched it. Not many tourists get that close!
 In the evening of Sunday 28th October,
we travelled by coach to Campos, for a joint concert with the Coral Sant Julia. the picture shows the Coral,
with posters advertising our concert, waiting for us. When we arrived, they were all waiting outside the
church, and sang us a welcome. Nary a dry eye in the Brixi! The concert itself was amazing, and the
Coral were very complimentary about our accents in the 2 joint pieces - (one of which was in English, so that was a
bit of a cheat, "What the Lord has done in me"). The second piece was called "Te Quiero",
which apparently means "I love you" - "como la tierra al sol" - like the earth loves the sun.
 Campos Town Council had sponsored the concert, and at the
end of the concert, one of the town officials presented each choir with a large dish decorated with a scene
of Campos. You will be pleased to know that we got our large dish home in one piece, and it resides splendidly on Rory's
sideboard! The evening finished with a buffet of Mallorcan dishes, lots of wine, and so much singing,
it was almost another concert! The most marvellous aspect was that only 2 of the Coral spoke English, and very
few of us spoke more Spanish or Catalan than was needed to ask for a beer. But it didn't matter. as the saying
goes "where words fail, music speaks"!
Saturday 14th July - 7.30pm in the Hall of St Hugh of Lincoln &
St John's Church, 314 Manchester Road, Timperley, Altrincham WA14 5NB, we performed a light summer concert, on
a lovely sunny summer evening. We were privileged to have part of the St Hugh Primary school choir - there were only
9 of them, but they sang enthusiastically and well. We started with John Rutter's "Look at the world",
then the children sat down, and listened to us for a while. But it wasn't long before they were back up again,
and taking the lead in the Howard Goodall "The Lord Is My Shepherd", which was used as the theme tune to the
TV series "The Vicar Of Dibley". At the end, the children sang the "For Ever" lines,
the last one being taken by one solo girl - there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Follow that, as they say! So we
did, with 4 nursery rhymes, which seemed to amuse the children! Abigail Whitfield from the church community
played the Elgar violin piece "Chanson de matin", accompanied on the piano by Rosamund Meehan,
and in the second half, played the "Chanson de nuit". It was lovely to hear the notes of this
as dusk fell, on a beautiful summer evening. We finished off with some rousing spirituals, and with audience participation
in "Down By The Riverside". The concert was held in aid of the St Francis Trust, which provides care
and shelter for vulnerable children in South Africa, and raised almost £450 for that very worthy cause.
Saturday 16th June - we took part in a
Gala Concert at the Victoria Hall in Bolton, in aid of ACT, which encourages & supports community theatre.
We were royally entertained by the Operetta Company from Farnworth, with songs from the Desert Song. The Pennine
Quintet continued the royal theme with the arrival of the Queen of Sheba, and some piano quintet music. Ad Lib productions
gave us the Monty Python "Argument" sketch, and the "Four Candles" Two Ronnies sketch, amongst
other. Ladybridge Singers sang some lovely reflective pieces, and sang a Romanian carol - in Romanian! The Greater
Northern Folk Ensemble had us tapping our feet, especially to the Rochdale Coconut dance. New Rosemere gave us
some well oloved Gilbert & Sullivan, including Three Little Maids. The Brixi Singers sang 4 pieces, including
Exsultate Justi, and the White Cliffs of Dover. But for me, the highlight was the 2 sets of the Dawn Dawson
Academy Theatre School. Those youngsters have way too much energy - I was exhausted just watching them. I was
amazed when one of the girls threw herself at one of the lads, and he caught her high in the air, a la Dirty Dancing,
and held her up - breathtaking. Then he whizzed her round by wrist & ankle. But we managed to top it in the
finale, as the massed choirs, musicians, and dancers joined together in the chorus from Les Miserables - "Do
You Hear The people Sing?" - Bolton certainly did, that night!
Saturday 9th June - 7.30pm, in Christ Church
WEST Didsbury. The Brixi Singers have performed here before, and so enjoyed the experience, that we wanted
to return, and luckily they let us! The concert took place on a lovely sunny evening, and was focused around
Jonathon Dove's "The Passing of the Year". This setting of seven poems in 2000 make up 3 movements.
The first looks forward to summer (don't we all!) - the second follows the passing of summer, and the third movement
considers autumn, and ends in winter, on New Year's Eve. The song cycle is dedicated to Jonathon Dove's
mother "who died too young". We also performed a piece written by our MD, Rory Johnston, O Lux
Beatissima", and a piece written by a fellow student of his, Credo Quod Redemptor. Other items included
Fayrfax's "O Lux Beata Trinitas", Thomas Weekes' "Hosanna to the Son of David", OTallis'
"O Sacrum Convivium", and John Ireland's "The Hills". Some beautiful Renaissance music complemented
by some beautiful modern pieces., in a wonderful setting.
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