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Belshazzar's Feast Project

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  • Progress Meeting Invite
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Fri, 5 Dec 2025
    Hi Belshazzar’s Feast Project helpers,
    Lots of exciting things to tell you and some exciting things we can’t quite tell you yet.  You’ve probably been thinking we said we’d start recruitment in the Autumn.  We did say that, but someone came up with the idea of having a top name soloist to do a piano concerto in the first half of our concert.  We were amazed when said top name soloist said yes in principle almost immediately.  It was subject to their tour dates being finalised.  We’ve just heard, alas, that they now have a concert the day before and the logistics means that they can’t take part.  However buoyed by the willingness of big names to take part in our concert we’ve decided to pursue the idea a bit further – watch this space.  That means we don’t want to go live until we can announce the complete package.  We think that will be early in the New Year. 

    Elsewhere we are branding as “Belshazzar’s Feast Project”, we have a lovely website (a Belshazzar domain) which is currently being populated with all the information, a recruitment pack and an online application form all tested and ready to go.  The logo is being designed as I write and is already through its first iteration. (see below). We have trialled the Just Giving page for participants’ donations so they can go directly to the charity and have the option for gift aid.

    We have dates for the rehearsals – please see below – and these will all be in Trinity Academy, Lockleaze (subject to final booking).

    Just a reminder that the team running Belshazzar is Hilary Oliver, Margaret Williams (Web and Orchestra), Mel Reed (Charities), Rupert Handley (Finance) and Chris Hall (Choir).

    Choir ambassadors please note that we will be sending you a note for passing to your committee in the New Year.

    Lastly we have a date for the next volunteers meeting.  It will be on Sunday afternoon 1st February 2 till 4 pm in the Bristol Beacon Terrace Bar (top floor of the Atrium).  We will be inviting several guests and will let you know more in due course.

    Please let us know if you can attend so we can estimate numbers.

    Keep spreading the word and thanks for all your help,
    Chris
     
    Rehearsal dates:
    Sunday February 7th 2027 Orchestra workshop day 10:00 – 18:00
    Sunday February 28th 2027 Choir Workshop day 10:00 – 18:00
    Monday 29th March 2027 Joint Workshop day 10:00 – 18:00 (This is the Easter Monday bank holiday)
    Wednesday 31st March 2027 Choir only (if needed) 18:30 to 21:30
    Saturday 3rd April 2027 Joint workshop day 10:00 to 18:00
    Sunday 4th April gathering in the Beacon from about 12:00.  Details later
     
    Optional – please let us know if you want to attend:
    Sunday November 8th 2026 Choir workshop day 10:00 – 18:00
    Small Logo
     
  • Announcement
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Tue, 1 Apr 2025
    Dear Mike
    Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast - Sunday April 4th 2027
    I’m very excited to write and let you know that we will be performing Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast in the Bristol Beacon on Sunday April 4th, 2027.  The aims of the performance are to: 
     
    ·Bring together hundreds of amateur musicians from the local communities 
    ·Raise money for young and professional musicians (SW Music Hub https://bristolbeacon.org/support-us/trusts-and-foundations/and Help Musicians https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk 
    ·Have fun making music together and socialising with each other 
     
    Later this year we will be inviting experienced choral singers to register their interest.  Within your choir Mike Elcock is the choir ambassador for this venture who will be able to tell you more about the plans and who is involved. They will also be available to chat to members who wish to know more details once the singer recruitment process starts in the Autumn.  
     
    There is an option for one or two choirs to become core choirs.  A core choir would rehearse the pieces during the 2027 Spring term. This enables members who would like to sing but might find the limited rehearsals a challenge to join us in the Beacon.  If you would like to be a core choir, please contact Chris or Hilary (emails below). 
     
    To ensure that we can deliver a performance to a high standard within a limited period, singers will be expected to know the work ahead of 2, day long workshop style rehearsals during Easter week 2027 which will be held on Easter Monday 29th March and Saturday 3rd April 2027. There will also be a separate choir only evening rehearsal during that week, date to be confirmed.  If there is sufficient demand, we would hold another day long choir workshop 4 to 6 weeks before Easter.  On the day of the concert there will be an afternoon rehearsal in Bristol Beacon so that we can all get used to singing and playing in the venue. 
     
    If you have any questions or thoughts please contact Chris (chris@cheesetoasties.com) or Hilary (hilaryeoliver@hotmail.co.uk) 
     
    We do hope that you and your members will join us for what promises to be a wonderful experience for all participants and a fund-raising extravaganza for the charities. 
     
    Chris Hill 
     

 

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