Be Bird Remembered
(20th June 1949 - 25th June 2018 )
On the night 22nd/23rd June 2018, the airwaves across Ipswich and District buzzed with alarming news of a catastrophic event that had befallen our Birkbeck Music Director, Be Bird.
Sadly, our worst fears were confirmed on Monday, 25th June by Hugh Pierce, manager of the Ipswich Institute, when he posted the formal announcement
'Most of you will already have heard tragic news of Be Bird.
Be collapsed as a result of what turned out to be a significant brain haemorrhage
on Friday and was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital. Sadly, no further treatment
has been possible . ……….................................................................Be remains
comfortable but is expected to pass away within a very short time.'
Later with great sadness, Hugh informed us that
'Be had died that evening in hospital.'
Sadly, our worst fears were confirmed on Monday, 25th June by Hugh Pierce, manager of the Ipswich Institute, when he posted the formal announcement
'Most of you will already have heard tragic news of Be Bird.
Be collapsed as a result of what turned out to be a significant brain haemorrhage
on Friday and was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital. Sadly, no further treatment
has been possible . ……….................................................................Be remains
comfortable but is expected to pass away within a very short time.'
Later with great sadness, Hugh informed us that
'Be had died that evening in hospital.'
On the night 22nd/23rd June 2018, the airwaves across Ipswich and District buzzed with alarming news of a catastrophic event that had befallen our Birkbeck Music Director, Be Bird. Sadly, our worst fears were confirmed on Monday, 25th June by Hugh Pierce, manager of the Ipswich Institute, when he posted the formal announcement 'Most of you will already have heard tragic news of Be Bird. Be collapsed as a result of what turned out to be a significant brain haemorrhage on Friday and was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital. Sadly, no further treatment has been possible . ……….................................................................Be remains comfortable but is expected to pass away within a very short time.' Later with great sadness, Hugh informed us that 'Be had died that evening in hospital.' |
Ipswich Music Day 2018
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The expected plan was that to-day Be would have been the
Master of Ceremony on the Classical Stage 2018, sadly that was not to be. The Ipswich Arts Association decided to honour her memory by dedicating the Ipswich Music Day event 2018 to Beryl Bird. Attendees to the performances received the memorial-card, to mark the day. |
St Andrew's Church.
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Obituary and Funeral |
The congregation was given a brief opportunity for thought and reflections about Be's life - whilst Charmaine Cooper (piano) and David Hornberger (cello) quietly played 'Vocalise' by Rachmaninov. This temporary stillness was soon dispelled when the whole congregation stood up to sing - 'The Spirit lives to set us free': a favourite hymn of Be's.
The ceremony reached it's closing stage with a reading of Psalm 121, 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills'; an address given by Revd.Wilson, and 'The Lord's Prayer' led by Revd. Bruce Wakeling before the final hymn ' Amazing love (and can it be)' was sung by the congregation.
Not quite the end though ! .......... .2 poems followed .......... chosen by Be and read by Katy Topping
Cherish the Memory
( Poem based on a short verse by David Harkins )
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all that she left.
Your heart may be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live as yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
you can remember her only when she's gone
or cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
smile - open your eyes - and live on.
Death (If I should go) -
(Poem by Joyce Grenfell )
If I should die before the rest of you,
Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone.
Nor, when I'm gone, speak in a Sunday voice,
But be the usual selves that I have known.
Weep if you must,
Parting is hell.
But life goes on,
So......sing as well.
The ceremony reached it's closing stage with a reading of Psalm 121, 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills'; an address given by Revd.Wilson, and 'The Lord's Prayer' led by Revd. Bruce Wakeling before the final hymn ' Amazing love (and can it be)' was sung by the congregation.
Not quite the end though ! .......... .2 poems followed .......... chosen by Be and read by Katy Topping
Cherish the Memory
( Poem based on a short verse by David Harkins )
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all that she left.
Your heart may be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live as yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
you can remember her only when she's gone
or cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
smile - open your eyes - and live on.
Death (If I should go) -
(Poem by Joyce Grenfell )
If I should die before the rest of you,
Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone.
Nor, when I'm gone, speak in a Sunday voice,
But be the usual selves that I have known.
Weep if you must,
Parting is hell.
But life goes on,
So......sing as well.
The service concluded with the Commendation and a Blessing, and the coffin was carried out of the church to a solo piano piece from 'The Last Man on Earth', written and performed by Ben Groom, the Birkbeck Singers' first piano accompanist and solo singer (Jan 2011-Jan 2016). As the congregation filed out, there was more music - a medley of Be's favourite Gershwin tunes played on piano and cello by Charmaine Cooper and David Hornberger.
Most of the congregation gathered in the church hall afterwards, giving everyone a chance to reflect on how Be had affected so many peoples lives in such positive ways. As always at such events, there was sadness, but also much reminiscing of the fun and joy she brought to everyone who knew her. As for the Birkbeck Singers, we remember her enthusiasm, humour and dedication in turning a group of people with little understanding of the subtlety of music and song into a real choir, capable of performing concerts in front of hundreds of people, whilst managing to make it so much fun. Secret Reporter DM |
EAST ANGLIAN DAILY 'IN MEMORIAL'
Thursday 26th July 2018
Thursday 26th July 2018
A personal tribute to Be by Professor Chris Green in the East Anglian Daily Times