Welcome to the Brockenhurst Choir Next Concert - Sat Jan 13th, 2024 ​ Britten: Te Deum Matthew Coleridge: Requiem Britten: St Nicolas ​ ​ For more information, please go to our Concerts Page The Brockenhurst Choir is an amateur mixed choir based in Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest. We are enthusiastic, friendly and love singing. We perform a broad classical repertoire. We hold two concerts a year (normally) in May and in December or January, and we regularly work with professional soloists and orchestras for performances. ​ Recent notable performances have included Zimbe, Little Jazz Mass, the Mozart Requiem, Faure Requiem, Handel Coronation Anthems, Brahms Requiem, Handel Messiah, Vaughan Williams ‘A Sea Symphony’, Bach Mass in B minor, Goodall Requiem ‘Eternal Light’ and Haydn ‘The Creation’. ​ Many thanks to everyone who came to support us at our concert on May 13th. Our ( slightly) non-traditional program was well received and we enjoyed singing something very different to our usual programs ! Please get in touch if you would like to join the choir. We are particularly keen to hear from TENORS and BASSES More details on the 'Join Us ' page of this website. Please come to Brockenhurst Village Hall on October 11th to hear a recital by our choir chairman, Alan Ford

Accompanist - Matthew Kelley Matthew Kelley is an organist and composer from Worcester, who currently holds the position of Graduate Musician in Residence at King Edward VI School, Southampton. He recently completed a two-year stint as the Graham Rogers Organ Scholar at Chelmsford Cathedral from September 2021 to August 2023, where he also worked as Acting Assistant Organist from September 2022 to April 2023. He began learning the organ in 2010 under Christopher Allsop during his tenure as a Chorister with Worcester Cathedral Choir. He took on his first playing role as Senior Organ Scholar at Great Malvern Priory in 2015, and was later the 2017/18 Organ Scholar of Guildford Cathedral under the directorship of Katherine Dienes-Williams. Matthew graduated from Durham University in 2021 with a First-Class degree in Music. Whilst there, he held the post of Musical Director at St Chad’s College, and directed the Durham University Choral Society through 2020/21. Matthew is recognised as a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) and also has a DipABRSM for Music Performance on the piano. He also enjoys playing jazz and has experience in accompanying chamber music on the harpsichord. As well as a performer, Matthew is an award-winning composer, winning the junior category of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers Competition in 2015 with his piece Fantasia for Strings. He has since been commissioned to write for groups such as the BBC Singers and the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir, and has one choral work, Morning Thoughts, published through the RSCM Press. Away from music, Matthew is a keen reader, cook, sailor and cyclist. He lives with his partner, Catherine and cat, Daphne. ​ ​

A Brief History .... Click for a more detailed history 2002 : The choir welcomed Paul Colman as music director and his first concert was celebratory music for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Year. The year was also notable as members voted to change the name from Brockenhurst Village Choir to THE BROCKENHURST CHOIR. ​ 2004 : The choir celebrated its 40th anniversary with a performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ – a special guest for the evening was Jane Fish the choir’s director 1973-1994. The following year the choir performed Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man’ to much acclaim. 2007 : In December, the choir held its 100th concert and over the next few years the choir’s repertoire was further enhanced under Paul’s baton with performances of ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’ by Coleridge Taylor, Lambert’s ‘Rio Grande’ and a performance of the Missa Luba African mass. 2010 : On Paul’s departure, Miriam Newton was appointed director of music continuing the tradition of expert musicianship which the choir had enjoyed since its inception. Her debut concert with us was Handel’s ‘Messiah’ followed by programmes of challenging and exciting works from Bach’s ‘Mass in B Minor’ to opera choruses. 2014 : The complex ‘Israel in Egypt’ by Handel was chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the choir in preparation for which Miriam organised a master workshop with renowned authority Will Dawes. This was the first of several workshops 2015: Neil Ferris covered Rossini’s ‘Petite Mess Solenelle’ 2018 : Joanna Tomlinson gave a masterclass on Vaughan Williams’ ‘Sea Symphony’ which the choir performed in conjunction with Total Voice Chamber Choir and Westbourne Orchestra at St. Ambrose Church, Westbourne. ​ 2019 : A Brahms’ ‘German Requiem’ workshop was held with Max Barley. The final performance was in conjunction with Ian Farrington’s excellent Chamber Orchestra, enabling a mainstream 19th century work to be tackled with orchestral accompaniment. For Miriam’s farewell concert on November 30th she selected a mixed programme of music for Advent including Rutter’s ‘Gloria’ and Parry’s ‘Blessed Pair of Sirens’. The Kneller Brass Ensemble added to an evening of fanfare, quality singing and audience enjoyment befitting the end of her tenure and undoubted contribution to the success of the Brockenhurst Choir. 2020 : The choir welcomed Craig Lawton as their new music director. Rehearsals had just begun for the Spring concert and then came the disruption of the pandemic, Covid-19, with all choir activities throughout the country prohibited. The choir did not resume rehearsals until late 2021 . Craig’s first concert as our new music director was therefore not until 4th December with a concert of Music for Christmas. 2022 : Alex Eadon appointed as Music Director in October 2022. Alex's first concert will include the Mozart Requiem. ​ 2023 : Matthew Kelley appointed as Choir Accompanist. Matthew replaces Nicola Hargreave, our much loved accompanist of recent years. ​ ​ Details of all concerts performed by the Brockenhurst Choir are available on the website. ​ ​ Updated September 2023

Supporting the Choir Like many community-based choirs, we are facing ever-increasing costs to stage our concerts. Income from tickets and members’ choir fees must cover the cost of rehearsal and concert venue hire, conductor, accompanist, musicians and soloists, advertising, IT, ticket agency commission and much more. ​ We welcome any donation you are willing to make, either as an individual or as a local business. Every donation, no matter how small, will help to secure our future and will contribute towards the continuation of Britain's choral heritage. ​ The link below will take you to CAF, the Charities Aid Foundation, an organisation which manages donations on our behalf. ​ Thank you ​ Donate Local Businesses: We would welcome your support to sponsor one of our concerts. Please email brockchoir@gmail.com to discuss how we can help each other.

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A selection of our past concerts ... Click here for a detailed concert list May 2023 May 2023 Jan 2023 May 2023 Dec 2021 Nov 2019 Nov 2019 May 2019 May 2019 Dec 2018 Dec 2018 May 2018 May 2018 Dec 2017 May 2017 May 2017 Dec 2016 May 2016 Dec 2015 May 2015 Dec 2014 Apr 2014 Apr 2013 Dec 2012 May 2012 Dec 2011

Chair - Alan Ford Alan is our enthusiastic chairman and a very experienced choral and operatic baritone. Whilst studying medicine in London, he sang with the BBC Chorus, participating in many Proms. As a soloist, he has performed in the Faure Requiem, Dvorak Te Deum and the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Opera roles have included the Vicar in Oxford Opera Studio’s production of Britten’s Albert Herring, Noye in Noye’s Fludde and Falke in Die Fledermaus. Alan regularly attended the AIMS International Summer School between 2000 and 2017, performing operatic solo roles in Falstaff, Cendrillon, Albert Herring, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Trial by Jury, The Bartered Bride, Menotti’s “The Medium” and Sondheim’s “Sweeny Todd”. He has subsequently attended Oxenfoord Summer School where he has had masterclasses with Dame Ann Murray, John Mark Ainsley, Malcolm Martineau, Nicky Spence and Mary King. ​ He enjoys singing Art Song (especially English) and German Lieder. He has given Recitals at Romsey Abbey, Christ Church, Freemantle, Southampton and Brockenhurst Village Hall. Most recently he performed as a soloist at a Military Wives concert on November 11th 2022 at the Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop, singing songs written by composers who were killed in (George Butterworth) or hugely damaged by (Ivor Gurney) the Great War. Alan also plays the violin and is chair not only of our choir but also the New Forest Orchestra and Brockenhurst Music Society. ​

Music Director - Alex Eadon Although a born and bred Londoner, Alexander Eadon began his musical life as a chorister in the world-renowned Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. After five years as a Music Scholar at Harrow School and a gap year as Organ Scholar at St. Martin-in-the-Fields he trained at the Royal Academy of Music with David Titterington and Nicolas Kynaston for organ performance, Nigel Allcoat and Lionel Rogg for improvisation and Patrick Russill for Choral Direction. He furthered his studies at Middlesex University. Alongside this, he was Director of Music at Christ Church, Southgate in North London and Conductor of the Southgate Symphony Orchestra. He then spent two years simultaneously as Organist at Tewkesbury Abbey and School Organist of Dean Close School, Cheltenham (where the Abbey Choristers are educated), assisting with coaching the choristers and teaching within both the preparatory and senior schools. Between 2009 and 2015 Alex was the Choirmaster at Oundle School, directing the Chapel Choir and Schola Cantorum on several broadcasts, on tour in Rome as well as in their weekly services, amongst many other musical activities throughout his tenure. He also enjoyed rugby coaching, being a deputy housemaster and a head of year. In September, 2015, he moved to Eastbourne College to take on the newly-created role of Assistant Director of Music. In addition to his work at the college, he directed the Eastbourne-based chamber choir Noteworthy Voices. In September 2022 Alex moved to Southampton to take up the role of Director of Music at King Edward VI School. Shortly after this, he was appointmed as Musical Director of the Brockenhurst Choir. Alex also plays the organ at Arundel Cathedral, sits on the Sussex area committee of the Royal School of Church Music and is regularly found on concert hall platforms and in ecclesiastical buildings the world over – performances have included venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall as well as many UK Cathedrals in addition to trips to France and the USA. As a singer he is a regular deputy of several Cathedral choirs and other ensembles and was one of the founder-members of the internationally award-winning vocal ensemble The Songmen. He is also a regular staff member on the Rodolphus Choral Courses and undertakes Sibelius typesetting projects.

Accompanist - Nicola Hargreave Nicola studied piano with Peter Wallfisch and piano accompaniment with John Blakely at the Royal College of Music; graduating with GRSM (Hons) 1st Class and the Raymond Fennell prize for highest mark of the year in 1988. Whilst at the College she was also awarded ‘highly commended’ in the 20th century Prize, won the accompaniment prize and performed the piano solo in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia with the RCM Sinfonia. After leaving the RCM, Nicola was a piano teacher and accompanist at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Junior Department before becoming Head of Piano at Oundle School in Northamptonshire in 1998. She has also worked as a freelance accompanist including for Young Musician of the Year competition and has made recordings for BBC Radio 3, including a programme demonstrating Beethoven’s original piano. In 2002 Nicola moved to Southampton to study medicine and is now also a qualified GP. Nicola now lives in her home town of Bournemouth with her husband and young son. She continues her freelance accompaniment work in the South, and is accompanist at Brockenhurst College and piano teacher at Walhampton School.

Come and sing with us ..... Our new term starts on Tuesday September 12th ... Please get in touch if you would like to join our choir - we would love to hear from you. It doesn't matter if you haven't sung for a number of years - many choir members have returned to singing after long breaks. You are very welcome to attend a rehearsal before making a commitment. Auditions are not required, but you should be able to sing at the level of the choir ** We are very keen to hear from new (or returning) tenors and basses. Rehearsals We rehearse on Tuesday evenings from 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm in Brockenhurst Village Hall (Highwood Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7RY) and we hold two concerts per year, normally in May and December. There are no commitments over the summer. Membership / Subscriptions We have a choir subscription which, together with ticket sales, funds all aspects of running the choir. This comprises an annual membership and a per term fee. ​ ​ To find out more or to have a chat with someone from the choir, please email brockchoir@gmail.com ​ ​ ​ ** if you cannot read music but think you still have something to offer, please get in touch anyway ​