WHEN a group of Reading parents took their children for singing lessons they never thought they would end up taking singing lessons themselves.
But now, many of those parents – and some of their children – will raise their voices at a delayed 30th anniversary concert of the town’s popular Parenthesis choir.
It takes place this Sunday, at The Abbey School in Kendrick Road, from 7pm.
It was back in 1992 when a steady stream of cars would stop outside what is now the King’s Academy Prospect School on Saturday mornings to drop their children off for music lessons.
While the children went inside the parents would either wait in their cars or use the two-hour sessions to do the weekly shop.
However, one day, the musical arranger and choir director, Gwyn Arch, approached some of the parents waiting outside, suggesting they might like to form their own choir.
Gwyn was a well-known and well respected musician who taught a Saturday morning class. His son, Dave Arch, will be familiar to fans as the musical director of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show.
Over the past 30 years, Parenthesis has sung at venues across Europe and host regular charity events as well as a very popular Christmas concert.
Chairman David Cottam said the anniversary celebrations had to be delayed from last year due to the legacy of covid restrictions:
“Who would have thought we would have parents and adults singing in a choir because they wanted their children to sing in a choir?
“I have been a member for the past 10 years. I was a dentist but I never sang to my patients. Like many people I enjoyed singing on my own although I never thought about joining a choir until I heard about Parenthesis.
“We are an informal group of over 50 singers who enjoy a wide range of music styles from jazz to oratorio. We welcome people of all levels and experience and we do not require anyone to audition. Some of our members are really good musicians while others have not sung since their school days. We reckon we are the friendliest choir around running a range of social activities throughout the year.”
David described Gwyn Arch as “an inspiration” to those Saturday mums and dads who were content with singing in their cars while waiting for their children to finish lessons.
In 2003, Parenthesis twinned with a French choir, La Stephanelle from the small Alpine village of St Detienne de Crossey, holding regular musical exchanges.
“We sing in French when we are over there and they sing in English when visiting us. Sometimes we all sing in Latin but at the end of the day we have such a wonderful time.”
Parenthesis still rehearse on Saturday mornings but now at the Abbey School in Reading where they are currently practising for their anniversary concert. Sunday’s programme will seem them perform Mozart’s Requiem which many people will be familiar with from the film Amadeus as well as Hayden’s masterpiece, Missa in Angustiis more commonly known as the Nelson Mass.
For more information and to buy tickets for the 30th anniversary concert on Sunday, March 26, as well as information about Paenthesis and how to become a member, go to: www.parenthesis.org.uk
