World AIDS Day Charity Concert
We performed Domine Fili Unigenite by Vivaldi, Zum Sanctus by Franz Schubert, My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land by Elgar and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2. The finale for this great evening was a powerful rendition of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen sung by all the groups present tonight.
This concert, with its varied musical repertoire, provided an opportunity to reflect on the losses many have suffered, as well inspiring those present to celebrate people living with HIV and AIDS. The concert began straight after the annual candlelit vigil at the AIDS Memorial in New Steine Gardens.
As in previous years, all performers donated their time for free and the entire profit of
Thanks to the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, photos of the evening are available here.
Now snow this year though ...
CD Launch concert
Earlier in 2011, we finished our first ever professional recording which was made available for purchase on CD for the first time at this concert. It is a showcase for some of our favourite songs drawn from our extensive repertoire (now spanning 14 years!) and also a few brand new songs - new to us and to you as well!
Our Musical Director Dr Matthew Pollard said: “Our first recording gives us the opportunity to show off some fantastic, expressive music-making, and reach an even wider audience. Across a wide range of styles and periods, this choir certainly 'sings the rainbow' of emotion and experience; the joy and enthusiasm they displayed during the sessions is certainly communicated on this brilliant CD.”
The chair of the Rainbow Chorus Jane Wrin said: “As a mixed ability community choir we are all things to all people and as such this CD shows that range and flexibility. We go from Burt Bacharach to Vivaldi with ease and enthusiasm. At the moment there are just over 40 members and I think I can speak for all when I say how much we have enjoyed the process of recording as it was not only about putting history into a CD but about singing with friends, many of whom have been made since joining the choir.”
We also had some special guests - the UK's first and only Queer Ukulele band and they played Glee-style mash-ups on tiny ukuleles in crazy Hawaiian shirts and they went down a storm!
You can download the evening’s programme here.
Mind Out
(Guess who are from the choir!)
We were delighted to be performing some numbers from our CD at ‘Mind Out for the Laughs’, the charity comedy cabaret event at the Komedia on the evening of Wednesday 10th August at 7:30pm - an evening of song, stand up and poetry.
You can see photos of our set and the finale from the evening courtesy of REAL Brighton here.
We performed a four song set of Can’t Get You Out of my Head, Say a Little Prayer, The Lavender Song and Let the River Run. It seemed to go down well and del thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The evening ended with a joint number with Lorraine and Miss Hope Springs - “Born this way”.
Performers on the night were:
Miss Hope Springs
Debra-Jane Appelby
Julie Jepson
The Rainbow Chorus
Lorraine Bowen
Yvo Luna
Stephanie Starlett – Hostess
Paula Cox – BSL Interpreter
A few of our stars visit The Planets
Performing at the Kemptown Carnival
On a very sunny 4th of June we performed two short sets at our (now) local carnival on a rather windy afternoon. The set was Siahamba, As Torrents in Summer, Homophobia and Singing for our Lives. The place was buzzing with loads of activity, crowds of people, stalls and all sorts. Great for the carnival, but a somewhat challenging environment for the number of us that were available that day and had to compete with a drumming band as well! Ah the joys of live performance - we did our best though, as always.
