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The Big Noise Chorus is a network of community choirs for adults (18+), created to make singing in a choir accessible to everyone.

We sing a variety of styles of music from Pop and Rock through to World music.
There are no auditions so anyone can join - regardless of experience.

Through our unique and inclusive coaching methods we create a relaxed environment where even the most reluctant of singers will find that they have the ability to shine.

Our Mission

Performances

Each Big Noise Chorus performs concerts individually as well as combining forces with other choirs or music groups. Every so often we bring all our members together for large scale exciting  concerts.
All of our concerts support charities and as of 2024 we have jointly raised over £110,000 for various charities. We do ask that each charity we support becomes actively involved in these concerts, where they can provide refreshments for donations, hold a raffle, provide a charity speaker and have a bucket collection.

The Big Noise Chorus Ltd has been designed specifically to cater for the growing need for Community and aims to discard the elitism that can often go with choirs to create genuine Community Spirit where every voice matters regardless of gender (including transgender), race, sexual orientation, disability or age.

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What about people who 'can't' sing?

Many people have had negative experiences of singing and as a result feel that their voice is not good enough. After receiving negative feedback about their voice many people stop singing - often for years.
In the Western world we often talk about the mystical word 'talent', usually to describe someone else who we believe has it, and to indicate that we don't have it ourselves.
Big Noise Chorus aims to deconstruct this myth and replace it with an inclusive approach to making music which leaves no-one out in the cold, yet still expects high standards in developing the skills needed to sing safely and well.
We don't believe that there is any such thing as people who 'can't sing'. We believe that learning to sing is just like learning to ride a bike. It takes practice and time to develop the skills you need.

We Need Your Support Today!

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Colin Rea is the founder of Big Noise Chorus

Colin began singing as a child and has always loved it. He studied music at Dartington College of Arts, graduating in 1995. Since then he has been teaching singing and piano for various projects including local schools, private tuition, Stagecoach Theatre Arts. He taught singing in the Performing Arts department at Exeter College, and in 2017 taught singing technique at Arts Educational Schools in London to Undergraduate Musical Theatre degree students. He also teaches privately and can be contacted through his website, www.colinreamusic.co.uk

His achievements include choir leading for the Torquay Joseph choir 2005 to 2011, preparing choirs for Ellen Kent Touring Opera Company, teaching singing in Spain, Egypt and Cyprus and co-conducting the Northcott Community Singers from 2007.

He performed with the Exeter Festival Chorus under the baton of Nigel Perrin since 2006 performing in local venues (Exeter Cathedral, Buckfast Abbey, Truro Cathedral) as well as abroad (Carnegie Hall - New York, Rennes and Nantes, France).

In his years as a vocal coach, Colin has developed his own unique teaching style which is friendly, relaxed and fun. He explains the workings of the voice and our mental attitudes to singing with humour and clarity, dispelling the myth that there are some people that “can” sing and others that “can’t”.
 

"It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe (or have been told) that they cannot sing - especially by teachers who really should know better. Singing is a vulnerable art which relies on trust and openness to perform well, and any teacher worth their salt knows and nurtures this with singers of all abilities."
 

He regularly meets with a group of Speech and Language Therapists in the South West to ensure that his vocal practice is up to date with current medical practice and is seeking to involve voice therapists in the running of Big Noise to ensure the safest vocal techniques possible.

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Performance
Recordings

Big Noise Chorus perform concerts each year, sometimes as individual choirs and sometimes as a huge collective of all our choirs. We perform our own concerts and take part in regional events.

Here you can listen to a sample of some of these performances. 

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All Videos
Concert Compilation - 2018
Big Noise Chorus - concert compilation 2018
00:00 / 03:34
Ugbrooke Concert Compilation
Ugbrooke Concert Compilation
00:00 / 02:34
Lockdown Virtual Concert - Spring 2021
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Past
Performances

Over the last 12 years Big Noise Chorus has performed a huge number of concerts.

Each Big Noise Chorus performs concerts individually as well as combining forces with other choirs or music groups. Every so often we bring all our members together for large scale exciting concerts.

All of our concerts raise money for charity. We believe that charity should mean charity, and aim to keep our concert costs to reasonable levels. We do ask that each charity we raise money for becomes actively involved in the organisation of these concerts.

10 Year Anniversary Concert

In December 2019 all of our choirs joined forces to create a truly unforgettable event at Exeter Cathedral. 450 singers performed with a live band to a sell out audience.

Our programme of Pop favourites and seasonal songs filled the stunning Cathedral, this was our biggest concert to date and a fabulous way to celebrate 10 years of singing together. This concert was in aid of The Trussell Trust.

Lockdown Concerts

Although we were not able to meet in person or perform in public during lockdown, we were determined to retain the sense of togetherness that we get from putting on a concert. This meant going digital!
We collated videos and audio recordings from our singers in their own homes and put these together to create one cohesive 'group performance'. It may not have been the same as our normal concerts but it was a really fun process and the end result was a wonderful reminder that our community still existed even when we couldn't meet.

Planet Made of Plastic

Sustainability

At Big Noise Chorus, we recognise the importance of sustainability and the choirs’ impact on the environment and society. We are committed to operating in a sustainable way and to contributing to a greener and more environmentally friendly society.

To ensure that we are always keeping sustainability in mind we have created our Sustainability Policy, a Sustainability Action Plan and also appointed Green Reps in each choir.

Our choirs are administrated by a team (the Hub) and each of our meetings contains a section on sustainability.
 

If you would like more information about how we are reducing our impact please get in touch info@bignoisechorus.co.uk

Forest

Our Focus Areas

Fundraising

Usually our choir members step forward to suggest a charity that holds some special significance for them. Very often these are local charities that have supported themselves or a loved one through a difficult time in their life.We encourage choir members to share their story with the choir if they feel comfortable to do so, as these personal stories help our choir members and audiences understand the significance of the excellent work these charities undertake.

We ask each charity to become involved in the event itself, sending a representative to address the audience about the work they do and provide ways of getting involved or getting touch with them in the future. We support charities through their fundraising efforts at our concerts which can involve providing refreshments for donations, raffles and arranging bucket collections.

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If you are a charity and would like to work with Big Noise Chorus at one of our events please see these documents.

 

Some of the charities we have worked with include:

Age UK, Pete’s Dragons, Blood Bikers, Balloons, Children’s Hospice Southwest, Chinakidz, Snowdrop Appeal, Amnesty International, Dream-a-Way, Exeter Deaf School, Alzheimer’s Society, Singing for the Brain, Exeter Foodbank, Ashburton Swimming Pool, Exeter Lions, Hospiscare, Rowcroft Hospice and many, many more.

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