Choir News Bulletin's


   BARTON ON SEA METHODIST CHURCH
August info:
About 50 choir members with some family and friends enjoyed a wonderful social week end together based in Bournemouth from Friday 30 July to the following Sunday. A Summer concert was performed at Matt Beckingham our MD's Fathers church Barton on Sea to a very responsive and full audience. £ 520 was raised to help the refurbish appeal for the church hall kitchen. This will help support for over 60 elderly people who benefit from various activities at the church. 

Thank You letter from Barton on Sea Church:

We so enjoyed the visit of Phoenix Singers. The concert was so very well received;we have had so many positive comments. It was a real highlight for people here. The £ 520 raised from the concert has enabled us to add to our kitchen fund and further aid its refurbishment. Our sincere thanks for making that possible. The kitchen is used to help in the provision of meals each week for the elderely. A worthy cause. Our warmest thanks and best wishes to you all. Keith Beckingham (Church Minister) and wife Hilary 


June 
The choirs Summer concert in aid of the National Institute for Conductive Education was a great success, performed in front of a very appreciative audience on Saturday 26 June at St Paul's Church in the Jewellery Quarter. The interval courtesy glass of wine was very well received on a hot night in the city. £ 373 was raised from the bucket swing collection at the end of the concert and it is anticipated close on £ 1,000 will have been raised from this final concert to support the charity.
                   Over £ 4,000 has now been raised to support the charity 



April 
A wonderful experience was had by the choir taking part in the St Georges Day Concert at Symphony Hall on Saturday 24 April in front of a packed audience of flag waving audience.
For many of the choir is was their first and daunting experience in this wonderful venue where its difficult to hear anyone else singing with you due to the marvelous acoustics.
Photos courtesy of Brad Baker who was in the audience thanks from us all Brad.





April 
Our recent Spring Concert at St Mary's Selly Oak was very well received by a packed congregation on Saturday 27 March. Many audience members commented afterward on how wonderful the whole experience was with 80 Phoenix Singers conducted by MD Matt Beckingham and accompanied by Sara Wilander. The amount raised for the church sound system was just under £800 and grateful thanks were given to all of the choir singers their friends and family who attended to swell normal congregation     


BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL
January 
Holocaust Memorial Service Sunday 24 Jan 2010: Legacy of Hope event organised and funded by Birmingham City Council was a moving experience for both audience and performers. Phoenix Singers and members from OneSound Orchestra and choir, along with support from other choirs and members of the Birmingham Conservatoire performed another wonderful performance of Karl Jenkins Armed Man Mass for Peace.
Our sincere thanks go to Joan Durose & Dianne Rivers of Birmingham City Council Events Team

Some audience comments:

FABULOUS again brilliantly done and so moving
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I thought the Armed Man was superb. In fact we were so moved by it we needed a stiff drink after wards. The singing was excellent and we were so impressed with the way everything fitted together including the film
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We had a great time and my daughter and our family were so moved by the film footage and the whole experience. The choir and orchestra were excellent.
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Thank you for a most wonderful experience on Sunday. Although the words and music of the Armed Man are familiar to me, the impact and presence of a superb choir, orchestra and presentation took me completely unawares. The whole experience of the day and the impact it made on my emotions will last for a long time 
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You were all magnificent; I was carried away on wings of song coupled with the video. Listening and watching stunning, I went all of a quiver!!!! Well done.... Matt your Conductor was brilliant...he had you all in the palm of his hands and you all responded so well

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  • January 
Eaton Hotel Annual Choir Party Night A good time was had by many choir members, friends and family on Friday 15 January when after a splendid meal it was Karaokie time. Much hair was let down with party members aging from 3 weeks old! in baby Sophie's case, congratulations to soprano member Alex with your recent addition to the family and our oldest member at 90 years young. Marian Smith gave us a hugely comical cabaret spot with an insight into her mud spar treatment in Hungary last year. It was great to welcome our Musical Director Matt Beckingham and his lovely wife Sarah.  Matt was presented with a Phoenix five year service award from Val Barnish our Chair. Also great to have our very talentedl concert/rehearsal accompanists Sara and Melissa.
  • Sample photos taken prior to our Christmas Concert can be seen on this website go to our Photos Gallery. A fuller range of photographs including many informal ones taken during the afternoon rehearsal can be viewed on the choirs additional NEW Flicker site:
  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenix_singers/
December 2009
Our Annual Christmas Cracker Concert on Saturday 12 December at the CBSO Centre was its usual resounding success with over 90 singers on stage and a full audience, early feedback confirms it seems our best yet. Thanks to Matt Beckingham our great MD and the voluntary support of Andy Knowles our wonderful resident compere. 
  • We have had a few good carol singing events involving small sections of the choir during a busy month. First for the National Trust at The Backs Hurst Street followed by one at St Marys Church Moseley where over £600 was raised during the congregation bucket swing for our current charity Conductive Education. Then we sang at Cadbury World on Sunday 20 December with over 30 singers in attendances to an appreciative audience.
  • November 2009 
'Armed Man Mass for Peace' The city have finally confirmed they want us to repeat our Summer performance of the Armed Man for the Holocaust Memorial Service at the Town Hall on the afternoon of Sunday January 24
  • Thanks to all who supported our choir fund raising fun 'Race Night' and in particular to Alan Bailey his wife Carol and Maggie Philips for its organisation. The night raised in excess of £400
  • October info:Hearty congratulations to Stephen and Jeanne Booth from all choir members, they celebrated their joyful wedding day on Saturday 24 October at All Saints Church Streetly. Phoenix choir members and the church choir sang together Raymond Smiths 'Love is Patient' Some wedding photos can be seen in our photo gallery and additional ones by clicking onto Paul and Dot Ryans site
  • We had a fabulous concert performing Karl Jenkins Armed Man receiving rave reviews from our audience with comments like 'Fantastic performance' 'Should have played to a bigger audience' 'Why not take it on tour' 'I wanted to clap all night it was magnificent' ' Have heard the music many times and thought I might have been disappointed it far surpassed my expectations wonderful' 
  • The audience came from all over the country to see the performance at our wonderful Birmingham Town Hall. The venue was packed and a standing ovation was given at the end of this charity concert in aid of