Wayns Weekly 27th October 2025
No rehearsal this Week - 30th October
Please remember not to turn up. But also please remember that we have our AGM on 6th November and that the rehearsal that week will start at 7pm. All relevant papers are on the members’ section of the website and have also been emailed to you.
2. A new Member?
David Green, Bass 1 and his partner have just added to our ranks, with the announcement of the birth of their daughter Julia Catherine Gibson-Green. She was born on 22nd October at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester. 8lb and mum and baby are doing well. She already seems to have a strong (if slightly piercing) soprano. Watch out Sops!
And to bring some joy into all our lives, here’s a picture of the young, blossoming soprano.
3. David Owen Norris Forthcoming Concerts
David is joining us for our summer concert on 20th June 2026 at the Turner Sims, Southampton. Meanwhile he is going to be busy in December and January and has sent us a message highlighting some of the things he is doing. To find out more click here.
4. Latest Blog
Many thanks to Jacki for updating our blog page. If you haven’t already, click here and read all about our talented new members and Tim Cain who can’t seem to stop composing!
Wayns Weekly 20th October 2025
Carol Singing : December 9th - A message from Daniel Benton, our Chairman:
There will be no Wayns carol singing this year at the Cathedral Christmas Market, as there appears to be no live music stage. However, for those who are profoundly disappointed not to have the opportunity to be conducted by me, whilst juggling green books in the freezing open air, I have another opportunity for you. As most of you know, I chair a local charity called the Hampshire Medical Fund, which raises money to buy kit for the local hospitals. I have a slot at the Buttercross on December 9th from 11am to 1pm to sing carols to raise money for HMF and so need a choir. The plan would be to sing for 2 hours and then repair to a nearby pub to get our voices back on my card. If you are able / interested could I ask you to email me daniel.benton@btinternet.com , and I will see if I can get a balanced group together ?
Thanks, Daniel
2. Waynflete Christmas cards:
You may remember that we had some gorgeous Christmas cards produced last year as a fundraiser for the choir. We still have quite a few packs available, and they will be on sale at the AGM on November 6th, £5.00 for a pack of 6. Payment by card please.
3. Dream of Gerontius recording:
I mentioned last week that the Wayns recorded Dream of Gerontius many years ago with the BSC and BSO. David Hill conducted and the wonderful Willie Kendall (now sadly departed) performed the role of Gerontius.
Here is the link on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/7J2wI5Ocuy6B4ZyDrt2WeT?si=G2ua_JM-RzmiqJAexdyoQg
Andy also mentioned a superb performance that was recently on radio 3, with the CBSO, and still available on BBC Sounds. This one features choir favourite Benjamin Hulett (who is joining us for our Messiah concert in December) performing as Gerontius and Roderick Williams as the priest, with Jess Dandy as the angel.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002jfr3?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
This appears to be only available on BBC Sounds for another two days so listen now if you’re interested!
4. Messiah:
Please do your bit to get posters and flyers out and about for our 6th December concert, we are keen for a complete sell-out!
Alternatively please share the digital version of the flyer (which can be downloaded from the members area) to your local WhatsApp groups etc.
5. AGM 6th November:
A reminder that our AGM will be held on 6th November (after our half term break) with a short rehearsal starting at 7 pm. Drinks and nibbles will be provided by the second sopranos. Please see WW for the 13th October for more details. Kate has also emailed out the agenda and minutes from 2024.
That’s all for now!
Wayns Weekly 13th October 2025
Rehearsals this Term
Just to confirm that we are rehearsing The Dream of Gerontius up until half term.
No rehearsal on October 30th.
We will then be rehearsing Messiah for the concert on 6th December.
AGM Meeting 6th November 2025 and Papers
I have sent out a WW email attaching the minutes from 2024 and the Agenda for 2025, the Accounts are to follow. These papers are also on the Members’ section of the website. Please bring them with you to the meeting which will be after a short rehearsal (to start at 7.00pm) and refreshments.
We would like to see as many people as possible and are keen to welcome new committee members.
The Messiah - 6th December
Ticket sales are going very well but have stalled slightly - we need to sell every single one of them. To help you, here is the link to our poster which you can share with people and a link to the booking area of the cathedral website.
Members Page
This is a link to a screenshot of the members’ page. You can see dates on the right hand side (if you are looking on a laptop, but scroll down if you are looking on your mobile).
The is also a list of links on the left hand side which are pretty self explanatory - you just need to click on them.
If you want to know about more local concerts then simply click on Local Concerts and Services. I have added AGM 2025 where you can access the papers for the meeting.
Please explore.
Members’ Photos
Sophie House started collecting members’ photos and placing them on the members’ page of the website. She has placed quite a few but can only put you on there if you send her a photo together with your name and voice part. Please send them to Sophielouisehouse@gmail.com
Oh, and a big congratulations to our newest members whose photos you will already see on there!
Wayns Weekly 6th October 2025
Welcome to Eight New Members!
Yes you have read that right, we have 8 new members. They are:
S1 Molly Bertram
Helen Leon
Lydia Pearson
S2 Lizzy Poobalan
Catherine Bowstead
A2 Cathy Birch
T2 Sam Sharpe
B1 Mike Bowstead
Welcome to you all.
They might not know it yet, but our ace reporter, Jacki Donnellan, will be getting in touch to see if she can find out a little more about them.
Members’ Photos
I have asked our new members to send a photo to Sophie House so she can add them to our photo gallery. Could I ask existing members to do so as well, if you haven’t already done so. Here’s the link to the page to see the list so far. It’s all perfectly safe on our members’ only part of the website and its very useful to help us to get to put names to faces. Thanks.
Messiah Tickets
The sales are going well but they’re not all sold yet….keep trying…I reckon about 170 nave tickets left. Click here to view and order.
In Memory of Martin Neary
Sarah Jones has posted a lovely tribute to Martin Neary on our news page. She has also linked it to an interview he gave us to mark the Wayns 50th Anniversary. We intend to publish this tribute in the Messiah programme.
Wayns Weekly 30th September 2025
Don’t Forget Your Gerontius Copies
As we are going to be rehearsing the Dream of Gerontius for the next few weeks.
Martin Neary - MD of the Waynflete Singers 1982 - 1987
I believe there may be a small handful of members who will have sung under Martin Neary (predecessor to David Hill and then Andy Lumsden). I did send out The Times Obituary via WhatsApp groups but if you had trouble accessing it, please click here.
Making Music Win two tickets to the premiere of 'The Choral' in London
The choir is a member of Making Music and has received the attached hand out giving the chance for choir members to win two tickets to the premiere of ‘The Choral’ Read more here.
The 100 Club - a Message from Peter Mosse (organiser).
2025 promises to be the best year ever!
Last week there were a few IOUs, so please would you pay me this week (2 Oct) so I can do the first draw next week.
·The Treasurer Kate Baker (A1) has very kindly agreed to accept card payments so you can now pay on her machine if you prefer.
If anyone else would like to buy tickets, this will be a bonus week but definitely the last(!), so please let me or Kate Baker have your £10s
So thank you everyone, well done and good luck in the draws!
Wayns Weekly 23rd September 2025
Rehearsals
i. Just a reminder that we have an ‘open rehearsal’ again this week, thanks for being so welcoming last week, and that auditions will be taking place the following Thursday, 2nd October, so be aware that people will be coming and going during that rehearsal.
ii. We are rehearsing the Messiah this week and then moving on to The Dream of Gerontius on 2nd October for a while. Susan Rees will have hire copies and copies to buy at this week’s rehearsal. Please make sure that you pick up and pay for any copies you have ordered, even if you no longer require them.
AGM 2025
This year’s AGM will be on Thursday November 6th . Papers will be sent out two weeks in advance. There are vacancies for the committee so please think about joining with a view to taking on a more substantial role in the future. It is a sure way of being part of the decision making process for the choir and of making more friends. Fresh ideas from new people are so welcome. Feel free to talk to any of the committee members. We’re all quite approachable!
Daniel Benton (B2), Kate Baker (A1), Kate Spencer (A1), Sarah Jones (S2)
Veronica Shaw (S2), Anne Steer (S2), Sophie House (S1) and Toby Wright (B1)
Concert Singers' Symposium 2025 with David Hill & Roderick Williams - 23rd October, National Opera Studio.
Please see the invite attached if you are interested.
Hallelujah Chorus
You may remember that Emma Dean recorded the Hallelujah Chorus at our last rehearsal. This was primarily for David Reece who is unable to join our rehearsals at the moment. David enjoyed it very much and even said that it was ‘concert ready’ - thanks David but I’m not sure Andy would agree……..! If you want to see it for yourselves then please click here
Wayns Weekly - 15th September 2025
Rehearsals and Music for Gerontius
The next two rehearsals (18th and 25th September) are for the Messiah. Rehearsals for next term’s Dream of Gerontius will start on 2nd October so please bring your copies with you.
If you have ordered the music to Gerontius then Susan has very kindly (and quickly) got hold of the music; hire copies available this Thursday (18th September) and copies to buy next Thursday (25th September).
2. Songbooks for Sale
The songbooks we use to sing madrigals after the Waynflete Obit are borrowed from IBM. They wish to sell them and I have 8 copies of English Romantic Part songs and 12 of The Oxford Book of English Madrigals. If you would like one or both please let me know at pramjungle@hotmail.com . £2.00 for 1 book or £3.00 for both.
John Pringle
3. The 100 Club
Please bring in £10 (or more) in cash to get your 100 Club tickets. Last week we got off to a surprisingly good start and sold 28 tickets for the 100 Club draw, with special thanks to the Altos 1 who bought 40% of them! Peter/Part Reps will be selling them for the next two weeks only, with the first draw planned the following week.
The target is 3 draws per term – 1st prize £20, 2nd prize £10, 3rd prize £5. That is a total of £315 in prizes and last year we made £475 for the choir as well!
Many thanks,
Peter Mosse
Thank you Peter
4. Open Rehearsals and Auditions
A reminder that these are on 18th and 25th September with auditions on 2nd October. I currently have a list of 18 interested people - the most ever I think, so that bodes well (well possibly not so well for the male voices !). could I please ask you to keep an eye out for people who may be looking lost and steer them in my direction. There are quite a few sops and altos coming so we need to make room for them, please.
5. Subs 2025/26 - Good News
A reminder that it has been agreed to keep the subs at last year’s level - £200. Kate Baker would obviously like subs in a.s.a.p and if you click on ‘Subs for 2025/26’, you will find all the relevant details.
6. Messiah - Tickets and Publicity
Just a reminder that you can now book your own priority tickets. The window is now open, please click here for all the details.
Wayns Weekly - part 2 - Messiah, Tickets and Publicity - 7th September 2025
Choir priority booking for Handel’s Messiah Saturday 6th December
Choir priority ticket booking will be open from September 14th-28th, so it’s time to drum up support from your families and friends for what promises to be a fabulous Messiah on the 6th December.
We have agreed a more streamlined approach with the Cathedral box office whereby you can book your own tickets with the pre-booking code Choir25, which will be live from 14th September. This code is only for choir members’ use, please do not share it.
The website address is:
The Waynflete Singers – Handel’s Messiah
Ticket prices are as follows:
A - M - £50
N to T - £40
U to HH - £30
JJ to PP - £25
QQ to back - £20
Side Aisles £15.00
We are performing again with the wonderful Florilegium, and a fabulous line-up of soloists including Winchester favourite, tenor Ben Hulett.
If you have any ticketing queries or difficulties, please direct them to Sarah Delany (sarah.delany@btinternet.com) who remains our liaison person with the box office.
You can find the concert flyer to download in the members’ section ‘Concert Flyers and Publicity Materials’. Or just click here
Wayns Weekly Part 1 - 7th September
Start of Term
We start back again this Thursday, 11th September at 7.30pm, rehearsing for the Messiah on 6th December. Please turn up a little earlier if you need to buy or hire a copy of the music.
Term Dates
I have put the dates for the year on the front of the members’ page. You will find them to the right on a laptop or below the links on your mobile. There is also a link to the left if you find this easier. ‘Rehearsals and Concert Information’
Open Rehearsals and Auditions
These are on 18th and 25th September with auditions on 2nd October. I currently have a list of 16 interested people - the most ever I think, so that bodes well (well possibly not so well for the male voices !).
Subs 2025/26 - Good News
It has been agreed to keep the subs at last year’s level - £200. Kate Baker would obviously like subs in a.s.a.p and if you click on ‘Subs for 2025/26’, you will find all the relevant details.
Messiah - Tickets and Publicity
I have included details in the next WW as there is a lot information so please click here.
Wayns Weekly - end of term edition
Party at Daniel’s
What a gorgeous evening it was at Daniel’s house last Thursday and such an enjoyable party in his beautiful garden. Enormous thanks are due to Daniel for his generosity in hosting the party and also to all the willing helpers who contributed food. We seemed to have the perfect amount and a good balance of interesting and differing contributions. What a lovely way to finish off the term!
2. Chandlers Ford concert
The evening went surprisingly well and we even sold £300 of tickets on the door! Thanks are due to the willing helpers who assisted with getting the post-concert drinks and nibbles set up and served so efficiently. Every concert is a massive team effort and special appreciation must also go to Veronica for her superb organisation, particularly after our original venue was cancelled at such short notice.
What a treat also to hear the four pieces so evocatively executed by George, we were all utterly mesmerised!
For a beautifully written blog post written about the concert by our brilliant in-house wordsmith please go to the Wayns Augmented section of the members area.
3. Waynflete obit August 11th
Those of you who have signed up for the Waynflete obit evensong will have a wonderful opportunity to sing in the Cathedral on August 11th . All details are to be found in the Wayns Weekly of 17th June.
We look forward to seeing a good number singing in the quire and also some supporters in the congregation for the service at 5.30 p.m., and of course the picnic afterwards.
Please direct any questions to John Pringle pramjungle@hotmail.com
4. Looking ahead
A few people have been asking about concert dates for next year. Please make sure you have them inked in your diaries. We would really like a strong commitment to the June 2026 concert, having taken the step of hiring Turner Sims concert hall. The programming committee are working on a stimulating and enjoyable programme for that concert, watch this space!
Saturday 6th December 2025 - Messiah
Friday March 27th 2026 - The Dream of Gerontius
Saturday June 20th 2026 - Summer Concert, Turner Sims, Southampton
As a reminder, all concerts are listed in the concerts and term dates section of the members area.
Have a wonderful Summer, and we look forward to resuming on Thursday September 11th.