Season 53 is beginning for Reading Phoenix Choir, and our excitement is building. We are delighted to be returning to full-length indoor rehearsals after such a long break. While we were happy in our outdoor rehearsal space during the summer term, the prospect of singing outside on dark and rainy Autumn evenings is not so inviting.  We will start the season in the spacious hall at St Joseph’s College, where we will be comfortable singing whatever the weather, and we hope to get back ‘home’ to South Lake School later in the season. 

Even more exciting than being able to rehearse indoors is the prospect of returning to performing live after an 18-month break. We have all missed singing to an audience and can’t wait to start again at our informal morning concert on Saturday 25 September at Reading’s Abbey Baptist Church. Our first live audience since our Town Hall concert in March 2020 can expect a short but varied programme followed by coffee and cake. Later in the term, we will be performing in Old Coulsdon and Old Basing in concerts organised by former members of the choir. In December, we will have our traditional Christmas Concert at Reading Minster.

As a choir that prides itself in performing almost entirely without music, we have some new repertoire to commit to memory. Online rehearsals have been fine to introduce the pieces, but to memorise music for our performances, we need to sing with the whole choir around us. We will be working hard this term, getting our new pieces performance-ready, as well as brushing up a few old favourites. 

During our last season, the COVID restrictions did not allow us to invite prospective members to join us at rehearsals (even when we were meeting in person), so we are delighted to be opening our doors to potential newcomers once again this term. We hope to recruit some new singers, so we are holding an open rehearsal on 13 September at St Joseph’s College. Although we are particularly looking for new tenors and basses, we are very happy to meet singers of any voice part who are interested in singing with us. If you are unable to attend the open rehearsal, or are reading this after the event, and would be interested in joining the choir, please get in touch - we would still love to hear from you.