Registered Charity no. 284752
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Registered Charity no. 284752
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Our HistoryCleeve Chorale can trace its origins back to the Bishop's Cleeve Choral and Dramatic Society which was founded in the early 1930s. This society originated from a small group of singers who met in the Rectory in the 1920s. The society performed in concerts, operettas and entered the Cheltenham Competitive Festival.
After closing for the Second World War, the society reformed in 1949 as the Bishop's Cleeve Choral Society and met in the Rectory. Works performed included Stainer's Crucifixion, The Messiah and Elijah. The society continued to enter the Cheltenham Competitive Festival and also successfully competed in the Bristol Eisteddfodd.In the mid 1950s Geoffrey Whitehouse, headteacher of Bishop's Cleeve Secondary School, joined the Choral Society and was its conductor at one stage. This began a long association with the school when rehearsals and many concerts were held at the school (later Cleeve School) and the Head of Music was traditionally the choir's conductor. This association lasted until the 1980s. In the 1960s the choir joined with other local choral societies to perform in Gloucester Cathedral and in 1963 presented a joint concert with Tewkesbury Choral Society in Tewkesbury Abbey. In the 1970s the choir's performances were particularly well received with reports in the Gloucestershire Echo headlined 'Cleeve Society Excels in Spring Concert' (21.05.70) and 'Musical Talent in Area Displayed by Choral Society' (1.12.72). At this time the society usually performed in at least two concerts each year, at Christmas, in the Spring and often either an informal or a joint concert as well. The choir continued to enter the Cheltenham Competitive Festival until 1960.In the 1980s the Choral Society suffered from a common problem in mixed choirs - a lack of men, cries for help from the ladies of the choir were published in the local press! In 1983 John Blenkinsopp became conductor of the society and in 1986 the society became Cleeve Choral Society with the aim of attracting members from a wider area. It was during this time that the choir's focus moved away from the school and the Society moved to a new rehearsal venue - Woodmancote Free Church in Stockwell Lane, Woodmancote. The pattern for concerts during the 1980s and 90s was a Christmas concert (or occasionally an Autumn concert) and another concert held in late March or early April. As during the 1960s and 70s the society was usually accompanied by an orchestra or smaller ensemble. In the early 1990s the choir held choral workshops led by Esther Salaman and Nigel Perrin. In 1995 the Choral society changed its name again, to Cleeve Chorale.
The late 1990s were a time of change for the choir with several changes of conductor. In 2000 Charles Jones was appointed and the number of concerts held each year increased to three (or more). In 2000 the choir took part in a concert with other local groups as part of Bishop's Cleeve's Millennium celebrations and in 2000 and 2001 joint concerts were held with the St. Andrew's Singers at St. Andrew's Church, Toddington. Christmas concerts continue to be held at St. Michael and All Angels' Church with concerts also being held at Cleeve School and Bishop's Cleeve Tithe Barn. In June 2002 the choir performed at All Saints' Church, Evesham at the kind invitation of the Friends of Evesham Church and Bell Tower and in May 2003 the choir held a concert at St. Mary's Church, Prestbury. The choir continues to sing with a variety of soloists and was accompanied by the Regency Sinfonia for its performance of Mozart's Requiem in 2001.
In September 2002 Iain Cooper was appointed Conductor of the choir. The choir embarked on a new venture for the society in May 2003, an overseas tour. Choir members toured the Salzburg area of Austria from 24th - 29th May, more information and photographs are available on the Austrian Tour pages.
In Spring 2005 the choir toured the area around Florence and Pisa in Tuscany singing at churches in Pistoia and Florence. For more information and photographs please see the Tuscany pages. Since Iain Cooper's appointment as conductor the choir has sung at several weddings. In 2005 the choir formed an association with Grangefield Primary School, Bishop's Cleeve. In December 2005 members of Cleeve Chorale sang at the school's Christmas Concert, Iain has visited the school regularly to rehearse the school choir and the school choir sang at Cleeve Chorale concerts in June and December 2006 and December 2007. In September 2006 the choir changed rehearsal venue to Bishop's Cleeve Primary School, Tobyfield Road, Bishop's Cleeve. In July 2006 the choir participated in a joint workshop with Bridgwater Choral Society (whom Iain also conducts) and we performed Brahms' German Requiem in both Cheltenham and Bridgwater in April/May 2007. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work together and look forward to future joint ventures.
Local musician and author Peter Gill has written a
book about the history of music in
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