As 2015 saw a host of bands, choirs and orchestras set off on exciting concert tours across the globe, it seems that a fluffy little someone also had an eventful year!
For those of you who haven’t met Barney Bear, he’s our trusty little mascot and to help celebrate our 50th birthday, he’s been popped into pockets, bundled into bags and smuggled into suitcases to join the many adventures of our 2015 touring groups.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all those groups who have sent us word of Barney’s bear-abouts! See where his paws have taken him…
First stop – Edinburgh
Barney boarded the coach to Scotland with Charnwood Symphonic Orchestra and took part in the festival fun at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! He cheered the orchestra on as they performed at Canongate Kirk and the Grassmarket in the Old Town of Edinburgh (it was of course a roaring success). Read more about this tour here!
Barney in Barcelona
Phoenix Singers Choir took Barney on their tour to the Costa Brava and Barcelona for a week of sunshine, sea and paella! Even bears love a cheeky bit of paella!
A Tuscan Tour
He’s been soaking up the Italian sunshine on a tour to Tuscany with Seighford Singers Community Choir. Read more about Seighford Singers’ Tuscan tour here!
A beer for a bear in Lake Garda
Here he is enjoying a celebratory beer following the Tapton Youth Brass Band’s performances at Piazza dei Catari, Castel Madruzzo and Parco Pavese! He’s even sporting the band’s colourful waistcoat – who knew they came in bear-sized?
They let bears go on gondolas, right?
Barney made his way to ‘The City of Water’ with St Joseph’s School Choir! Here he is sunning himself on the beach in Jesolo – nice shades, Barney! Read more about St. Joseph’s School’s tour to Venice and Lido di Jesolo!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the groups who took Barney on their tour and an even bigger thank you for sending in your Barney Bear pics!
Got any Barney snaps stashed away? Share them with us on Twitter or Facebook! We’d love to see them!