Chairman’s Report 2022/23
I thought my first season as Chair of Derby Bach Choir had been a rather ‘quiet’ one as I’ve got to grips with my role and what goes on behind the scenes. As I have reflected on the year to write my report, however, I realise how much we have accomplished and how busy it has been after all!
We started the season with Verdi’s Requiem in our usual venue of Derby Cathedral. I think it’s safe to say that, as one of our first ‘proper’ performances since the tribulations of Covid, we had a rather record-breaking audience in number and appreciation. The choir was also well-represented in number, and I think all would agree it was a memorable performance that was thoroughly enjoyed by all involved.
Nothing puts me in the festive mood better than singing carols and the joy of brass band music. We enjoyed all of this and more when we returned to St John’s Church for our “Christmas Brass & Voices” concert in December, joined once again by Derventio Brass and children of the Old Vicarage School Choir who, as always, lent an extra drop of Christmas magic to the occasion. Add in a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie in the interval and we were all ready for the festive season.
The choir returned to rehearsals in January to prepare for our March performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion. Shortly before this concert we had heard the sad news of the death of John York Skinner, a former conductor of the choir, and the committee made the unanimous decision to dedicate the concert in his memory.
James Oxley headed a wonderful cast of soloists and it was particularly special to have Peter Savidge coming out of retirement to sing the role of Christus for us. It was also great to have some solos sung from within the choir, as well as the Cathedral Choristers singing from the gallery. We received wonderful feedback from a variety of sources, including our Musical Director Richard Roddis who said afterwards, “I venture humbly that we reached the heart of this great Passion, surely one of the greatest musical achievements of all time, and in doing so we paid proper tribute to the mighty JS whose name we proudly bear. And at the same time, the performance was a fitting memorial to our friend and conductor, John York Skinner.”
A note from Lady Scarsdale, our patron, also thanked us for “a momentous concert. The standard of singing was magnificent!” All in all, it was a very special performance that was enjoyed by many.
1 Photo of DBC rehearsing St Matthew Passion, by Mike Dewis (bass soloist)
In May we returned to St George’s Church in Ticknall for the annual Come & Sing event, this time to learn and perform the Brahms Requiem (mercifully in English this time!). Feedback afterwards showed what a wonderful fundraising event this is for the choir, and how very much appreciated were the skills of conductor James Foulds and accompanist Tom Corfield.
Our final concert of the season was an Edwardian Musical Evening at Derby Grammar School. We were all hoping the beautiful June weather would persist but on the day the heavens opened! There was a perfectly timed window of sunshine between rehearsals and concert though, allowing many of us to enjoy a picnic in the grounds. Accompanist Abigail Johnson, violin soloist Matt Byrne, and bass soloist Jeremy Leaman joined us for a selection of music including pieces by Brahms, Elgar and Stanford. Some may have noticed the thunder and lightning during the performance which, if my memory serves correctly, rather appropriately accompanied a rousing rendition of ‘The Marksmen’ from Elgar’s Bavarian dances!
The choir has gained a few new members across all parts throughout the year, and we are delighted to welcome them all. As is often discussed, we continue to try to attract more new singers and I am working with a few interested members of the choir alongside the committee to develop our marketing strategy. If anyone is interested in helping with this or better yet has previous marketing experience, please do get in touch with me.
Over the past year we have sadly heard of the deaths of one or two friends and past members of the choir, including Maurice Walkerdine who was a longstanding member of the choir and former Chairman, and will be sorely missed.
On a more practical note, I would like to thank the committee members for their support and hard work over the last year. My thanks especially go to Jenny Casboult and James Foulds who have both been great sources of information and
wisdom about all things Derby Bach Choir-related. James in particular has been a stalwart of the choir both as a long-standing member, assistant conductor and more latterly as Treasurer, and I hope you will all join me in thanking him for his outstanding contribution to the choir over the years. We hope to see him back with the Tenors very soon.
The committee continue to plan future events and programming for forthcoming seasons, and I know members are keen to be involved in making suggestions for future concert material. I am looking into a potential way of capturing ideas on an ongoing basis in future - the aim is to have a link on the ‘Members’ area of the website so that ideas can be shared at any time and the committee will be able to download them periodically for discussion.
As a charity, the choir relies on support from its members to keep going. I know that I am repeating the requests of past chairs, but it is still the case that we need volunteers to help keep the choir running smoothly. However, what is different now is that we are trying to consider different ways of delivering roles, and not necessarily suggesting that it has to be one person shouldering each responsibility. In the coming weeks we will be sharing information about the different roles/areas we need some help with, so if you think you might be interested or just want to find out a bit more, please get in touch with me or Jenny.
My thanks to Richard Roddis, our Musical Director, for continuing to lead us with enthusiasm and patience. Thanks also to Tom Corfield our talented accompanist, who somehow manages to play all of our vocal parts at once as well as the whole orchestra with only 2 hands and a piano!
All that remains is for me to thank you all for continuing to support the committee and choir (and me!), and to look forward to the rest of this season. Let’s continue to find ways to support each other and the choir and, most of all, KEEP SINGING!
Charlotte Butters October 2023
Charity Name No (if any) Consent CIO 1181912
Receipts and payments accounts
CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01/04/22 31/03/23
Section A Receipts and payments
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts Donations 1139 GiftAid 4,045.00 - - - - - 5,184 - - Sub total - Total receipts 5,184 A3 Payments Advertising 758 Bank charges Design Legal and professional fees 3,051 Office expenses, repairs & maintenance 275 Printing, postage and stationery 190 Software and IT 280 Staff 2,290 Telephone 45 Travelling expenses 473 Sub total 7,362 - - Sub total - Total payments 7,362 Net of receipts/(payments) - 2,178 A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end - 2,178 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds |
to the nearest £ Endowment funds |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
| - | 1,139 4,045 - - - - - - 5,184 |
32,752 | ||
| - | 303 | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | 33,055 | |||
| - | - - - |
- | ||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| 5,184 | ||||
| - | 33,055 | |||
| - | 758 - - 3,051 275 190 280 2,290 45 473 - - 7,362 |
6,698 | ||
| - | 56 | |||
| - | 275 | |||
| - | 19,524 | |||
| - | 250 | |||
| - | 3 | |||
| - | 719 | |||
| 2,430 | ||||
| 35 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | 29,990 | |||
| - | - - - |
- | ||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | 7,362 | 29,990 | ||
| - | - 2,178 - - - 2,178 |
3,065 | ||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | 3,065 |
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Details Bank accounts Details ` Details Details Details Signature Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ to nearest £ 4460 - - 4,460 - to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Oliver Müller Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Oliver Müller | 28/08/23 | ||
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Derby Bath Cholr On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2023 Charlty no (If any 251883 Set out on pages I report to the trust86s on my examination of the aco)unts of th8 abov8 chartty (Ih8 Trusf) for the year ended 31n)712023 Rospon$lbllltl•s and A8 the charity tnJ8tees of the Trust, you arè responslbb for the preparation ba$ls of report of the a¢wunts in accordance with th8 requirements of the Charltles Act 2011 llhe Acr). I report in r88P8Ct of my èxamlnatlon of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 ofth8 2011 Acl and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)(b) of the Act. I have cx)mpletsd my examinatrt. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention ( in connection wlth the 8xaminatton which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accountlng records ?re not kepl in accordanc8 wlth Sectlon 130 of the Act or the accounts do not aco)rd with the attounting r8cord8 Indopandant examiner's Statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the ¥sords in the brnd(ets rf Éhey do not appty. Sign•d: 16th November 2023 Nama: John Millard Relevant profossional quallficatlon(s) or body (If any): ACA (ICAEW) Address: . 23 Penny Long Lane Derby DE22 1AX IER October 2018