Press releases kindly written for the choir by Roly Smith
Press release – Sunday, June 20, 2016
New Bakewell choir hits the high notes
A new community choir in Bakewell has given its first public performance – only four months after it was founded.
The Bakewell and District Community Choir performed a 45-minute concert at the Eroica Festival on Bakewell Showground on Saturday (June 18), delighting a large audience of festival-goers.
The choir was formed from the “Singing for Health and Well-being” Adult Education classes, previously held by Derbyshire County Council. Members asked their tutor, Wirksworth’s Lester Simpson – a member of the renowned a capella folk trio Coope Boyes and Simpson – to lead a new community choir, and it first met up in February.
Lester said: “The progress the choir has made in such a short time is absolutely fantastic. We started it with no auditions and no pressure on anyone. In the end, we are just a group of people who love singing together. But the sound the choir is making so soon after starting up is just wonderful.”
The 80-strong choirs’ programme on Saturday included Song of Peace, from Jean Sibelius’s Finlandia; Nina Simone’s hit, I wish I knew how it would feel be to be free, and Richard Thompson’s Keep your distance.
The choir’s already extensive repertoire includes everything from Sibelius to the Mamas and the Papas, and from Cherokee and African tribal songs to others by Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter and Peggy Seeger.
People from all walks of life and a variety of age groups make up the choir. It meets every Wednesday at 7.30pm at Bakewell Town Hall. Lester added: “New members are always welcome, especially tenors and basses. All choirs seem to be short of these!”
Press release – November 25, 2016
Bakewell choir promises carols with a difference
A different take on traditional Christmas carols is promised by the Bakewell and District Community Choir during an evening of Christmas music and stories at Bakewell Parish Church on Saturday, December 10.
The evening is part of the church’s Christmas Tree Festival and will be raising funds for the church restoration fund. Tickets (£8 each) are available from The Bakewell Bookshop or by ringing 01629 814496.
The choir, which made its public debut at the Eroica Festival in June after only four months’ existence, is led by Wirkswirth’s Lester Simpson, a member of the renowned a capella folk trio, Coope Boyes and Simpson.
Lester said: “We can promise an evening of surprises with some really unusual carols, some of which date as far back as the 15th and 16th centuries, and others which are new arrangements of some old favourites. They will include some which people have never heard before, and others which I’m sure will make everyone want to join in.”
Lester will also be doing a couple of solos accompanying himself on the ukulele, and there will be some stories from local storyteller Gillian Shimwell, a regular at the Matlock story-telling café.
People from all walks of life and age groups make up the 70-strong choir. It meets every Wednesday at 7.30pm at Bakewell Town Hall. Lester added: “New members are always welcome. There are no auditions and no previous experience is necessary. We would particularly welcome, like all choirs, more tenors and basses. But really we all just love to get together and sing.
“We hope that people who come along to hear us on December 10 will enjoy the experience as much as we will.”
Press release – March 2017
Bakewell’s best in Silver and Song
Bakewell’s newly-formed Community Choir and the town’s award-winning Silver Band will get together for a first-ever joint concert at Lady Manners School, Bakewell at 7.30pm on Saturday, April 22.
The “Voice and Brass” concert will be led by Wirksworth’s Lester Simpson, BADCC choirmaster and member of the well-known a cappela folk group, Coope, Boyes and Simpson; and Jim Henson, musical director of the Bakewell Silver Band, and formerly with the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
The event came about after a chance meeting in a local pub. Choir organiser John McGough explained: “We just thought it would create a great evening of music, performed by local people who just love to get together to make music.”
Bakewell Silver Band celebrates its 110th anniversary this year. Originally founded in 1907 as the Bakewell Free Church Band, it now ranks as one of Derbyshire’s premier brass bands, and recently won the second section of the North East Midlands Brass Band Association awards, and gained third place at the “Brass at the Guild” Contest held in Preston. The 30-strong band has its roots in the community and provides music for events in the town, in addition to hosting its own concerts in the area.
Bakewell Community Choir was only founded last year, and already has performed concerts at the Eroica Festival in Bakewell and a well-attended carol concert at Bakewell Parish Church. The choir has around 70 members who come from all walks of life.
Lester commented: “We are hoping that we may be able to do some pieces together, which will be great. But our joint, ever-expanding repertoires mean that there will be a nice contrast between the lovely sounds of brass and the unaccompanied voices of the choir.”
Jim said: “We’re delighted to be sharing the stage with the choir. This type of concert is a real treat for the audience as they get to hear great brass music and great vocal music: ‘two for the price of one’. As both groups are Bakewell-based, it highlights the talent we have on our doorstep.”
A few tickets at £8 each are still available from band and choir members, or by ringing 01246 211671 or 01629 814167.