Reading Phoenix Choir

John Norman Morris (1927-2009)

There are very few choral conductors who can claim to have won three classes at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. For John Norman Morris who died in April 2009 this was just one achievement among many in his forty years as conductor of The Reading Phoenix Choir and The Bulmershe Folk Choir.

Norman was born in the West Midlands and first showed his musical talent at the age of eight, "plonking" (his description) on an ancient harmonium with such enthusiasm and regularity that his parents, for the sake of harmony, decided to invest in piano lessons. He was soon playing piano and organ at concerts and fulfilling engagements as accompanist to singers and music groups.

It wasn't until Norman's stint of National Service in Scotland that he experienced his first taste of the very best of choral singing. Reluctantly he agreed to join a fellow rating at a concert given by the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. In Norman's own words he was 'blown away' by the performance and became an immediate fan, attending further concerts and collecting the choir's recordings. Mixed voice unaccompanied singing had cast a spell on him which would last

Having obtained a B.A. degree at Birmingham University Norman took up a teaching post at a small local Grammar school where he had his first experience of conducting. He trained a mixed voice choir of 1st and 2nd year students which gave concerts to parents and friends and eventually won an award at the Birmingham Music Festival. After two years he moved to the City of Norwich Grammar School, which had a five-form entry, all boys. Here he took over the madrigal group and made his first visit to Llangollen but without success.

During the three years he spent at Norwich Norman became increasingly disenchanted with it's form of education and he badly wanted to return to the Midlands to study for his master's degree. To this end he secured the post of Head of English at Willenhall and thence he moved into teacher training at the Birmingham Teacher Training College. Neither of these posts offered any opportunity to work with choirs.

In 1964 he applied for a post at the new Teacher Training College at Bulmershe and became a founder member as Head of Education. At the first meeting he encountered Gwyn Arch who was the only member of the music faculty, to whom he offered help in any way he could. To his surprise and excitement the offer was accepted and it was agreed that Norman should have the Mixed Voice Choir leaving the Girls Choir for Gwyn.

So it happened and in 1967 both choirs took the road to Llangollen. They finished bottom and third from bottom.

Norman related that at this stage of his career he was lacking in confidence and often nervous and tentative in his decision-making. The Llangollen result did nothing to improve this condition. He was faced with two very clear options - give up or buck up. Fortunately he chose the latter and with a hand picked group of students he doubled the practice and performed anywhere to anyone who would listen. And so one year after finishing bottom he returned to Llangollen and lifted the trophy. With his self-belief as a conductor thus strengthened the student choir returned once more to Llangollen in 1970 and repeated the performance. The hat trick was achieved in 1972 when Norman led the Reading Phoenix Choir to success in the most prestigious Mixed Voice Competition. This class included state funded choirs from Eastern Europe and entries from other parts of the world. Norman had arrived.

It is not precisely clear just how the Reading Phoenix Choir was formed. Students from the successful choirs who took up posts locally wished to continue their singing together and in the rapidly developing community of Woodley there was a strong initiative to form an adult choir. The only sure thing was the identity of conductor - Norman Morris.

Meetings were held at Norman's home and at South Lake School where the first song was sung. For a few months the choir rejoiced in the name of the Dorian Singers but when the choir performed its first formal concert in June 1970 it was clearly established as THE READING PHOENIX CHOIR.

For the past forty years Norman gave himself freely to the choir as a leader, composer, arranger, bulletin writer, accompanist, public relations officer, tour organiser and goodness knows what else. In addition to all this he found the time and energy to conduct the Bearwood Opera, hold Singing From Scratch lessons and bring the comfort of music to Alzheimer sufferers. Through it all he insisted the rewards were his and was always mindful of the loyalty and effort of so many Phoenix members. He had treasured memories of favourite tours, wonderful concerts and so many special people from the choral world who had become friends of Phoenix and Norman. But most of all he rejoiced in the shared love and support of his wife Rosemary and their teenage daughters Melody and Lucy who have inherited much of his musical talent.

Alongside all these activities he still found time to play bridge with friends, to follow the fortunes of Wolverhampton Wanderers as a lifetime fan and attend regular concerts of his favourite humorist Ken Dodd whom he often quoted. And on many occasions he gave performances of songs at the piano with tongue in cheek and a twinkle in his eye.

The concert celebrating forty years of Reading Phoenix Choir is due to take place on Saturday 2nd May at the Reading Concert Hall. Perhaps the most remarkable demonstration of Norman's qualities was that only forty eight hours before his passing he set in place every detail of the celebration with those who would be acting in his absence.

For those of us whose lives have been so enriched by our time in the Phoenix Choir our love and grateful thanks must go to Norman and we must reflect how lucky we were that his fellow sailor persuaded him to hear the Glasgow Orpheus Choir and that there was an old harmonium in the front room.

Mac Akers

Norman with the Estonian composer Juri-Ruut Kangur

Norman with Bob Chilcott