Round Byrd is a new choir, made up of experienced singers from across the West of England and South Wales, focussing on the “performance” of English Cathedral Music from the 16th and 17th Centuries in a liturgical context. We get together once a term, to rehearse and sing evensong in a single afternoon.

New singers are welcome to come to a single event or to more, all that we ask is that you are able to read music and prepared to do a little preparation at home to learn notes before coming along to polish and perform the music on each occasion.

New, experienced singers (able to read music and willing to do some private preparation as necessary) to join the choir on the afternoon of Saturday 1st June, 2024. We’ll be singing music by Marenzio, Weelkes and Parsons. Rehearsal at 2.15 pm for a 5 pm special service of Choral Evensong. To get involved:

Sign up
decide whether you’re up for a solo or not (Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis).
Learn the notes at home. (There won’t be time for note bashing on the day.)
Come along, at 2.15pm on Saturday 1st June, and we’ll put it all together.
Bring a tablet with the music downloaded or borrow one of ours or print it all out.
Get all your friends to come along to the service at 5 pm!

Music & Rehearsal tracks (hymns and psalm to follow)

Download the full music set here

Introit: https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/7/74/Marenzio_-_Cum_jucunditate.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEiNMUabcG4&t=14s
Responses (Smith): https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/6/61/Smith-responses.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2r2bnIKh84
Mag & Nunc: https://www.ancientgroove.co.uk/pdfs2/Weelkes_Trebles.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmESqvlXaYc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyXuxRtd51s
Anthem: https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/2/2e/Parsons_Ave_Maria_barless.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pDIz9RLfg

November 2024

Our Autumn Term service, Saturday 9th November, will be in celebration of local philanthropist John Kyrle (1637 – 1724) and will form a part of the town’s. JK300 Festival. Music will be by Henry Purcell: Hear my Prayer, Evening Canticles in G minor and O God, thou art my God.