The Phoenix Singers continued to help local charities with a great concert at All Saints’ Church, Leek

A large appreciative audience came to Trinity Church, Leek and produced just the right atmosphere to encourage a super performance of Faure’s Requiem from The Phoenix Singers, conducted by their Musical Director Ashley Thompson in this concert raising money for Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

The Faure Requiem made up the second half of the concert but Faure was also included in the first half with his Cantique de Jean Racine for choir  accompanied by Amy Wakefield on piano and also Lucy Johnston Jones playing the Berceuse in D for violin accompanied on piano by Ashley Thompson. The concert was completed by the choir singing Stanford’s “Beati Quorum Via” and Ashley Thompson’s “We Light a Candle” and “Fear No More”.

This concert remembering two of the choir’s founder members Angela and David Briggs, who both sadly passed away recently, attracted a large varied audience who not only showed great appreciation during the concert but also made the night a very successful social event both in the interval and at the end of the concert as everyone mixed together, a night David and Angela would have loved.

Concert at Trinity Church, Leek

Phoenix Festival Quartet
Amy Wakefield,Sarah Balfour, Robert Wakefield, Robert Williams

Simon Baker – Organist

Afternoon Rehearsal

On 31st July Val and Brian Riley kindly invited everyone involved with the Phoenix Singers to come with partners to a party at their beautiful house in Meerbrook overlooking the Roaches. A great time was had by all after which Ashley and the choir members could rest during August making ready for a lot more singing in the Autumn.

Great audiences and much enjoyment for members as The Phoenix Singers undertook a very well received Arnold Bennett Gala concert while 16 of the members were performing in the new adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s novel “Anna” which was running for 3 weeks.

Preparations for our concert with writer Deb McAndrew and director Conrad Nelson

MD Ashley Thompson with members who performed in “Anna”

Celebration “picnic” towards end of run with all our friends at the New Vic and a couple of photos from dress rehearsal

Busy time at TheNew Vic.

16 members in “Anna of the Five Towns” run starting Friday 26th May.  Our Arnold Bennett Gala Concert which includes the whole choir is on June 14th.

Tickets going fast (www.newvictheatre.org.uk, 01782 717962)

With a new conductor Young Phoenix is “widening its wings” and looking for new members. A great way for youngsters to experience the fun of music-making!!

Phoenix Singers never fail to enchant us with their Christmas concert and this year was no exception.

Together with Young Phoenix they sang Christmas songs from around the world and delighted the sell-out audience.

Letter to Leek Post Dec 2016

New website now available giving details of “A Christmas Carol” the carol cantata by Ashley Thompson and Deb McAndrew.

www.achristmascarol.org.uk

Full details of work including hiring or buying of scores.

A snippet of our concert is now on our twitter feed. More to come soon with longer videos to be put on  Youtube:   https://www.youtube.com/user/thephoenixsinger/videos