Redland Green Choir - Annual Report 2021-22
Following the upheavals caused by the pandemic, Redland Green Choir has completed a further successful year under the direction of Huw Morgan, who took over after the departure of Nick Bromilow for pastures new in the USA.
We were pleased that, thanks to the efforts of Jonny Saunders with Zoom rehearsals and supported by Steve Hull with online quizzes, we survived through the pandemic, but it was a relief to get back to rehearsals at Redland Green School in September 2121. Gradually we were able to rehearse without masks, although even now it is important that those who wish can feel free to wear one.
Currently, we now have 81 members listed, although not everyone is always able to attend, but this is a great number to have on the books.
Concerts
Our first public concert following the pandemic was held in St Matthews Church, Cotham on December 4[th ] 2021, and was very well received, despite the church being extremely cold as the boiler was being repaired. We sang a range of music, including Durante ‘Magnificat’, Arvo Part ‘The Deer’s Cry’, Duruflé ‘Ubi Caritas’ and Palestrina ‘Sicut Cervus’. Huw provided an excellent organ solo for us.
Our next concert was held in the summer of 2022, in All Saints Church, Pembroke Road, and we sang the Duruflé ‘Requiem‘ and some shorter pieces with an avian theme. Far from being cold (as at the winter concert) it was extremely hot. However, it was a lovely venue and we very much enjoyed singing there. We were privileged to have an excellent organ accompanist Richard Johnson, and we raised £155 for the refugee charity Aidbox, which was gratefully received.
We did have a further public outing at the Usk Music Festival, where we sang a selection of the pieces we had been rehearsing. It was very enjoyable to be singing with other choirs, although we did struggle a bit with the Welsh language at one point.
We will be rehearsing Rossini’s ‘Petite Messe Solonelle’ for our summer concert (venue to be finalised). It is quite a long work, so not much space for other items, hence a less formal concert is being considered for the end of the Easter term, which could allow us to include a greater range of pieces and some performances by the Chamber Choir.
Chamber choir
The Chamber choir, numbering 16, has gradually got going again, although it has been quite difficult since we have less time at Redland Green on rehearsal evenings as our hours have been reduced for school organisational reasons. However, thanks to the sterling efforts of
Serena and Lesley, we have found a new venue, the Subud Hall , just off the Downs in Clifton. We are lucky to have such enthusiastic members who are all keen to carry on. Lesley co-ordinates arrangements with the help of Serena, who has kindly offered her house as an emergency venue. We now have a mixture of full-day rehearsals on a Saturday, interspersed with evening rehearsals a couple of times a term.
General points
The choir is going from strength to strength as we recover from the last traumatic couple of years. We are very lucky to have a really good committee, and all members are a great support. Particular thanks should go to Kate Hughes for her secretarial labours, Carew Reynell for keeping us on the financial straight and narrow and Sue Fox for the challenge of managing the music. But all members provide great support and enable the choir to run efficiently. Also, an important mention must go to Jonny Saunders for providing excellent accompanying during rehearsals and concerts.
And last, but certainly not least, we are extremely lucky to have our Musical Director Huw Morgan who has so ably supported us to get back going again. Huw brings great expertise, musical knowledge and experience, which is greatly to our benefit. Huw is very generous with his time, and makes space to come to our committee meetings, which helps a great deal in communication and future planning.
We look forward to a further successful year, and to further expanding our repertoire.
Pat Turton (Chairperson)
October 2022.
| Revenue account | £ | |
| Main Choir | Term 1 | -302 |
| Term 2 | -454 | |
| Term 3 | -373 | |
| Workshops | 1742 | |
| Gift Aid | -1506 | |
| Concerts | December | -162 |
| Usk | 216 | |
| Duruflé | 196 | |
| Chamber Choir | 60 | |
| Overheads | 313 | |
| Surplus for the year | -270 |
| Balance sheet | £ | |
| Opening balance | 8940 | |
| Surplus for the year | 270 | |
| Closing balance | 9210 | |
| Represented by: | ||
| Cash - current account | 4534 | |
| Cash - deposit | 5000 | |
| Debtors/creditors | -324 |
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | |
| Music Director | 1170 | 1080 | 900 |
| Accompanist | 858 | 792 | 726 |
| School hall | 610 | 650 | 615 |
| Music | 550 | 479 | 41 |
| Subscriptions | -2860 | -3105 | -2340 |
| Music subs | -630 | -350 | -315 |
| -302 | -454 | -373 |
| Concerts | December | Usk | Durufle |
| Music Director | 300 | 150 | 300 |
| Accompanist | 132 | 66 | 250 |
| Hall | 300 | 250 | |
| Publicity/programme | 39 | 93 | |
| PRS/license | 54 | 46 | |
| Charity | 75 | ||
| Ticket sales | -1025 | -904 | |
| Refreshments | 38 | 86 | |
| -162 | 216 | 196 |
| Overheads | |
|---|---|
| Making Music/insurance | 183 |
| Website | 103 |
| Other | 27 |
| 313 |