Nationally and internationally, there are over 2000 women in 72 choirs who form the Military Wives Choir community. Not only do they share the ability to sing melodically, but choir members are all associated with the military, either as spouses or partners of serving members, Veterans and their spouses or partners and former employees who have worked in the military network.
Their lives have all been impacted in some way by military life which has many challenges. Some families move regularly to new postings whilst for others, deployment means long periods of separation. Many of the choir’s members join a new choir when they are posted, enabling them to become part of a familiar community built upon the joy of singing.
Members of the local Brize Norton Military Wives Choir, who live in and around Carterton and Brize Norton, have recently celebrated their 11th Anniversary. Their members came together at Carterton Town Hall where they were joined by the Mayor, Cllr Kathy Godwin and other members of the Town Council. Not only was the evening a birthday celebration but also a taster session for woman considering joining the choir. The ladies sang under the direction of musical director Lizzie Soden, with pianist Harriet Warner accompanying them. Following a musical rendition, everyone tucked into tea and birthday cake!
There are currently 27 members of the Brize Norton Military Wives Choir, although not all members are currently active; membership is always open to women with a military connection who would like to join them. Rehearsals are held each Monday evening from 7.45 to 9.30pm at the Carterton Town Hall and the evenings are not all about learning a wide range of music – they are also about having fun and making new friends who support each other through their love of singing.
The choir is immensely proud to be invited to perform at venues all over West Oxfordshire and beyond at both military and private events. Most recently the ladies performed at the Chipping Norton Music Festival and received a distinction in their class. They have also provided the musical entertainment for wedding services, sung at various care homes and travelled to Banbury to take part in the RAFA Club’s Armed Forces Day celebrations. The lead up to last Christmas was an extremely busy period with performances at the Classic Motor Hub event and for Raymond Blanc at the Great Milton Church as part of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons’ Christmas celebrations. The New Year also saw the choir joining with Acapella Sunday for a joint concert in Eynsham.
Locally, the Brize Norton Military Wives Choir is booked to perform at a number of Carterton events this year including singing at the Carterton May Day Fair on 6 May and the Burford Musical Festival on 9 June. They will also be participating in the Chipping Norton Royal British Legion’s centenary celebrations on 19 October.
“If you would like to be part of our choir, please do get in touch,” says Choir Lead Tracey Meyers. “As well as entertaining people, we also focus on supporting members of the military community. Wives are often left holding the fort whilst hubby or partner are away. Whilst moving from base to base is a fact of life when you are a military spouse or partner, it can be lonely moving to a new area. Being a member of the Military Wives Choir is something a wife or partner can take with her regardless of the home and friends she has to leave behind. Through our friendships we can celebrate the joys of life and support one another through challenging times.”
If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of the Brize Norton Military Wives Choir, or book the ladies to perform at your event, please contact BrizeNorton@militarywiveschoir.org. To become a member, you do not need to audition, nor do you need to be able to read music. All that is required is a love of singing and cake too!
To find out more information about this choir visit facebook.com/BrizeNortonMWC or the national website militarywiveschoirs.org
