Welcome to the Chevin Singers website
The Chevin Singers choir was formed in January 2011 with the simple aim of singing for pleasure.
We are a mixed choir meeting weekly to rehearse in Belper, Derbyshire, during term time.
"...even the greyest days are flecked with song...."
from 'Traffic' by Jo Bell
We are a mixed choir meeting weekly to rehearse in Belper, Derbyshire, during term time.
"...even the greyest days are flecked with song...."
from 'Traffic' by Jo Bell
Singing Times!
We meet on Tuesday mornings from 10 - 12, in Strutt's Community Centre on Derby Road in Belper.
See the 2018/2019 term dates below.
Autumn Term
Tuesday 4th September - Tuesday 18th December
Spring Term
Tuesday 8th January - Tuesday 9th April
Summer Term
Tuesday 30th April -Tuesday 16th July
See the 2018/2019 term dates below.
Autumn Term
Tuesday 4th September - Tuesday 18th December
Spring Term
Tuesday 8th January - Tuesday 9th April
Summer Term
Tuesday 30th April -Tuesday 16th July
Choir update ......
Our first performance in 2018 took place on 30th January, it was also our first performance directed by our new Musical Director, Adris Ugulis. We sang to friends and family in the Strutts Community Centre to raise money for the Beth Shalom Memorial Holocaust Centre at Laxton near Newark. Poems and information on the Centre and Kinder Transport were read by choir members and our songs, chosen to remember victims of persecution, included Adio Kerida, Tibie Paiom, Donna Nobis Pachem, Alle Brider and Peace like a River. We raised £260 which was a wonderful result.
We ended our summer term on a high note! On a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon, on the 15th July, directed by Andris, we performed a wonderful concert joined by special guests, The Shiremen in Harmony, accompanied by Janine Ugulis, singing their own version of music from the shows and we thank them warmly for performing alongside us and making the concert so successful. All Andris' hardwork encouraging our intensive researsals certainly paid off on the day!
Over 100 people packed the hall and balcony at Strutts to support out concert and we raised an amazing £360 in aid of the Duffield, Derby and Belper homeless charity.
2017
We ended the year with our annual visit to Babington Hospital to sing our own version of Christmas carols to the patients. We were warmly welcomed by both staff and patients and were treated afterwards to a very welcome mince pie and tea! Several members of the choir also sang later at local care homes in the area.
Our new musical director, Andris Ugulis joined us on 5th September. A very warm welcome to Andris!
Andris is from Latvia, where he achieved a Bachelor Degree at the J. Vítols Academy of Music, formerly the Music Conservatory, in Riga, specialising in choir and symphony orchestra conducting. Whilst still living in Latvia he took part in many international choir festivals and tours in Italy, Germany, Norway, Finland, Australia, Canada and the USA, working as a musical director, choir, symphony orchestra conductor and professional chorister.
Since moving to the UK in 2007 with his wife Janina and daughter Eva, he has continued to work freelance as a professional musician in a variety of roles. These include organist, vocal coach, piano teacher and Musical Director (MD). As well as being MD of Chesterfield Male Voice Choir (since June 2013), Andris is also MD of Barnburgh MVC near Doncaster, Conductor of Castleford MVC and Director of Music at St John the Baptist Church in Dronfield.
We said a sad goodbye to our inspirational leader, Beth de Lange on 23 May. Beth has been our leader since the Chevins started in 2011 and we were very sorry to lose her.
We were very pleased to accept an invitation to sing at the Beth Shalom Memorial Holocaust Centre at Laxton near Newark on 21st February. The choir visited the centre and we all found it a rewarding and inspirational visit. We were made very welcome by all the staff and enjoyed a lovely lunch before singing three songs, Tumbalalaika, Shof Mayn Fegele and M'ariv Niggun.
2016
Our first performance of 2016 was a wonderful evening of songs and poetry to remember victims of persecution. It was held on Holocaust Memorial Day
(27 January) at the Strutts Centre. Our own choir member, Hilary Fender was MC for the evening and three choirs participated, Rough Truffles, The Duffield Singers and ourselves together with the Belper Poetry People reciting some very moving pieces. Beth de Lange, our own inspirational musical director concluded the evening by leading everyone, including the audience in singing M'ariv Niggun by Alexander Massey, from London.
The evening raised £550 for the National Holocaust Museum at Laxton near Newark.
Later in the year we sang twice at the Royal Derby Hospital to help raise funds and again at the Belper Stroke Club and Babington Hospital - venues that have become annual events which we look forward to!
We enjoyed a very different type of performance this summer singing to a year group at St Johns Church of England Primary School in Belper. They were studying various types of singing and so we were able to 'demonstrate' our choir harmonies and singing in rounds. We were made very welcome by the children who were intrigued by our travelling washing line! All was revealed when they quickly learned 'black socks' joining in our rounds with great enthusiasm!
2015 was another busy year for the choir!
On the 15 October at the request of Belper Town Council, following the East Midlands in Bloom Competition, we sang 'We can Grow Love' written by Tracey Wilkinson at the Strutts Centre.
On the 13 October the Choir had a rousing and harmonious afternoon with the Belper Stroke Club, Club members and their guests were an appreciative audience and enjoyed singing along with our 'rounds' at the end. Before leaving we received a vote of thanks but it was our pleasure to entertain them and we were back again on the 11th October 2016 for another enjoyable afternoon singing and enjoying the lovely cakes and scones baked by their members.
We sang at the Royal Derby Hospital as part of their arts programme last summer and in December we sang our 'Christmas / winter seasonal' repertoire both at the Royal Derby and Babington Hospitals.
We became members of the National Association of Choirs.
Our first performance in 2018 took place on 30th January, it was also our first performance directed by our new Musical Director, Adris Ugulis. We sang to friends and family in the Strutts Community Centre to raise money for the Beth Shalom Memorial Holocaust Centre at Laxton near Newark. Poems and information on the Centre and Kinder Transport were read by choir members and our songs, chosen to remember victims of persecution, included Adio Kerida, Tibie Paiom, Donna Nobis Pachem, Alle Brider and Peace like a River. We raised £260 which was a wonderful result.
We ended our summer term on a high note! On a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon, on the 15th July, directed by Andris, we performed a wonderful concert joined by special guests, The Shiremen in Harmony, accompanied by Janine Ugulis, singing their own version of music from the shows and we thank them warmly for performing alongside us and making the concert so successful. All Andris' hardwork encouraging our intensive researsals certainly paid off on the day!
Over 100 people packed the hall and balcony at Strutts to support out concert and we raised an amazing £360 in aid of the Duffield, Derby and Belper homeless charity.
2017
We ended the year with our annual visit to Babington Hospital to sing our own version of Christmas carols to the patients. We were warmly welcomed by both staff and patients and were treated afterwards to a very welcome mince pie and tea! Several members of the choir also sang later at local care homes in the area.
Our new musical director, Andris Ugulis joined us on 5th September. A very warm welcome to Andris!
Andris is from Latvia, where he achieved a Bachelor Degree at the J. Vítols Academy of Music, formerly the Music Conservatory, in Riga, specialising in choir and symphony orchestra conducting. Whilst still living in Latvia he took part in many international choir festivals and tours in Italy, Germany, Norway, Finland, Australia, Canada and the USA, working as a musical director, choir, symphony orchestra conductor and professional chorister.
Since moving to the UK in 2007 with his wife Janina and daughter Eva, he has continued to work freelance as a professional musician in a variety of roles. These include organist, vocal coach, piano teacher and Musical Director (MD). As well as being MD of Chesterfield Male Voice Choir (since June 2013), Andris is also MD of Barnburgh MVC near Doncaster, Conductor of Castleford MVC and Director of Music at St John the Baptist Church in Dronfield.
We said a sad goodbye to our inspirational leader, Beth de Lange on 23 May. Beth has been our leader since the Chevins started in 2011 and we were very sorry to lose her.
We were very pleased to accept an invitation to sing at the Beth Shalom Memorial Holocaust Centre at Laxton near Newark on 21st February. The choir visited the centre and we all found it a rewarding and inspirational visit. We were made very welcome by all the staff and enjoyed a lovely lunch before singing three songs, Tumbalalaika, Shof Mayn Fegele and M'ariv Niggun.
2016
Our first performance of 2016 was a wonderful evening of songs and poetry to remember victims of persecution. It was held on Holocaust Memorial Day
(27 January) at the Strutts Centre. Our own choir member, Hilary Fender was MC for the evening and three choirs participated, Rough Truffles, The Duffield Singers and ourselves together with the Belper Poetry People reciting some very moving pieces. Beth de Lange, our own inspirational musical director concluded the evening by leading everyone, including the audience in singing M'ariv Niggun by Alexander Massey, from London.
The evening raised £550 for the National Holocaust Museum at Laxton near Newark.
Later in the year we sang twice at the Royal Derby Hospital to help raise funds and again at the Belper Stroke Club and Babington Hospital - venues that have become annual events which we look forward to!
We enjoyed a very different type of performance this summer singing to a year group at St Johns Church of England Primary School in Belper. They were studying various types of singing and so we were able to 'demonstrate' our choir harmonies and singing in rounds. We were made very welcome by the children who were intrigued by our travelling washing line! All was revealed when they quickly learned 'black socks' joining in our rounds with great enthusiasm!
2015 was another busy year for the choir!
On the 15 October at the request of Belper Town Council, following the East Midlands in Bloom Competition, we sang 'We can Grow Love' written by Tracey Wilkinson at the Strutts Centre.
On the 13 October the Choir had a rousing and harmonious afternoon with the Belper Stroke Club, Club members and their guests were an appreciative audience and enjoyed singing along with our 'rounds' at the end. Before leaving we received a vote of thanks but it was our pleasure to entertain them and we were back again on the 11th October 2016 for another enjoyable afternoon singing and enjoying the lovely cakes and scones baked by their members.
We sang at the Royal Derby Hospital as part of their arts programme last summer and in December we sang our 'Christmas / winter seasonal' repertoire both at the Royal Derby and Babington Hospitals.
We became members of the National Association of Choirs.
