Claxby Community Choir was formed by musician and singer Karen Beer in 2019 as a way of bringing together the many talented people in Claxby and surrounding villages, to sing for pleasure but also to perform concerts to raise money for local causes.

From an initial group of 20 singers, membership has grown to 55 singers. Repertoire ranges from the classics to arrangements of popular songs, madrigals, folk songs and Songs from the Shows, with something to satisfy the tastes of all audiences.

The choir’s inaugural performance was a Christmas concert in 2019 in Claxby church to a packed audience. Since then, very successful concerts have been given in Nettleton, Holton-le-Moor, Tealby, Walesby, Osgodby, North Kelsey, Normanby, Caistor and Middle Rasen. Performances at Market Rasen Methodist Church have become an annual event. The choir has sung at the West Lindsey District Council Civic Carol Service in Market Rasen and was very excited to be invited to appear as guests on the professional touring show Tenors Unlimited at Gainsborough Trinity Arts in Saturday November 2024.

Rehearsals are in Osgodby Village Hall on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 p.m. Anyone may join, singers are not auditioned, music reading is not essential, and men are especially welcome.

The choir gratefully acknowledges financial support from West Lindsey District Council, the Market Rasen Freemasons and Arnold Clark Community Fund for purchase of keyboards.

Karen Beer – Musical DIrector

Karen is an experienced and well-respected choral conductor and vocal practitioner, having conducted Biggleswade Choral Society for 13 years, Ampthill Choral Society for 5 years and many school choirs from primary to senior.   She formed East Bedfordshire Youth Choir in 2009. She has conducted Grimsby Philharmonic Choir since 2019.

Karen studied oboe, piano and singing at the Royal College of Music.

She was Head of Music at a middle school and a peripatetic music teacher for Bedfordshire Music Service, teaching singing and piano and directing choirs. She now teaches at John Leggott College in Scunthorpe, Vale Academy in Brigg and privately at her studio in Claxby.

She is in much demand as an oboe/cor anglais player and plays in Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Pro Musica, Boston Sinfonia, Grimsby Symphony Orchestra, Louth Chamber Orchestra, and Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra.

David Beer – Accompanist

For over 30 years David was a Musical Director, repetiteur, arranger, rehearsal pianist and audition pianist in London’s West End. He has conducted many West End and international touring shows including We Will Rock You, Fame, Guys and Dolls, Me and My Girl, Cats, Aspects of Love, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and appeared as a pianist on TV, radio, film soundtracks, and recorded 3 original cast albums. While working for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber he became Sarah Brightman’s accompanist and recorded an album (The Songs That Got Away) with her. After retiring from professional conducting, David formed East Bedfordshire Chamber Choir and conducted many successful concerts with them.

He has been accompanist at Grimsby Philharmonic since 2019, and previously was accompanist for Leighton Buzzard Festival Singers, Ampthill Choral Society and deputy accompanist for Biggleswade Choral Society. He also accompanies students entering for graded exams, and often plays recitals with his wife, Karen.

David has divided his professional career between performing and teaching. Having taken a BA in Music at Hull University, followed by a teaching diploma, he taught in Hull schools for 5 years. He was Director of Music at the BRIT School for Performing Arts, Director of Performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music and has been a vocal coach at many leading drama colleges.

David is an examiner for London College of Music, specialising in piano and singing and was recently awarded an FLCM for Professional Achievement. He also adjudicates vocal and piano classes at music festivals across the UK.