- Elmbridge Choir's Musical Director, Hugh Beckwith, reveals all!
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Date Posted: Mon, 28 Oct 2024
Don't miss this!
We're so thrilled and excited to see our Musical Director, Hugh Beckwith, featured in November's issues of Community Life magazine, in which Hugh reveals some interesting and insightful facts about his musical career.
Copies of this great free community magazine are widely available locally, or you can read the article here
It's a great read. Well done, Hugh!
- Elmbridge Choir hits the airwaves
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Date Posted: Mon, 16 Sep 2024
Never one to miss an opportunity to talk about Elmbridge Choir, Debbie, our Communications Officer, visited the studios of Brooklands Radio in Weybridge on Sunday 15th September, and spent around 10 minutes talking to presenter Dave Jemitus about her favourite topic!
You can listen to the interview here:
https://www.brooklandsradio.co.uk/podcasts/ElmbridgeChoir2024-09-15.mp3
- Harry Baker makes his mark on the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
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Date Posted: Sun, 11 Aug 2024
Our regular concert accompanist, Harry Baker, is a long-time friend and colleague of our Musical Director, Hugh Beckwith. Harry is a supremely talented pianist and composer, working with jazz and classical musicians at the highest level, including regular collaboration with cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
We were delighted (and just a little proud!) to hear that Harry's music was to be featured at the BBC Proms this year. Harry arranged almost all the pieces for Prom 20: Songs and Dances with the Kanneh-Masons."Superstar siblings Sheku and Braimah, and captivating Brazilian guitarist Plínio Fernandes, perform an eclectic and surprising playlist from Brahms to Bob Marley.
The concert is made up of a range of music inspired by Sheku and Braimah’s inspirations and Plínio's Brazilian roots. With songs born from folk, reggae and soul, expect unique arrangements of much-loved hits such as I Say a Little Prayer, Redemption Song, The Girl from Ipanema, and Brahms’s Hungarian Dances.
The dynamic Fantasia Orchestra makes its Proms debut under its founder, Tom Fetherstonhaugh. "
If you haven't already seen this, it is well worth a watch. At the end of the concert, conductor Tom Fetherstonhaugh credits Harry with arranging the music, As the spotlight shines on Harry he stands to receive huge and well-deserved applause from the whole of Royal Albert Hall. What an honour and such a proud moment!
BBC Proms - 2024: A Kanneh-Mason Playlist at the Proms - BBC iPlayer
Congratulations to Harry on a fantastic achievement!
- Cabaret concert brings audience to their feet!
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Date Posted: Sun, 11 Aug 2024
A sell-out audience and a standing ovation left us in high spirits after an incredible concert at Holy Trinity Church in Claygate on Saturday 27th July 2024.
"Life is a Cabaret", featuring a programme of beloved songs from well-known musicals, was performed under the baton of our fantastic Musical Director, Hugh Beckwith, while our enthusiastic audience enjoyed the cabaret-style seating and delicious grazing boxes and drinks from the bar.
We were honoured to have the Mayors of Elmbridge and Woking join us, along with representatives from our concert beneficiary, Andys Man Club, a men's suicide prevention charity. Their heartfelt message moved our generous audience to raise an amazing £526.04 for the charity.
A special shoutout to our MD Hugh, who led us through a fantastic set and wowed the crowd with his solo of "Maria" from West Side Story. Our accompanist, Harry Baker, blew us away with his incredible piano improvisation, while we enjoyed a delightful ukulele accompaniment for "Over the Rainbow" from Simon Cushing, who had earlier welcomed guests with an acoustic guitar set.
Thank you to everyone who made the evening unforgettable!
- 2023 Prague Advent Choral Meeting
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Date Posted: Thu, 7 Dec 2023
We had a wonderful weekend reprising our inaugural Choir tour of 2008 at the 2023 Prague Advent Choral Meeting. This time we joined ten other choirs from Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Hungary and Croatia. We sang in St Nicholas' Church, St Michaels' Church and finally in the Old Town Square Christmas market.
When not performing we all enjoyed a Czech Folklore dinner with local musicians, a sight-seeing boat trip down the Vltava River and plenty of socialising, forging new friendships, reviving past memories and creating very many more new memories.
