## **PRO MUSICA CHOIR (LEWES) Reg. charity no. 1210879 Annual Report at at 31 August 2025** ## **Charitable objects** TO PROMOTE, IMPROVE, DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN AND APPRECIATION OF CHORAL MUSIC IN ALL ITS FORMS THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC CONCERTS AND IN SUCH OTHER WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES MAY DETERMINE. The charity is managed by a management committee of which three members are trustees:- |**Name**|**Role**|**Date of**|**Other trusteeships**| |---|---|---|---| |||**appointment**|| |Dr David John Nicholson|Chair|12/11/2025|| ||||None on record| ||||| |Susan Elizabeth Broome Wight|Trustee|12/11/2025|| |G.R.S.M C.R.A.M|||None on record| ||||| |MICHAEL JOHN BAKER MA ACMA|Trustee|12/11/2025|| ||||None on record| ||||| ## **Chairman’s report** - David Nicholson Since our last AGM, things have gone well for Pro Musica. Our musical director Sion has continued to inspire us with his energy and enthusiasm. Audience figures have been good for all our concerts, despite competition from other choirs and extreme weather conditions. I refer you to Sion’s report for a detailed appreciation of each performance. I am sure that we have all thoroughly enjoyed singing together with Sion’s excellent choice of soloists and accompanists. I especially enjoyed the baritone in ‘Songs of the fleet’ and the alto soloist in our last concert. Notably, the tour to Blois and collaboration with the Honegger choir in Blois cathedral. A special mention must be made here of the excellent rendition given by own soprano Brenda Johnson of Rutter’s arrangement of the spiritual ‘Steal Away’. (See the ‘members’ page of the choir website for a live recording). Special thanks must also be made to Sue or ‘Madame Presidente’ as she was named by Jean Richard of the Honegger choir in Blois, for organising the tour and liaising with Lewes’s Twinning Association (Twinning Dave). Choir membership has grown, and I received several enquiries from prospective members at the recent societies fair in the town hall. The choir has also coped well and benefited from a change of rehearsal venue from St Anne’s to Christchurch. Now it is time for me to thank everyone who has contributed to our continuing success. To Sue, our tireless and meticulous correspondence secretary, who is stepping down from the committee in July. Mike our treasurer, whose financial guidance has been invaluable, he is just about to claim gift aid on our behalf on the membership fees. Peter, for his meticulous minuting of our committee meetings and experience as a trustee. Ruth our new membership secretary. She is also an experienced trustee and full of new ideas for the choir. Chris our librarian, whose work in obtaining and administering the music is invaluable. Our accompanist Adam who regularly shows his skills at the piano. I must also thank Wendy, she has helped tremendously to make all our concerts run smoothly in her role as a custodian of St. Michael’s church and a loyal member of the choir. I must also mention Maggie who made artwork and designed some of our posters. The choir members, without whom none of this would be possible. I want to thank all of you for all your hard work over the past year in support of the choir. ## **Treasurer’s report** – Mike Baker The closing balance on the bank account was £2,840 and PM had roughly broken even in 2025. Please see the accounts as lodged for full details. The Gift Aid claim has been made and is in progress. The membership fee of £70 per term has been preserved for 2026 unchanged. ## **Director of Music’s report** – Sion Parry It has been an inspiring and fulfilling year for Pro Musica Choir, marked by growth, artistic achievement and shared musical joy. Over the past season, we presented four dynamic concerts that showcased the choir’s versatility and passion, including a memorable trip to the beautiful town of Blois in the Loire Valley. Each performance reflected the dedication of our singers and the collective spirit that continues to define the choir's identity. On 7 December 2024, we presented a well-received and musically varied programme, featuring works by MacMillan, Purcell, Stanford, Wood, Handel, Haydn, and Vaughan Williams. The choir performed with confidence and sensitivity throughout. Stanford’s _Songs of the Fleet_ and Vaughan Williams’ _Fantasia on Christmas Carols_ were particular highlights, with excellent contributions from our baritone soloist. Congregational carols added a warm, seasonal atmosphere, and the overall concert was a fitting and successful celebration of Advent. Our concert on 5 April 2025 featured Rossini’s _Petite Messe Solennelle_ , performed with organ and piano accompaniment. The choir rose to the challenges of the work, delivering a committed and nuanced performance with clarity, warmth, and energy throughout. Soloists brought strength and expression to their roles, and the organ and piano accompaniment provided a well-balanced and supportive foundation. This was a rewarding and well-received performance of a unique and demanding work. In June, our concert in the stunning setting of Blois Cathedral offered a rich and varied programme, combining English Renaissance, Romantic, and 20th-century repertoire. The choir delivered a refined and expressive performance of Farrant’s _Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake_ and brought clarity and charm to Farmer’s _Fair Phyllis_ . Schubert’s _The Lord is my shepherd_ and Stanford’s _The Blue Bird_ were performed with warmth and sensitivity. Rutter’s _Feel the Spirit_ brought contrast and energy to the programme, with the choir and soloist responding with rhythmic vitality and expressive freedom. The _Missa Festiva_ by Gretchaninoff was sung with commitment and strength by both choirs (Pro Musica and the Blois Honegger Choir) and the highlight for me was the lyrical and heartfelt performance of Fauré’s _Cantique de Jean Racine_ sung by both choirs. This was a successful concert in a resonant and inspiring space, with the choir adapting well to the acoustic and the challenges of an organist who had not learned all of the notes! ## **Address:** Sherwood London Road Sayers Common, Hassocks BN6 9HX ## **Phone:** +447980546864 **Email:** david@nicholson.force9.co.uk **Website:** ProMusica.org.uk **Pro Musica Choir (Lewes) 12108799 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 01/09/2024 31/08/2025 ## **Section A Receipts and payments** |**A1 Receipts**
Subscriptions|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**8,360**
**4,290**
**627**
**345**
**303**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**6,761**
**381**
**1,220**
**4,393**
**126**
**742**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**
**302**
**-**
**2,538**
**2,840**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**8,360**
**4,290**
**627**
**345**
**303**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**6,761**
**381**
**1,220**
**4,393**
**126**
**742**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**

**302**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**8,360**
**4,290**
**627**
**345**
**303**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,925**
**6,761**
**381**
**1,220**
**4,393**
**126**
**742**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,623**

**302**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**8,360**||**6,275**| |Ticket Sales|**4,290**|||**4,290**||**3,765**| |Music Hire|**627**|||**627**||**424**| |Refreshments - Donations|**345**|||**345**||**438**| |Other|**303**|||**303**||**1,535**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**13,925**|||**13,925**||**12,437**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||| ||||**-**|**13,925**||**12,437**| |||||||| |Director & Accopanist|**6,761**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**6,761**||**6,775**| |Music Hire|**381**|||**381**||**584**| |Church Hire|**1,220**|||**1,220**||**520**| |Ticket costs|**4,393**|||**4,393**||**4,105**| |Finance charges|**126**|||**126**||**63**| |Other|**742**|||**742**||**971**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**13,623**|||**13,623**||**13,018**| |||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| ||||**-**|**13,623**||**13,018**| |||||||| ||**302**|**-**|**-**|
**302**||**- 581**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**||**-**| ||**2,538**|**-**||**2,538**||**-**| ||**2,840**|**-**|**-**|**2,840**||**2,538**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 13/11/2025 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Lloyds Bank
Co Operative Bank
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
Signature
Michael Baker|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**2,466**
**-**
**374**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**2,840**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Michael Baker|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| ||Michael Baker|Michael Baker|13/11/2025| ||||| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 13/11/2025 2