The Brighton City Singers
The Brighton City Singers is an all-embracing, non-auditioning choir, which has flourished under the dynamic leadership of MJ Paranzino since 2003, and today has over 65 paying members.
In 2005, the choir started a programme of community outreach concerts for the blind and disabled, hospice residents, for children, the elderly and prison inmates - all in the belief that singing is a joyous and mutually uplifting experience.
On request, the members will perform at weddings, funerals, and parties (as well as busking along the seafront in the summer).
2009
In 2009, the Brighton City Singers sang at Royal Festival Hall in London, as well as raising money for Anchor House and the Brighton and Hove Samaritans. If that wasn't all, the choir sang the vocal track for the documentary 'Wild Ocean', an IMAX documentary about whales, written and produced by the dance group STOMP, with worldwide distribution.
For seven years running, the choir has taken part in the Brighton Festival Fringe. In May 2009, the Brighton City Singers performed alongside the South London Choir, MJ's London based ensemble, in a concert of entirely new choral music, giving composers, singers and musicians the opportunity to create original choral music and have it sung and heard in public. The show was titled 'Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll...Oh Yeah!', arranged and directed by MJ.
The show featured two new songs composed and arranged by MJ - to get an insight into the creative process of songwriting, read The Times article on MJ (16/5/09).
Brighton Festival Fringe May 23rd 2009
The choir was very been busy during Autumn 2009 - in September we sang for the homeless at Anchor House and at a member's wedding, plus a fantastic rip-roaring performance at the Southbank on the last sunny Sunday of 2009.
In October, the members organised and performed a fundraising concert for the Brighton and Hove Samaritans, making over £600 for the charity.
In November, the Brighton City Singers participated in a British-American Remembrance Day concert - Hands Across the Sea for Humanity at the stunning Central Hall Westminster in a 300 strong chorale.
Finally in December,the choir helped to fundraise through carol singing for the children's charity, Rockinghorse, as well as participating in the Christmas Sunday Service at St John's Church.
2010
Celebrate Community
As part of the Wandsworth Arts Festival seven local choirs, including the South London Choir, made Tooting come alive to the sound of song for the Shimmy Sing! Led by MJ, groups of singers delighted residents and shoppers by serenading them from various locations in the high street before all joining together for a lively choral performance. The highlight was ‘Celebrate Community’, a song composed especially by MJ for this event, commissioned by Wandsworth Arts. The choir also performed ‘Celebrate Community’ at The Shimmy! - a day of free and spectacular outdoor arts.
Walls of Sound at Brighton Festival Fringe
On May 1st 2010, as part of the Brighton Fringe, The Brighton City Singers were joined by MJ’s The West London Choir, and The South London Choir in a 200 strong chorale of new music titled ‘Walls of Sound’, arranged and directed by MJ. The concert was one of our best performances, held at the beautiful St Bartholomew’s Church in Brighton, to a full house and enthusiastic audience.
