Debut for 40-strong Newbury choir with a whole lotta soul

Soul Reason recently made their performance debut at The Phoenix Centre, Newbury, to a sold out audience, writes Lydia Flock (voice coach and audience member).

Led by local voice coach and singing teacher Maia Hendrickx, the 40-strong choir had the crowd smiling and grooving all night.

Performing new, ambitious arrangements – many by Hendrickx herself – of classic songs by artists as diverse as Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Nicks, the evening went by in a flash.

Originally, Soul Reason was an online singing club for hobby singers in the pandemic, however it has since grown to become a fully-fledged choir, boasting its own inhouse band – Jamie Howell, guitar; Will Miller, Keys; Ash Hendrickx-Nutley, bass and Jon Scott, drums – who certainly added to both the soul and groove of the evening.

Each section of the choir was individually strong, which allowed for a gorgeous musical balance between the soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices.

The singers tackled the diverse music with enthusiasm and sensitivity in equal measure. Their enjoyment was infectious, earning them whoops and cheers from an audience who were entirely on board throughout.

Opening with Sting’s ode to non-violence, Fragile, Soul Reason took us on a journey of songs exploring themes of community and positivity.

Stand out songs from the night included Tell Me Something Good, Don’t You Worry 'Bout a Thing, And So it Goes, and Edge of Seventeen.

Special mention should be made of the soloists Nikki Rands, Alison Hoult, Sarah Youd, Jane Oliver, Bronwen Davies, Patrick O’Donnell, Susanna Sales, Peter Hendrickx, Elly Greenwood and Aimee Brooks, who all performed with commitment and obvious joy.

Although there were a few technical difficulties with the venue that meant the choir performed with house lights on, it turned out to be a welcome collaborative audience experience and a surprisingly intimate performance.

After a couple of years where group singing has been understandably absent, this concert really was a soulful, musical celebration. Soul Reason received a well-deserved standing ovation for their accomplished performances, but mostly for the joy they brought to The Phoenix Centre.

Soul Reason is a relatively new choir, but a welcome addition to the thriving choral scene in Newbury.

www.soulreason.mhvsvoicecoach.com

With performances already in the pipeline for the coming year, we can be sure they will be around for time to come.