LYME REGIS FOLK FESTIVAL

27th August 2023

We had a great time singing at the folk festival in Lyme Regis again - and enjoyed a day at the seaside - some of us even went paddling!

SINGING IN WELLS CATHEDRAL

Saturday 1st July 2023

The choir had the wonderful opportunity to perform in two locations in the beautiful Wells Cathedral - the nave and the Chapter House - thanks to everyone who came to listen!

SING OUT! Making Music Day

21st June 2023

Singers from Cheddar Valley Singers, Joyful Voices, Axbridge Singers and Winscombe Community Singers came together in this public event to promote singing, as part of Make Music Day 2023, at Henton Village Hall. To quote this song - "How Can I Keep From Singing?" - we love it!

SINGING CITY DAY

May 2023

Along with members of Cheddar Valley Singers, the choir took part in SINGING CITY DAY AT ST. GEORGES, Bristol, as part of their Festival of Voice.

Axbridge Singers in the Pageant!

August Bank Holiday 2022 saw us take part in Axbridge's ten-yearly pageant - a huge historical re-enactment in Axbridge Square, in front of an audience of 600! 

The choir took part in two scenes - the Lady Day Fair, and Edwardian Axbridge.

It was a huge priviledge and a lot of fun to take part, all the more rewarding after a two-year delay due to the pandemic!

Singing In the Square - evening concert for Axbridge Pageant Festival

Sunday 28th August 2022

What a great opportunity, to make use of the Pageant's stage and seating stands for the evening! The Axbridge Singers were joined by The Cheddar Valley Voices and Cheddar Male Choir, as well as a number of fantastic local soloists. 

Lyme Regis Folk Fest 1st September 2019

Following our successful debut at the Lyme Regis Folk Festival in 2018, we were invited to perform again this year. Once again the weather was glorious, making the fabulous setting and atmosphere of the event even more special.

The choir performed twice, allowing time to explore, relax and enjoy the music and sea.

As with the last night of the Proms, our repertoire included some Sea Songs (‘Mingulay’, ‘Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside’, ‘Risk’), as well as some old favourites (‘Planting Trees’, ‘Keep you in Peace’, ‘One day like This’, ‘Tea and Buns’). Brown Eyed Girl had its first successful performance.

‘Where did you get that Hat’ was very well- received and the lead singers did a tremendous a job, as did the three Breton Sailors (Tony, David and Trevor) in Tri Martolod. Both songs showcased the dramatic talents and inventiveness of the choir.

Soloists, Amanda and Jane sang beautifully and skilfully on their own solo performance on the seafront stage, where the audience was hugely appreciative.

Thank you to Amanda and Stella for organising the day and the programme, and to Sarah for arranging the transport.

Axbridge Church Fete – Saturday 15^th June

We began our singing with ‘Good Day Sunshine’, which lifted spirits since the fete was relocated in the church and Town Hall due to the current British monsoon!

The theme this year was HATS so we proceeded with an interactive arrangement by Sarah Kendall of ‘Where did you get that Hat?’. The choir brought a range of hats – bowlers, straw hats, mortar board, Arabian headwear to use as props for the chorus:

Chorus: 'Where did you get that hat? Where did you get that tile?
Isn't it a nobby one and just the proper style.
I should like to have one just the same as that.'
Where'er I go they shout 'Hello, where did you get that hat?'

Final verse:

I once tried hard to be PM, but failed to get elected
Upon a tub I stood and said “what shall we do with Brexit?”
And I had dodged the milkshakes (which was no easy task)
When one man cried, 'A question I the candidate would ask'

SPOKEN: 'Sir, thousands of British working people are anxiously awaiting enlightenment on the subject on which I am about to address you. It is a question of national importance, in fact, THE great problem of the day, and that is, sir...

The song was much appreciated, bringing joy and laughter to the afternoon.

‘O Waly Waly’, ‘Come again Sweet Love’ and ‘I got Rhythm’ were given their first performance, followed by favourites such as ‘Wise Men Say’, ‘Tea and Buns’ and ‘Ipharadisi’.

Christmas in Axbridge Square 2018

‘Prelude to Peace’

Church of St John the Baptist, Axbridge 10/11/18

A procession, singing Dona Nobis Pacem, opened a bold and ambitious evening, tracing a line from the first World War to the present. The evening was a seamless tapestry of music, readings and visual images, rooted in the socio- economic contexts of past conflicts, and written by a group of Axbridge people, including our very own David Parkin. Performed in two halves by a team of volunteers from the local community, and to a full church, the first half focussed less on the devastation of war itself, but rather the aftermath – globally, nationally and locally.

The second half was a reflection and celebration of peace and peacemakers. Two songs by the choir portrayed the preciousness of peace: ‘Shalom Aleichem’, a gift from our friends, the French choir ‘Cantagarrigue’, was rewritten in English for the evening. ‘Child with Dove’, composed by our choral director, Stella Moore, ended the evening with a message about the fragility of peace, and was inspired by the Picasso painting. Participation in the evening was a great joy and it was a privilege to contribute to the message of peace – an important mission for everyone.

Lyme Regis Folk Festival September 2018

Visits from Dan Landrum and Aaron O'Rourke from Tenessee and Cantagarrigue from France, May 2018