GRENVILLE JONES - Founder and Musical Director
Grenville conducts the BATH, WELLS, DEVIZES and KEYNSHAM Good Afternoon Choirs
Where to start … telling you about the man called Bath’s Mr. Music by the Bath Chronicle. He has appeared on the BBC Children in Need TV programme with Gareth Malone and was one of the ‘100’ judges for two consecutive years on the BBC1 ALL TOGETHER NOW popular Saturday night show. With his many choirs Grenville has raised thousands of pounds for various charities across the UK in the last 25 years.
He is founder of the Golden-Oldies Charity, and has appeared on radio and TV across the world. ‘Goldies’ (not a choir!) as it has become fondly known has developed to the point where it delivers over 160 weekly fun, SING&SMILE daytime sessions across England and Wales. For many of the people attending Goldies, it is their only social time of the week. Grenville has received many accolades for his work with the charity, but is anxious to make a point that it is the fabulous team of session leaders, and (most importantly) the hundreds of people who enjoy the fun singing sessions, who are taking Goldies forward.
The Good Afternoon Choir was started by Grenville in May 2009. Find out more about each choir by clicking on the following links:
Bath Good Afternoon Choir
Devizes Good Afternoon Choir
Keynsham Good Afternoon Choir
Bristol Good Afternoon Choir
Yate & Chipping Sodbury Good Afternoon Choir
Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir
Frome Good Afternoon Choir
Wells Good Afternoon Choir
North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir
South Gloucestershire Good Afternoon Choir
Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir
Launching later this year/2021 - the NEW Swindon Good Afternoon Choir - Taunton Good Afternoon Choir - Salisbury Good Afternoon Choir - Cheltenham Good Afternoon Choir - Cheddar Valley Good Afternoon Choir - Falmouth Good Afternoon Choir and Truro Good Afternoon Choir.
Launching in 2022 - Cirencester & Stroud Good Afternoon and Andover Good Afternoon Choir
His other Choirs include THE Bath Chorus - a mixed voice audition Choir, The Last Choir Standing Bath Male Choir, The non-auditioned community Welcome Choir and a Choir for young people called The Bath Children's Choir.
Grenville's background includes a number of years managing newspapers as well as a period working as a freelance for the BBC in Bristol. He built up his own successful PR and Marketing company in the 80s and 90s and also a magazine company publishing golf titles - Grenville still likes to dust off his clubs and occasionally enjoy a round with his 3 sons, Dan, Kieron and Laurie.
Singing was always part of a Methodist home upbringing in Purton near Swindon. He used to have a tenor voice but G says that many years of choir conducting his voice have strained his voice now to a poor bass.
Find out more about Grenville's choirs and concerts - www.grenvillejones.biz
Grenville conducts the BATH, WELLS, DEVIZES and KEYNSHAM Good Afternoon Choirs
Where to start … telling you about the man called Bath’s Mr. Music by the Bath Chronicle. He has appeared on the BBC Children in Need TV programme with Gareth Malone and was one of the ‘100’ judges for two consecutive years on the BBC1 ALL TOGETHER NOW popular Saturday night show. With his many choirs Grenville has raised thousands of pounds for various charities across the UK in the last 25 years.
He is founder of the Golden-Oldies Charity, and has appeared on radio and TV across the world. ‘Goldies’ (not a choir!) as it has become fondly known has developed to the point where it delivers over 160 weekly fun, SING&SMILE daytime sessions across England and Wales. For many of the people attending Goldies, it is their only social time of the week. Grenville has received many accolades for his work with the charity, but is anxious to make a point that it is the fabulous team of session leaders, and (most importantly) the hundreds of people who enjoy the fun singing sessions, who are taking Goldies forward.
The Good Afternoon Choir was started by Grenville in May 2009. Find out more about each choir by clicking on the following links:
Bath Good Afternoon Choir
Devizes Good Afternoon Choir
Keynsham Good Afternoon Choir
Bristol Good Afternoon Choir
Yate & Chipping Sodbury Good Afternoon Choir
Thornbury Good Afternoon Choir
Frome Good Afternoon Choir
Wells Good Afternoon Choir
North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir
South Gloucestershire Good Afternoon Choir
Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir
Launching later this year/2021 - the NEW Swindon Good Afternoon Choir - Taunton Good Afternoon Choir - Salisbury Good Afternoon Choir - Cheltenham Good Afternoon Choir - Cheddar Valley Good Afternoon Choir - Falmouth Good Afternoon Choir and Truro Good Afternoon Choir.
Launching in 2022 - Cirencester & Stroud Good Afternoon and Andover Good Afternoon Choir
His other Choirs include THE Bath Chorus - a mixed voice audition Choir, The Last Choir Standing Bath Male Choir, The non-auditioned community Welcome Choir and a Choir for young people called The Bath Children's Choir.
Grenville's background includes a number of years managing newspapers as well as a period working as a freelance for the BBC in Bristol. He built up his own successful PR and Marketing company in the 80s and 90s and also a magazine company publishing golf titles - Grenville still likes to dust off his clubs and occasionally enjoy a round with his 3 sons, Dan, Kieron and Laurie.
Singing was always part of a Methodist home upbringing in Purton near Swindon. He used to have a tenor voice but G says that many years of choir conducting his voice have strained his voice now to a poor bass.
Find out more about Grenville's choirs and concerts - www.grenvillejones.biz
Ben England - Conductor & Accompanist
BRISTOL, THORNBURY and NORTH SOMERSET Good Afternoon Choirs
Ben England conducts our Bristol, Thornbury and North Somerset Good Afternoon Choirs and is a brilliant and talented leader. He has been performing and teaching music in Bristol since 1995. After graduation, Ben sang with groups as diverse as the New English Orchestra, the Bristol Chamber Choir, Bristol Opera, the Exultate Singers and the Choir of Clifton Cathedral. He has sung as a guest soloist at concerts across the region.
In 2002, Ben was appointed conductor of the Bristol Cabot Choir, and over the eight years he worked with them, transformed the choir into a major musical force in Bristol. The success of his work with the Cabot Choir led to his subsequent appointment as Musical Director of Bristol Opera. He has led groups as diverse as the New Harmony Ladies Choir, and the Bristol Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society.
BRISTOL, THORNBURY and NORTH SOMERSET Good Afternoon Choirs
Ben England conducts our Bristol, Thornbury and North Somerset Good Afternoon Choirs and is a brilliant and talented leader. He has been performing and teaching music in Bristol since 1995. After graduation, Ben sang with groups as diverse as the New English Orchestra, the Bristol Chamber Choir, Bristol Opera, the Exultate Singers and the Choir of Clifton Cathedral. He has sung as a guest soloist at concerts across the region.
In 2002, Ben was appointed conductor of the Bristol Cabot Choir, and over the eight years he worked with them, transformed the choir into a major musical force in Bristol. The success of his work with the Cabot Choir led to his subsequent appointment as Musical Director of Bristol Opera. He has led groups as diverse as the New Harmony Ladies Choir, and the Bristol Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society.
Sandie Middleton - Accompanist
KEYNSHAM and BATH Good Afternoon Choirs
Sandie Middleton is a pianist with experience in vocal, instrumental, choral accompaniment and repetiteurship. She holds an MA in Piano Accompaniment from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and a BMUS from Cardiff University, where she won the Elizabeth Griffiths Prize. She has worked with Cardiff University Symphony Chorus, Winterbourne Opera and Luigi Cherubini Conservatorio di Musica, Florence, Italy.
KEYNSHAM and BATH Good Afternoon Choirs
Sandie Middleton is a pianist with experience in vocal, instrumental, choral accompaniment and repetiteurship. She holds an MA in Piano Accompaniment from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and a BMUS from Cardiff University, where she won the Elizabeth Griffiths Prize. She has worked with Cardiff University Symphony Chorus, Winterbourne Opera and Luigi Cherubini Conservatorio di Musica, Florence, Italy.
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Tim Charity - Accompanist
DEVIZES Good Afternoon Choir Tim plays piano for various groups in Wiltshire and very much enjoys accompanying the Devizes GAC. He has played for Devizes Musical Theatre in various productions, and was Musical Director at the Wharf Theatre in Devizes for productions such as Jack the Ripper, and The Gingerbread Man - as well as Panto of course! |
Sian Walters - Conductor
YATE & CHIPPING SODBURY Good Afternoon Choir
Sian graduated in singing, piano and percussion at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She has been teaching at Tockington Manor School as a Visiting Music Teacher in Singing and Piano since 1998. She has her own private music business called High C's Music Services which she also set up in 1998. Her successes include pupils gaining Music scholarships into private secondary schools, and the famous performing arts sixth form college Hurtwood House, also various music colleges and universities, pupils also gaining places in the prestigious National Youth Choir of Great Britain. Sian has also Musically Directed Youth Drama Groups in the locality, appeared as guest soloist with mixed and male voice choirs, adjudicated in local festivals and directed Youth and Adult Choirs which has gained her over 20 years experience.
YATE & CHIPPING SODBURY Good Afternoon Choir
Sian graduated in singing, piano and percussion at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She has been teaching at Tockington Manor School as a Visiting Music Teacher in Singing and Piano since 1998. She has her own private music business called High C's Music Services which she also set up in 1998. Her successes include pupils gaining Music scholarships into private secondary schools, and the famous performing arts sixth form college Hurtwood House, also various music colleges and universities, pupils also gaining places in the prestigious National Youth Choir of Great Britain. Sian has also Musically Directed Youth Drama Groups in the locality, appeared as guest soloist with mixed and male voice choirs, adjudicated in local festivals and directed Youth and Adult Choirs which has gained her over 20 years experience.
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Carolyn Dutton - Accompanist
YATE & CHIPPING SODBURY Good Afternoon Choir Carolyn has been accompanying group and solo singing since her teens and has over 20 years experience teaching music in Primary Schools. She established two successful children’s choirs and since retiring, has continued to be involved musically in community events, including local pantomimes and playing at the Colston Hall for several South Gloucestershire Primary Schools Music Festivals. She has been teaching piano for 6 years, currently working with 9 students. She is also Musical Director for The Crossbow Singers, a 4-part community choir based in Frampton Cotterell. |
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Matthew Finch - Conductor and Accompanist FROME and SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE Good Afternoon Choirs Matt loves singing, rehearsing choirs and playing the piano. He has been Musical Director of Bath Light Operatic Group for over 20 years, so you may have seen the back of his head in the orchestra pit of the Theatre Royal Bath! Matt is looking forward to having fun, and singing some lovely music with the Frome Good Afternoon Choir. |
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Sheila Ross - Accompanist
WELLS Good Afternoon Choir Music has always been a passion of Sheila's from a very early age and so, after teacher training - and specialising in music, she taught for 30 years in primary and middle schools with pupils of all ages. However in all that time she always especially enjoyed the time spent encouraging others to perform in shows and concerts. As a result of this she has spent the last 10+ years solely MD-ing and teaching those involved in musical theatre and musical projects of all kinds in different venues. Most of all she really enjoys helping people to believe in themselves and their vocal abilities and to see the sheer pleasure on their faces when they achieve these goals. She also loves accompanying and looks forward to focusing mostly on this with the Wells Good Afternoon Choir members. |
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John Sandford - Conductor
SWINDON Good Afternoon Choir - launching in 2021 John is a Choral Music Director with over 30 years experience running children's and adult choirs with a Certificate of Teaching from the Royal School of Music specialising in voice training. Since moving to Bath 4 years ago, I have sung with the Bath Chorus and now run two choirs of my own, one of which is an all female popular music community choir! "As well as my choir directing responsibilities, I am a collector of various musical instruments which I use in a variety of ways. I am really looking forward to working with the good folk of Swindon on this new and exciting venture and I know that we will have a rewarding FUN time together." |
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Chris Grabham - Conductor
YEOVIL Good Afternoon Choir and TAUNTON Good Afternoon Choir - launching in 2021 Chris Grabham is a composer and conductor from Ilminster, Somerset. Despite his young age, Chris has already conducted a number of choirs, orchestras and bands throughout the South West. He also holds regular positions in the Taunton area as Director of Music of the Wiveliscombe Town Band and Deputy Musical Director of the Taunton Deane Male Voice Choir. |
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Kate Lynch - Conductor
CHEDDAR VALLEY Good Afternoon Choir - launching in 2021 Kate Lynch (pictured) has been leading singing across the Cheddar Valley for the past 14 years and has always been passionate about getting everyone to sing, be they old, young or inexperienced. She is very at home leading massed vocal workshops; singing in schools; and conducting community choirs and is delighted to be taking on the new Cheddar Valley Good Afternoon Choir. |
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Amber Smith – Conductor
CHELTENHAM Good Afternoon Choir - launching 2021 Amber Smith (pictured) made her singing debut at aged 3 (as a pantomime fairy) and hasn’t stopped singing since! When studying in Bristol, Amber trained as a music scholar, where she performed at Bristol Cathedral, Colston Hall and the Festival Hall, London. Amber has a passion for both music and theatre. She teaches piano and singing, also running Cheltenham Children’s Choir and Musicality, a local community choir in Cheltenham. Amber is delighted to be joining the Good Afternoon Choirs team and launching Cheltenham’s own Good Afternoon Choir! |
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Andy Farris – Conductor
FALMOUTH and TRURO Good Afternoon Choir - launching 2021 Andy Farris (pictured) has been involved in choirs for over 40 years starting as a boy chorister at Sheffield Cathedral from the age of 7. Follow on, he was a member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain (and still acts as head of their Alumni Committee). After taking a Degree in vocal performance at Trinity College of Music, London, Andy went on to do professional work as a member of the chorus at Scottish Opera as well as doing solo concerts in London and abroad. Following the birth of twins in 2010 he moved from London to Cornwall and has been working for the Cornwall Music Education Hub as a vocal mentor and assistant conductor of several of their choirs, as well as running other amateur groups around the county. He is delighted to be able to join the GAC team and to help to reboot the choral scene in the Truro and Falmouth area after a long year of enforced choral inactivity. |
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Andy Brockway - Conductor
SALISBURY Good Afternoon Choir - launching 2021 Andy Brockway has been a Cathedral Chorister, Organ Scholar, Musical Director, Session Pianist etc. and has travelled as far as Hong Kong and the USA because of his music. He accompanies SAYM choirs and the Winterslow Singers. Regularly he is asked to conduct/accompany choirs at the last minute, but he really just enjoys fellowship through the gift of music, wherever that may be. |