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Adrian Boult Hall Christmas Concert 2010 NB: Due to adverse weather conditions, BYS reluctantly CANCELLED their Christmas Concert in the Adrian Boult Hall on Saturday 18th December 2010. We deeply regretted this decision, but felt it was necessary so that our audiences and young people did not find themselves lost in the bleak mid winter... Please retain your tickets, as the concert has been postponed and those same tickets will be valid or exchanged for a later performance. Please revisit this site for future updates. Don’t forget to look at the Gallery for photos taken at concerts and other choir events! Recent MAJOR Events:
"WELL DONE!!!!
Greatly enjoyed it."
Alexander L’Estrange (Composer of Zimbe!)
"Congratulations on last night's concert. I really enjoyed the party atmosphere of Zimbe and hearing your choirs in concert. I thought the training choir was wonderful. We had fun with Worldsong, and it was a pleasure to do it in the Town Hall, with many memories of my childhood." Mike Brewer, OBE (Patron and Composer of Worldsong)
"A fantastic Concert! Everyone was in the spirit of it." "The best £10 worth I’ve spent in a long time!" "Very lively and enjoyable, and very colourful." "My parents really enjoyed it." "A challenge for all those involved, but it all came together on the night!" "Congratulations to Anne for pulling it all together so well." "What a beautiful voice the soloist has (Rebecca Schneider, soprano)" "Anne, you have genuinely inspired and enthused so many of us and opened up such wonderful concert opportunities over the years. You have shown skill and vision in forging ahead with BYS. I know I would not be the person I am today, with the confidence and experience I so enjoy, were it not for my time with you and BYS. THANK YOU AND WELL DONE! " Joe George on behalf of the Bournville Graduates
Thank you especially to Joe George for his kind and thoughtful comment. Joe was an Assistant Director of the choir for 10 years, and played a huge part in shaping and developing the choir as it is today. The following is a review of the concert written by Stephen Ellis, and was published in Making Music magazine, Summer 2011. Bournville Young Singers' 25th Anniversary Concert Birmingham Town Hall, Sunday 3rd April 2011
25 years… a quarter of a century… a Silver celebration. An incredible achievement has just been marked in Birmingham by hundreds of performers old and young: local community choir, Bournville Young Singers, a held a wonderful, vibrant concert in the city’s Town Hall last Sunday to commemorate their legacy and future since being founded by Director of Music Anne Ellis in 1986. Bournville Young Singer’s motto, “Follow the Music”, is taken from the famous Pied Piper story, and their pulsating programme reflected the spirit of the phrase, leaping across countries, continents and cultures to entertain an enraptured audience, including the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. BYS were joined by many guests ensembles including the Phoenix Singers, Bournville Junior School choir, St. Lawrence Junior School choir, Northfield Manor Primary School choir, instrumentalists from Camp Hill Grammar School, the Bournville Graduates and the adorable Bournville Young Singers’ Training Choir. The latter two choirs are sister-groups of the main BYS and their contribution to the concert was testimony to the far-reaching legacy that BYS has created in its 25 years. The philosophy of the non-auditioned community charity choir is that everyone who has a voice can, and should sing. The members who join the choir from as young as 5 and then return to sing again when a fully grown adult have literally been given a voice for life – skills, confidence and experience that will be with them forever. The 25th Anniversary Concert beautifully depicted this same vision of Anne Ellis’ when she founded the charity all those years ago, and the fruits of her labours, and of all those involved were a joy to behold. Bournville Young Singers is now firmly established in the cultural scene of Birmingham, and their Patrons – all of whom were present (and indeed featured) in the concert – have graciously thrown their support to the choir, including former Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Ian McArdle. The city’s own world-renowned choral conductor Mike Brewer OBE, lead the massed choirs and instrumental ensemble in his World Song, and the world premiere of composer Liz Johnson’s Sun Dances was also performed. Alexander L’Estrange led his fabulous jazz quintet on stage as the choirs sang his Zimbe! with all the energy and verve of Africa, and soprano Rebecca Schneider was a mellifluous soloist in several pieces. Ex-choir member and BBC Political Correspondent, Ben Wright, compèred the concert with consummate charm, serving as another example of someone who, through Bournville Young Singers, was literally given a voice for life. So, on the back of such success, where does Bournville Young Singers go from here? The legacy of the choir is rich, broad and varied, and so too is the future. The choir will continue to inspire, educate and entertain, building relationships, confidence and love of music through its unique, ongoing work. If 25 years has brought so much already, then with the continued help and support of members, ex-members, parents and inspirational musical leadership, the future is bright indeed. Stephen Ellis Assistant Director of Music
Review in The Herald of the choir at their first Fringe The Herald review, by Rob Adams (August 2009) This mostly teenage choir ranges far and wide for its repertoire, delivering Native American chants, Nigerian and Zulu songs, as well as familiar TV themes and more technically challenging items with, the odd nervous wobble aside, confidence, enthusiasm and a pleasing sound. Well aware that, for a visiting English group, The Eriskay Love Lilt could become The Risky Love Lilt, but they pressed on and produced a creditable performance. Their arrangements are very good, some adding witty piano accompaniments, finger snaps, claps and a chocolo, and while Fringe veterans may quail at the inclusion of Sting’s Fields of (flippin’) Gold, it’s charmingly sung. So, too, the more involved Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, from Tennyson’s The Princess, set to music by Alexander L’Estrange, which highlighted the choir’s depth of technical resources with a light and thoroughly attractive touch. ***(three stars)
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