The Fourth Choir Trustees Annual Report and Accounts For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 Charity Number 1156769 Charity Commission 2 6 JUN 2025 Received
The Fourth Choir Trustees, Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 Chair?s Report This report covers our twelfth year as a Choir and our eleventh full rep)rting period as a charity. After a period of working with a range of guest conductors. and following a long and competitive interview process. the Trustees were enonnously pleased to embark on our second chapter with a peTmanent Musical Director after appointing Jamie Powe earlier in the year. Jamie's tenure began in September 2023 where he prograTllTned and conducted a concert to mark the choir's l O-year anniversary. The Concert, Shoulder to Shoulder. celebrated the life and works of radical bisexual composer and suffragist Dame Ethel Smyth, who wrote the official anthem of the women's suffi2ge movement. To mark the momentous occasion of the choir's first decade in making music. the Trustees made the decision to commission two new choral ivorks from leading contemporary composer5. The songs, -wild Nights - Wild Nights!" by Kery Andrew and"Ethel Smyth on Freedom" by CN Lewis received their world premieres at the anniversary concert wbich took place at Milton Court Concert Hall in the Barbican. The concert featured readings from Ethel's lÈfe, read by noted actors Juliet Stevenson and Charlie Josephine. The celebrations to mark our tenth anniversary season continued with a recording of our first full length album in Spring 2024. To realise this aspiration. the choir launched ow most ambitious fvndraising campaign to date, seeking to raise £1 0.000 to cover the costs of the recording, editing and distribution. Launching the fundraiser at our anniversary concert, we raised nds online, through conununity events such as bake sales and via two album preview concerts, reaching our fvndraising target in March 2024. We were delighted to work with highly sought after sound engineer Tom Mungall and producer Jacob Ewens for the recording, which focused alrnost exclusively on unrecorded works and featured a high proportion of composers from LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented backgrounds. Another highlight of the season was the opportunity of bringing to London our concerL My Beloved Man. celebrating the 39- year relationship of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, after its enorniously successful debut in Aldeburgh the Previous year. We staged the perforniance once again at Milion Cour , in association with the Classical Pride festival and were thrilled to have the Britten-Pears letters read by Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny and celebrated actor Samuel Barnett (Dirk Gently, The History Boys). We were very pleased to gmw our Trustee group by appointing Alex Luck in March 2024. who took on responsibilities managing the choir's Membership and auditions process and would like to extend our thanks to him for signifLcantly improving our systems and processes in that area since he joined. Based on the choir's perforniances during this Sffdson. the Twstees were delighted to receive an invitation to participate for the rst time in the BBC Proms. The choir was one of six Choirs from diverse baCkgroUdS who joined forces to forni a "super choif,, for Handel's Messiah. Rehearsals began in August 2024 and the concerL which lik¢ all Proms was broadcast live on Radio 3, took place on September 7th. We also look fonvard to the release of our debut album once editing and masterillg is complete. Edward Long Chair, The Fourth Choir
The Fourth Choir Trustees, Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 (Continued) Objects and Organisation The objects of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation are: The education of the public in the art of choral music thrnugh the presentation of concerts. public recitals and other such mean5 as the TnteeS shall decide. and 2. To promote equality and diversity for the public benefit with particular reference to the LGBTQ+ community and, in particular but not exclusively, Advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity. b. Promoting activities to foster undersLqndincv between people from diVSe backgrounds. and Cultivaling a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity, in particular through celebrating diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Values The choir continues to be led by our agreed core values in planning and managing our activities, namely: We are proud to be a choir of LGBTQ+ singers and allie5 We are passionate about musical excellence, about improving our skills and having fijn We nurture an inclusive space and celebrate diversity We are creative, Collaborative and ambitious We are a supportive, big-hearted and welcoming community Achievements and Performance We are delighted and proud of the choir's achievements in this, our Iwelfth year. These achievements include: Beginning our first seasoTh with our newly appointed Musical Director, Jamie Powe Commissioning two new choral w0S by leading queer composers Successfully fundraising £IO.000 to support our album recording Recording our first 11 length album Pr¢miering our My Belovedman concert at the Barbican Arts Centre Receiving our first invitation to take part in a perfonnance at the BBC Proms Performances and Events (in chronological order) Tuning workshop - September 2023 To set our singers up with a foundation for our tentb anniversary concert and album recording, we began our Autumn Terni witb a workshop on tuning, by tenor, conductor and producer Jacob Ewens (BBC SingeTS. Tenebrae. Voces8 & The Monteverdi Choir). The workshop gave singers a deeper insight into approaches to tiIng intervals for different musical styles and improving accurdcy in intonation. Shoulder to Shoulder- November 2023 Foi our 10th anniversary concert The Fourtb Choir celebrated the Life, Loves and Legacy of Dar0¢ Ethel Smyth at Milton Court Concert Hall in tbe Barbican. Dame Ethel Smyth- suffragette, passionate bisexual and the rst female composer to be made a Dame of the British Empire - provided the inspiration for a journey through a thousand years of choral masterpieces.
The Fourth Choir Trustees. Allnual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 21124 (Continued) We perf0rn1ed music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 19th centy and tbe present day, including the two work5 specially Commissioned for this concert: a settittg of poety by Emily Dickinson by composer Kerry Andrew, and a collaboration that paired words by actOT and poet Ashleigh Wilder with music by singer-songwriter and activist CN Lester. Conducted by Jamie Powe. the concert was naTrated by leading actors Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply. Wolfj and Charlie Josephine (I, Joan. Cowbois). "The choir is incredible, world clays. But also iha¢ il is rooted in the identity it has (Jnd commissionsfrom thatplace is so inspiring. For me it was one ofihose quite rare magical evenings. whereyou realise thafyou are at something reallv remarknble" Juliet SievepLson Duliyieh Plcthre Gallery Christmas Concert- December 2023 At the start of December, we were invited to sing a Christmas concert for the Friends of Dulwich Picture Gallery. The concert included a mix of traditional congregational ¢aroIs and choral works with intricate harmonies, and were interspersed with seasonal readings by staff from the Gallery. Music for a Winter's Night- December 2023 We retLned to the beautiful church of St Clement Danes in the stran our regular winter venue for some years now. We were delighted that our audience numbers had returned to pre-pandemic size an¢ for the first time since Lockdown, our Winter Concert was sold OUL with a waiting list for returns. The choir sang a wide rdnge of Christmas music that can be enjoyed by people of every religion and none, including pieces by some of our favourite composers such as Cecilia McDowall. Nathaniel Dett and Richard Rodney Bennett. Well-known works, such as Tn the Stillness by Sally Beamish and an exquisite chordl arrangement of Away in a Manger, were contrasted with Renaissance rarities by tbe Portuguese Vicente Lusitsno. believed to be the first published black composer, and the Italian nu Isabella Leonarda, who, despite living in a convent from the age of 16 until her death at the age of 83, was one of the most prolific women composers of her time. An address was given by Thelma Ndau14 Operations Manager of the charity Say It Loud Club which provides social, ¢motional, educational and advocacy support for LGBT(y- refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. A Christmas Gaiety- December 2023 The Choir ivas invited for a second time to the Albert Hall to take part in tbeir camp Christtna5 extravaganza: A Christmas Gaiety. As well as Sillging our own number, the choir also sang backing vocals for drag legend. Le Gateau Chocolat, in a powerful and moving version of Nothing Con)pares 2 U, a tribute to tbe late Sinéad O'CoEJllOf, which brought the audience to its feet for a sustained ovation. Organist Anna Lapwood put the Albert Hall organ through its considerable paces, Sandi Tokvig brought effortless star power and the BBC Concert Orchestra (almost) camped everyone else off the stage. Choral Workshop - February 2024 Continuing to invest in the musical development of the choir, we rdn a ¢boral workshop in March with singer and conductor Eamonn Dougan (The Sixteen, Tenebrae, NYCGB & Britten Sinfonia Voices). The workshop was transforniational for many of our singers in developing a richer and freer tone. particularly with the early music works the cboir was preparing for our album recording.
The Fourth Choir Trnstees. Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 (Continued} Album Recording- March 2024 Launched to celebrate the choirfs tenth anniversary, and made possible through the generous donations of our members and supporters, our debut album showcases works by undeTrepresented composers from throughout history, most of which have not been previously recorded. Featured composers include the renaissauce writers Raffaella Aleotti. Caterina Assandra and Vicente Lusitano as well as contemporary composers Derri Joseph Lewis, Cooper Baldwin, Marie-claire Saindon, Jessica Curry and Sbnithi Rajasekar. The album also includes two pieces commissioned by the choir from KeThy Andrew and Stuart Beatch. Jamie and the choir recorded the album over three weekend days at the siunning St Jude-on-the-Hill ¢hw¢h supported by a professional production team of Jacob Ewens and Tom Mungall. Songs of Ourselvey - MarchlAprfl 2024 We were also pleased to share a preview of the music featured on the album with our supporters in hvo preview concerts at the sparkling Fitzrovia Chapel and St Gabriel's Church in Pijnlico. The Fitzrovia concert was sold out and we were delighted to close the final stretch of our fimdraising goal through ticket sales and voluntary donations from concertgoers. My Beloved Man- July 2024 tn July we returned to the Barbican for the second outing of conductor and producer Oliver Zefftnan's Classical Pride festival. This year the festival was expanded to a full week and we were delighted to be invifrd to perforni the London premi¢re of our My Beloved Man concert at Milton Court. ITh the concert the letters of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears were read by actor Samuel Barnett and presenter Petroc Trelawney. "At the Barbican. as parl ofitsfive-day Clogsical Pridef(IVaI I heard the Cellent Fourth Choirperforni music across the cenluries in My Belovedmon. Fiona Maddocks iii The Observer Classical Pride- July 2024 After our own concert. the choir also joined with queer singers from across London in an expanded community choir, singing Szymanowski's atmospberic Symphony No. 3 "The Night" with the London Sjinphony orchestra and tenor Russell Thomas in the star-studded fule concert of the Classical ]de festÈval.
The Fourth Choir Trustees, Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 (Continued) Public Benefit The choir continued to pursue our charitable ain of promoting diversity, both through our concert programming, weekly rehearsal prdctices and engagement with external initiatives. Our Musical Director Jamie Powe took part ID an Open University research study on gender in contemporary concert programming, sharing details of how the choir has used our concert progfdmmes to shine a light on women, nonbinary and other underrepTesented composers and figures. Our debut album also showcased the talent of underrepresented writers and composers from history and the present day and focused on previously unr¢¢orded pieces so that we can bring their works to a wider audience. We also used our activities to provide opportunities for other charitable organisations. At our winter concert. we heard from the Say It Loud Club and took a retiring donation to support their work. The Classical Pride festival tbat we sang in also raised funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust. Rainbow Railroad and Amplifimd. Structure, Governance and Management Governance The Fourth Choir was constituted &s a Charitable InCoorated OTganisation on 22 April 2014. before that date. the Choir existed as a non-registered body established on I September 2013. The accounts for the eleventh period of trading of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation ¢ommence on O I September 2023 and Tun until 31 August 2024. The trnstees who have served during tbe period and since commencement are set out on page l. None of the tnjstees, nor any person Connected to them, has received any paid remuneration from the Charity in the period to 31 August 2024. The power Éo appoint trustees is vested in existing trustees. Apart from the first ChaTity trustees, every tLVStee must be appointed for a tern) of three years by resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of th¢ Charity trnstees. All major decisions, including those of a financial nature, are made by the Board of Trustees at their rn¢etin8s. Method of Electlon of Trustees Trustees are appointed through the unanimous voting of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is made up of choir members who demonstrate the commitment and ability to contribute valuable skills towards the running of tbe choir. TnteeS are appointed for 3 years. The first trustees were appointed for 2. 3 and 4 years to ensure continuity of l¢ad¢rship. The key skills covered by the ttustees includ¢." financial management a]Jd planning" day to day runnillg of the choir, including rehearsals, membership and communications" events planning and external liaison" events management and supervision; thnd raising. and secretarial roles. Finallce The attached fmancial statements show the CUTrent state of the Choir's fmances which the cornmittee considers to be sound.
The Fourth Choir Trustees, Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 (Continued) Reserves The Board of TTUStees has defrmiined a rolling policy of reserve maintenance, with a target of £7,000 to be held as a rapi(lly available credit balance in the principal choir bank account. This reserve exists to provide financial stability and mitigate against any unexpected expenses, and is developed through the setting of clear budgetary targets at the begitLning of the year and meeting regularly to review perfornlance. Future PIans For the 2024125 season the Board of Trustees put in place plans to: Participate for the first time in the BBC Proms Stage an ambitious perfonnance of James Joyce's short story The Dead at the historical Wilton's Music Hall in East London Remember LGBTQ+ persecuted throughout history with a requiem concert at a major church in central London Organise our first overseas tour with our new Musical Director, perfomiing at tbe Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Continue to organise, promote and perfomi self-promoted concerts Continue to grow our professtonal bookings business Find opportunities to perforn] at classical festivals and venues outside London Raise awareness of the choir through increased publicity and social media activities Forni new relationships, and develop existing ones, with sponsors, benefactors, cbarities, composers, professional musicians. arts promoters and LGBT(y organisations. Consider widening membership of our Trustee group to non-singers ID order to scale our capacity and breadth of skills and governance.
The Fourth Choir Trustees, Annual Report For The Year Ended 31 August 21)24- continued Reference and Administration Information Chllrity Registration Number: 1156769 Trustees: Chair- Dr Edward Long Trustee- JaTnes McGrenerd Trustee - Dr Finn Schulze-Feldmann Trustee - Eleanor May Dragonetti Trustee- Sophia Josephine Allen TnJstee- Alexander Luck (Resigned 22.12.23) (Appointed 13.03.24) Prxn¢ipal Contact Address: Flat 5 19 Percy Circus London W4X 9EE Website: www.thefothchoir.corn Bankers: HSBC Lion House 25 Islington High Street IslingtOD London NI 9LJ Independent Exarniner.. Mr M Brady FCCA TC Group Cliffe Hill House 22-26 Nottingham Road Stapleford Nottingham NG9 8AA Declaration We declare in our capacity as twstees that the Trustees have approved this report and that we have been authorised to sign. Signature Signature Full Name Full Name Position Position Date 2010612025
Inde endent Examiner's Re ort to the Trustees of the Fourth Choir 'the CIO, For the Year Ended 31 Au st 2024 I report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2024. Responsibilities and Basis of Report As tbe Charity Trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the prepardtion of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the CIO'S accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act. tn carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable directions givens by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 ACL Independent Examjner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confTh that no material Tnatters have come to my attention in connection with the exatnination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l) Accounting records were not kept as required by Section 130 of the Act. or 2) The accounts do not accoid with those records. I confinn that there are no matters to whicb YOUT attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reache(L Dated . 23 MrMBra CCA TC Group Cliffe Hill House 22-26 Nottingham Road Stapleford Nottingham NG9 8AA
The Fourth Choir Receipts and Payments Accounts For The Year Ended 31 August 2024 Notes 2024 Unrestricted Funds 2023 Unrestricted Funds OPENING BALANCES HSBC Bank Cash in Hand PayPal StrÉpe 4291 38 1,176 91 9,252 53 2.554 5.414 11,739 RECEIPTS Bank Interest Grant Income Actiirities for Generating Funds: Special Events 4.758 11,263 Charitable Actlvltles.. Conccrt Sales 12,861 11,722 Voluntary Recelpts: Donations and Gift Aid Transfer of Fund Balance TOTAL RECIEYrs 23,607 19,482 41,226 42.467 PAYMENTS Fundraising Costs: Advertising and Marketing Costs 50 153 Cost of Charitable A¢tivlties: Equipment Hire and Purchase Perfomiers Venue Hire Commission5 and Scores Subscriptions Product Costs Cat¢ring Travel Costs 544 4.180 9,929 986 1,004 563 510 288 1.740 6,746 14,022 7,249 997 502 483 733 (18,054) (32,625) Support Costs: Professional Fees Insurance Printing, Postage and Stationery Bank Charges Miscellaneous Training 15,749 543 1,002 499 14,166 418 650 276 657 17.793 (35.847) (16,167) (48,792) TOTAL EXPENDITURE Excess Receipts Over Eipenditure 5,379 (6,325) Closing balances: HSBC Bank Balanee Cash in Hand Paypal Stripe Gocardless 9,592 38 1,408 (260) 15 4,291 38 1,176 (91) 10,793 5,414 . Chair Surer NaLne. . Date: 2d/6/zJ . Date.. 20/0
The Fourth Choir Statement of Assets and liabilities at the end of the year Unrestricted Funds Total Funds 2023124 Total Funds All Unrestricted 2022123 Casb Funds - HSBC Bank Balance Cash in Hand Paypal Gocardless 9,592 38 1,408 15 4,291 38 1,176 Amounts- Receivable (debtors) Amounts Payable (Creditors) Payable (Accrued charges) 493 792 91 720 Notes to the Accounts Basis of Preparation and Assessment of Going Concern The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charilies: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to cbarities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) Issued 15r January 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), and the Charities Act 2011. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical Cost or transaction value unless othenvise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). The charity ConStit¢S a public benefit entity &s defined by FRSIO2. The trnstees. consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The accounts are pre5eThted in Sterling £. Income Thi5 15 accounted for on a receivable purpose in the period which it is received. b) These are accounted for as paid. Accountancy Charges Independent Examination followAng accounts preparation £792. Taxation The awitabLe Trust is exempt from Corporation T&x on its charitable activities. All monies CULTently held are U[¢strIcted in their application. io
The Follrth Choir Statement of Assets 2nd liabilities at the end of the year- continued No donations were made tn the year. Emoluments of Trustees No emoluments were received by the Trustees in theiT capacity as Tntees. There were no other emoluments or expenses paid to any charity Trustees or peN)n connected with such a Trustee directly or indirectly from the fun(Ls of the charity. Reimbursernent of Trustees Expenses paid in the period in the norn]al course of the work of the charity. Sophia Allen Finn Schulze-Feldmann Ellie Dragonetti Edward Long £185 £757 £255 £1,755 Travel costs Brochures, leaflets, licences, food Bmchures, leaflets, costume hire brochures, leaflets The Trustees confinn, in accordance with the Charitable IncoTporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that al year end the Charitable Incorporated Oiganisation did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Trustee Donations The charity received a total of £896 donations from ISte¢S ID the year (2023: £480). io. Related Party Transactions There are no related paty transactions