2025 Big Sing Newsletter no 3
| Type of post: | Choir news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | Mike Elcock |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Wed, 18 Jun 2025 |
Reply to Jos Gregson,
18 Willoughby Close,
Alveston,
Bristol BS35 3RW
Tel: 01454-411652
Email: josgregson@gmail.com
SCBSG Website: bigsing.org
Dear Singer,
Thank you for signing up to sing in our performance of the Berlioz Te Deum, the Brahms Alto Rhapsody and the Fauré/Messager Messe des pêcheurs de Villerville. This will take place in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 5th July 2025 as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival, we will be conducted by Adrian Partington and accompanied by the British Sinfonietta. Our soloists will be Dame Sarah Connolly in the Brahms and Liam Bonthrone in the Berlioz.
We have now had the first week’s rehearsals including a well attended and successful Workshop at Christ Church Cheltenham, very invigorating!
We now have 119 singers booked so far, Adrian will be bringing in a number of singers from the BBC National Chorus of Wales to boost our numbers.
WHICH CHOIR AM I IN?
This is far less relevant than it was for our double choir performances in recent years. For the Berlioz Choir 1 will consist of all Sopranos, T1s and B1s. Choir 2 will consist of all Altos, T2s and B2s. The Fauré/Messager will be sung by all Sopranos and Altos, the Brahms will be sung by all Tenors and Basses.
WHICH REHEARSALS SHOULD I ATTEND?
Adrian would like all singers to attend the rehearsals that he is taking, namely those on 25/6, 28/6, 2/7, 4/7 and 5/7. The evening rehearsal on 4/7 is particularly important as that is when our Concert Manager, Trevor Bartlett will sort out the seating plan and allocate places. If you cannot attend this please arrange with someone from your voice section to make sure that you know where to sit.
Singers from audition choirs are also encouraged to attend the local rehearsals in Stonehouse and Alveston. While these are for singers from smaller choirs to get to learn the work it is very helpful to have a more experienced singer singing alongside one and I hope that many of you will consider doing this.
SCORES
The hire score that we are using for the Berlioz Te Deum is Schirmer, for the Brahms it is Novello and for the Fauré/Messager it is Leduc. One of our accompanists has returned the Berlioz Te Deum Serenissima score and the Brahms Alto Rhapsody unused as he had them already so these are available at £13.50 and £8.50 respectively
SCORE AMENDMENTS
Adrian has produced a number of revisions to all three scores. These are available to download on the website bigsing.org or if preferred ask me and I can email them to you. I will also have printed copies at rehearsals.
TICKETS
I will have a number of tickets available for sale. These are priced at £42 (38), £32 (20), £22 (14) and £15 (28). Numbers in brackets are the numbers of seats in our allocation. As we have a large orchestra and the four front rows have been removed the rows have been re-numbered so that the front row is again A. A week ago the Cheltenham Festival Box Office themselves only had 20 nave seats left so we should be singing to a full nave.
£42 seats – A7-9, D3, H3-4, K5-8, M15-16, R13-18, S3-4,
£32 seats – EE3-7, EE14, FF13-15. GG6-9
£22 seats – HH5, JJ12-16, KK3-7
£15 seats –these are aisle seats and unnumbered, state whether you prefer south or north aisle.
In addition I have three £42 tickets P7-9 which belong to a singer who finds that he has had a change of plans. Contact me if you would like these and I will give you payment details direct to the owner.
Please note that any of my allocation of tickets that are left after 3rd July will be returned to Cheltenham Festival after 11am that day when I have a meeting in Gloucester.
I have a seating plan and can send it to you if you require it or you can look on the Cheltenham Festival website. As I sell tickets I will update this list so that it is current when I send it out.
BUSES
We are running buses from Thornbury to every Gloucester and Cheltenham rehearsal and the performance. These will leave from outside Aldi in Thornbury which has two car parks adjacent to it. The cost will be £15 per trip and the 33-seater coach will be operated by Mike’s Travel. Booking forms are available on the SCBSG website bigsing.org or from myself.
REHEARSAL LINKS
Mike Elcock asks me to remind you that our website has some useful rehearsal links as well as everything you need to know about the Big Sing. If you look at the repertoire page: https://www.bigsing.org/dbpage.php?pg=learning&repgroup=Status, you can click on the piece you want help on, and it will show a number of useful links such as YouTube, Choralia, Learn Choral Music where they are available. We have also included a link to Dame Sarah Connolly singing the Alto Rhapsody on YouTube. With YouTube and Choralia, you can vary the playing speed. With Learn Choral Music, you need to download the appropriate midi file and then play it. With John Fletcher Music, you need to login (for free). Also ChoraLine have rehearsal files for the Berlioz that can be purchased and downloaded. Do make use of these resources if you can.
WEEK 3
Tuesday 24th June - rehearsal 7.30-9.30pm at Wycliffe Junior School Performing Arts Centre, Ebley Road, Stonehouse GL10 2LD to be taken by Chris Swain. We will be serving water and or1nge squash at around 8.30. The rehearsal will start with the Berlioz for all voices and stop at 9.00, the ladies will then leave and Chris will take the tenors and basses through the Brahms Alto Rhapsody.
To get to the venue from the M5 head for Stroud and cross five roundabouts. About 200 yards after the fifth roundabout there is an opening on the right labelled Gate 19 and a large car park. Go into the car park, park and there is a small gate in the fence. Go through this and the Performing Arts Centre is on the left after about 200 yards. Do not be diverted onto the Stroud bypass.
Coming out of Stroud follow the A419 out of Stroud along Cainscross Road. Go straight across the large roundabout at the Marling School end into Westward Road. Gate 19 is around 1.25 miles on your left. Kennedy’s Garden Centre used to use the car park.
Wednesday 25th June - rehearsal 7.30-9.30 at St John’s Northgate, Gloucester GL1 2AN to be taken by Adrian Partington. Please attend if you possibly can. Please use the St John’s Lane entrance, not the Northgate Street entrance as this will facilitate checking in. We will be serving water and orange squash at around 8.30.
Follow A417 towards Gloucester. At the first roundabout, take the 2nd left (A417). At the next roundabout take 2nd left (Corinium Avenue). At the next roundabout turn right along Barnwood Rd. At the *next roundabout turn right onto Estcourt Rd. At the next roundabout follow Estcourt Road (straight on). At the next roundabout turn left into Kingsholm Rd (A430) and follow the A430 to the Gouda Way T junction and turn right. Turn left into Park St/Hare St car Park.
Walk south along Hare Lane and turn right into Northgate Street. Turn right into St John’s Lane to Church entrance.
Please note it is easier to travel into Gloucester via J11A rather than from J12 if travelling from the South, although you could follow the A38 to Cole Avenue and turn right onto the A38 Southern and Eastern Avenue to Barnwood Rd Roundabout, turn left * onto Barnwood Rd and follow instructions above.
Thursday 26th June? -? rehearsal 7.30-9.30pm at Alveston Methodist Church, Greenhill Road, Alveston BS35 3RA to be taken by Steven Kings. We will be serving water and orange squash at around 8.30. The rehearsal will start with the Berlioz for all voices and stop at 9.10, the ladies will then leave and Steven will take the tenors and basses through the Brahms Alto Rhapsody.
Coming out of Bristol take the A38 – after you pass the village sign saying ALVESTON St Helen’s Church is on your left. Turn left immediately after St Helen’s Church, Alveston Methodist Church is around 400 yards on the left on the corner of Wolfridge Ride.Note that due to A38 “improvements” it is not possible to turn left towards Thornbury at the A38 traffic lights.
Coming from the Stroud and Gloucester direction on the A38 go through the lights signed to Thornbury by Berkeley Vale Motors and immediately get into the right hand lane. Turn right into David’s Lane, drive to the T junction at the bottom, turn left and immediately right and Alveston Methodist is up to your left.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at each rehearsal, especially all the combined rehearsals in Cheltenham and Gloucester. Tickets are selling well, I am told that the Box Office only have 20 tickets left (I still have tickets as above) and hopefully we will be singing to a full house.
Saturday 28th June - Workshop 10.00am-4.00pm at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE to be taken by Adrian Partington. As many of you as possible are urged to attend. We will be serving tea, coffee and biscuits at around 11.30. Please bring a mug if possible and your own packed lunch.
Adrian will be taking Tenors and Basses in the Brahms from 10am-10.30am so Sopranos and Altos do not have to be in until 10.30. The Tenors and Basses will rehearse in the front two rows for the Brahms and then will move to the back two rows for the Berlioz. At 3pm Tenors and Basses can go home and Adrian will rehearse the Sopranos and Altos. The rehearsal will finish at 4pm.
Coming from Junction 12 on the M5 follow signs to Gloucester city centre on the dual carriageway. Cross two roundabouts and at the major lights that are next turn right on the A38 to Gloucester City Centre. After around 800 yards Podsmead is on the left at lights. Turn left, go round a small roundabout and drive into the Crypt School driveway. There will be a large car park on the left before you reach the school building. Park your car and go round the side of the building, check-in is at the main entrance on the other side of the building from the car park.
The Number 10 bus to Cheltenham from Gloucester and vice versa has a Podsmead Road stop.
There are considerable delays due to road works on the A38 so you can either approach The Crypt School from the north, central Gloucester side or build in a bit of extra time for the road works.
If you have any queries at all please contact me at any of the contact points at the head of this Newsletter. I will be attending all rehearsals.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
18 Willoughby Close,
Alveston,
Bristol BS35 3RW
Tel: 01454-411652
Email: josgregson@gmail.com
SCBSG Website: bigsing.org
WEEK 3
Dear Singer,
Thank you for signing up to sing in our performance of the Berlioz Te Deum, the Brahms Alto Rhapsody and the Fauré/Messager Messe des pêcheurs de Villerville. This will take place in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 5th July 2025 as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival, we will be conducted by Adrian Partington and accompanied by the British Sinfonietta. Our soloists will be Dame Sarah Connolly in the Brahms and Liam Bonthrone in the Berlioz.
We have now had the first week’s rehearsals including a well attended and successful Workshop at Christ Church Cheltenham, very invigorating!
We now have 119 singers booked so far, Adrian will be bringing in a number of singers from the BBC National Chorus of Wales to boost our numbers.
WHICH CHOIR AM I IN?
This is far less relevant than it was for our double choir performances in recent years. For the Berlioz Choir 1 will consist of all Sopranos, T1s and B1s. Choir 2 will consist of all Altos, T2s and B2s. The Fauré/Messager will be sung by all Sopranos and Altos, the Brahms will be sung by all Tenors and Basses.
WHICH REHEARSALS SHOULD I ATTEND?
Adrian would like all singers to attend the rehearsals that he is taking, namely those on 25/6, 28/6, 2/7, 4/7 and 5/7. The evening rehearsal on 4/7 is particularly important as that is when our Concert Manager, Trevor Bartlett will sort out the seating plan and allocate places. If you cannot attend this please arrange with someone from your voice section to make sure that you know where to sit.
Singers from audition choirs are also encouraged to attend the local rehearsals in Stonehouse and Alveston. While these are for singers from smaller choirs to get to learn the work it is very helpful to have a more experienced singer singing alongside one and I hope that many of you will consider doing this.
SCORES
The hire score that we are using for the Berlioz Te Deum is Schirmer, for the Brahms it is Novello and for the Fauré/Messager it is Leduc. One of our accompanists has returned the Berlioz Te Deum Serenissima score and the Brahms Alto Rhapsody unused as he had them already so these are available at £13.50 and £8.50 respectively
SCORE AMENDMENTS
Adrian has produced a number of revisions to all three scores. These are available to download on the website bigsing.org or if preferred ask me and I can email them to you. I will also have printed copies at rehearsals.
TICKETS
I will have a number of tickets available for sale. These are priced at £42 (38), £32 (20), £22 (14) and £15 (28). Numbers in brackets are the numbers of seats in our allocation. As we have a large orchestra and the four front rows have been removed the rows have been re-numbered so that the front row is again A. A week ago the Cheltenham Festival Box Office themselves only had 20 nave seats left so we should be singing to a full nave.
£42 seats – A7-9, D3, H3-4, K5-8, M15-16, R13-18, S3-4,
£32 seats – EE3-7, EE14, FF13-15. GG6-9
£22 seats – HH5, JJ12-16, KK3-7
£15 seats –these are aisle seats and unnumbered, state whether you prefer south or north aisle.
In addition I have three £42 tickets P7-9 which belong to a singer who finds that he has had a change of plans. Contact me if you would like these and I will give you payment details direct to the owner.
Please note that any of my allocation of tickets that are left after 3rd July will be returned to Cheltenham Festival after 11am that day when I have a meeting in Gloucester.
I have a seating plan and can send it to you if you require it or you can look on the Cheltenham Festival website. As I sell tickets I will update this list so that it is current when I send it out.
BUSES
We are running buses from Thornbury to every Gloucester and Cheltenham rehearsal and the performance. These will leave from outside Aldi in Thornbury which has two car parks adjacent to it. The cost will be £15 per trip and the 33-seater coach will be operated by Mike’s Travel. Booking forms are available on the SCBSG website bigsing.org or from myself.
REHEARSAL LINKS
Mike Elcock asks me to remind you that our website has some useful rehearsal links as well as everything you need to know about the Big Sing. If you look at the repertoire page: https://www.bigsing.org/dbpage.php?pg=learning&repgroup=Status, you can click on the piece you want help on, and it will show a number of useful links such as YouTube, Choralia, Learn Choral Music where they are available. We have also included a link to Dame Sarah Connolly singing the Alto Rhapsody on YouTube. With YouTube and Choralia, you can vary the playing speed. With Learn Choral Music, you need to download the appropriate midi file and then play it. With John Fletcher Music, you need to login (for free). Also ChoraLine have rehearsal files for the Berlioz that can be purchased and downloaded. Do make use of these resources if you can.
WEEK 3
Tuesday 24th June - rehearsal 7.30-9.30pm at Wycliffe Junior School Performing Arts Centre, Ebley Road, Stonehouse GL10 2LD to be taken by Chris Swain. We will be serving water and or1nge squash at around 8.30. The rehearsal will start with the Berlioz for all voices and stop at 9.00, the ladies will then leave and Chris will take the tenors and basses through the Brahms Alto Rhapsody.
To get to the venue from the M5 head for Stroud and cross five roundabouts. About 200 yards after the fifth roundabout there is an opening on the right labelled Gate 19 and a large car park. Go into the car park, park and there is a small gate in the fence. Go through this and the Performing Arts Centre is on the left after about 200 yards. Do not be diverted onto the Stroud bypass.
Coming out of Stroud follow the A419 out of Stroud along Cainscross Road. Go straight across the large roundabout at the Marling School end into Westward Road. Gate 19 is around 1.25 miles on your left. Kennedy’s Garden Centre used to use the car park.
Wednesday 25th June - rehearsal 7.30-9.30 at St John’s Northgate, Gloucester GL1 2AN to be taken by Adrian Partington. Please attend if you possibly can. Please use the St John’s Lane entrance, not the Northgate Street entrance as this will facilitate checking in. We will be serving water and orange squash at around 8.30.
Follow A417 towards Gloucester. At the first roundabout, take the 2nd left (A417). At the next roundabout take 2nd left (Corinium Avenue). At the next roundabout turn right along Barnwood Rd. At the *next roundabout turn right onto Estcourt Rd. At the next roundabout follow Estcourt Road (straight on). At the next roundabout turn left into Kingsholm Rd (A430) and follow the A430 to the Gouda Way T junction and turn right. Turn left into Park St/Hare St car Park.
Walk south along Hare Lane and turn right into Northgate Street. Turn right into St John’s Lane to Church entrance.
Please note it is easier to travel into Gloucester via J11A rather than from J12 if travelling from the South, although you could follow the A38 to Cole Avenue and turn right onto the A38 Southern and Eastern Avenue to Barnwood Rd Roundabout, turn left * onto Barnwood Rd and follow instructions above.
Thursday 26th June? -? rehearsal 7.30-9.30pm at Alveston Methodist Church, Greenhill Road, Alveston BS35 3RA to be taken by Steven Kings. We will be serving water and orange squash at around 8.30. The rehearsal will start with the Berlioz for all voices and stop at 9.10, the ladies will then leave and Steven will take the tenors and basses through the Brahms Alto Rhapsody.
Coming out of Bristol take the A38 – after you pass the village sign saying ALVESTON St Helen’s Church is on your left. Turn left immediately after St Helen’s Church, Alveston Methodist Church is around 400 yards on the left on the corner of Wolfridge Ride.Note that due to A38 “improvements” it is not possible to turn left towards Thornbury at the A38 traffic lights.
Coming from the Stroud and Gloucester direction on the A38 go through the lights signed to Thornbury by Berkeley Vale Motors and immediately get into the right hand lane. Turn right into David’s Lane, drive to the T junction at the bottom, turn left and immediately right and Alveston Methodist is up to your left.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at each rehearsal, especially all the combined rehearsals in Cheltenham and Gloucester. Tickets are selling well, I am told that the Box Office only have 20 tickets left (I still have tickets as above) and hopefully we will be singing to a full house.
Saturday 28th June - Workshop 10.00am-4.00pm at The Crypt School, Podsmead Road, Gloucester GL2 5AE to be taken by Adrian Partington. As many of you as possible are urged to attend. We will be serving tea, coffee and biscuits at around 11.30. Please bring a mug if possible and your own packed lunch.
Adrian will be taking Tenors and Basses in the Brahms from 10am-10.30am so Sopranos and Altos do not have to be in until 10.30. The Tenors and Basses will rehearse in the front two rows for the Brahms and then will move to the back two rows for the Berlioz. At 3pm Tenors and Basses can go home and Adrian will rehearse the Sopranos and Altos. The rehearsal will finish at 4pm.
Coming from Junction 12 on the M5 follow signs to Gloucester city centre on the dual carriageway. Cross two roundabouts and at the major lights that are next turn right on the A38 to Gloucester City Centre. After around 800 yards Podsmead is on the left at lights. Turn left, go round a small roundabout and drive into the Crypt School driveway. There will be a large car park on the left before you reach the school building. Park your car and go round the side of the building, check-in is at the main entrance on the other side of the building from the car park.
The Number 10 bus to Cheltenham from Gloucester and vice versa has a Podsmead Road stop.
There are considerable delays due to road works on the A38 so you can either approach The Crypt School from the north, central Gloucester side or build in a bit of extra time for the road works.
If you have any queries at all please contact me at any of the contact points at the head of this Newsletter. I will be attending all rehearsals.
Jos Gregson
Chairman, South Cotswold Big Sing Group
