History

History of CAOS

Manchester Universities' Choir and Orchestra Society (CAOS) is a social music society established in September 1988. It exists to provide musicians with a space to come together and perform fantastic music to a reasonable standard for the benefit of themselves and the community at large. Unlike some musical societies, CAOS does not work in an environment that is overly demanding or driven, but in one where musicians of all abilities can come together simply because they enjoy playing together. It is from this social nature that CAOS enjoys its high standards. The social aspect of the Society is reinforced through events where members come together outside of the practice room or concert hall.

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CAOS has performed in many venues across Manchester, some of these include The Cathedral, St. Ann's Church and Holy Innocents.

For Rehearsal Venues, CAOS has rehearsed in the Limes Bulding, Hulme dining room hall.

  1. 2024/25

    We solemely said goodbye to our logo of more then 2 decades, bringing a refresh to CAOS without losing all the tradition and lore of CAOS.

If there's any history you can fill us in with so we can update this page - please let us know!

CAOS Committee History

  1. 2023/24
    1. President, UoM Chair: Noah Gribbon (he/him)
    2. Vice-President, MMU Chair: Lissy Carncross (they/them)
    3. General Secretary & Orchestra Librarian: Sam Furr (he/him)
    4. Vice/MMU Secretary: Liv McGrath (she/her)
    5. Treasurer/MMU Treasurer: Andrew Chang (he/him)
    6. Vice Treasurer/UoM Treasurer: Amelia Bolton (she/her)
    7. Concert Manager: Alastair Warner (he/him)
    8. Publicity Secretary: Niall Trowsdale Stannard (he/him)
    9. Choir Librarian: Kate Marshall (she/her)
    10. Social Secretaries: Ethan Maggs (he/him) & Olive Hall (she/her)
    11. Residential Manager: Josh Porter (he/him)
    12. Inclusions Officer: Lana Lewis (they/them)
    13. Webmaster: Michael Lowe (he/him)
    14. New Members Representative: Sonia Prakesh (she/her)
    15. Choir Conductor: Joe Tanner
    16. Orchestra Conductor: Peter Bloxidge/Francesca Peilober-Richardson
  2. 2022/23
    1. President, MMU Chair: Tori Dandy (She/Her)
    2. Vice-President, UoM Chair: Noah Gribbon (he/him)
    3. General Secretary: Sam Furr (he/him)
    4. Vice/MMU Secretary: Liv McGrath (she/her)
    5. Treasurer/MMU Treasurer: Andrew Chang (he/him)
    6. Vice Treasurer/UoM Treasurer: Amelia Bolton (she/her)
    7. Concert Manager: Alastair Warner (he/him)
    8. Orchestra Librarian:
    9. Publicity Secretary: Niall Trowsdale Stannard (he/him)
    10. Choir Librarian: Kate Marshall (she/her)
    11. Social Secretaries: Ethan Maggs (he/him) & Olive Hall (she/her)
    12. Residential Manager: Josh Porter (he/him)
    13. Inclusions Officer: Lana Lewis (they/them)
    14. Webmaster: Michael Lowe (he/him)
    15. New Members Representative: Sonia Prakesh (she/her)
    16. Choir Conductor: Joe Tanner
    17. Orchestra Conductor: Peter Bloxidge/Francesca Peilober-Richardson
  3. 2019?
    1. Chair: Ruth Price
    2. Secretary: Joshua Fogg
    3. Treasurer: Kitty Byrne
    4. Social Secretaries: Amy Tyrrell, Meg Kirkman
    5. Concert Manager: Leonie Brummitt
    6. Webmaster: Matt Silcocks
    7. Publicity Secretary: Matt Burton
    8. MMU Representative: Emily Caldwell
    9. Choir Librarian: Jen Hewitt
    10. Orchestra Librarian: Dan A. Neal
    11. General Members: Lucy Buckingham, Eleanor Bradshaw, Lydia Fulloway
    12. Orchestra Conductor: Dan James
    13. Choir Conductor: Ken Greaves
    14. Accompanist: Matt Lam
    Source
  4. 2007/8
    1. Chairperson: Zenobia Mehta
    2. Chairperson: Will Ward
    3. Secretary: Jenny Boyle
    4. Treasurer: Justine Hall
    5. Publicity Secretary: Emma Cartwright
    6. Social Secretary: Sarah Keith
    7. Librarian (choir): Will Hopkin
    8. Librarian (orchestra): Will Hopkin
    9. Concert Manager: Gareth Luby
    10. Manchester Metropolitan Uni rep.: Emma Cartwright
    11. General Member: Rachel Barr
    12. General Member: Natasha Coveney
    13. General Member: Rachel Start
    14. Choir Conductor: Sarah Chan
    15. Orchestra Conductor: Daniel James
    16. Webmaster: Hannah Moore
    Source
  5. 2002
    1. Chairperson: Matt Harrison
    2. Vice-Chairperson: Alison Pickering
    3. Secretary: Catherine Hyde
    4. Treasurer: Sylvia Foulkes
    5. Publicity Secretary: Suzy Farrow
    6. Social Secretary: Jess Park
    7. Choir Manager: Gareth Jones
    8. Orchestra Manager: Steve Rapley
  6. 2001
    1. Chairperson: Liz Thomas
    2. Secretary: Tom Chinnery
    3. Treasurer: Alison Pickering
    4. Publicity Secretary: Anne Simpson
    5. Librarian: Cassie Worman
    6. Social Secretary: Ruth Budd
    7. Social Secretary: Debbie Simmons
    8. Concert Manager: Charlotte
    9. UMIST Rep: Matt Harrison
    10. Choir Rep: Jig Patel
    11. Photographer: Charlie Ding
    12. General Member: Matt Clark
    Source

CAOS Awards

  1. 2007

    1. For the most handsome choir member

      Malcolm Gray

    2. For the prettiest choir member

      Will Hopkin (for The Third Year Running!)

    3. For the most handsome orchestra member

      Daniel James

    4. For the prettiest orchestra member

      Ceri Middleton

    5. For owning of the cheesiest iPod this side of the Cheddar Gorge

      Timothy Rankin

    6. For providing of the best tea, biscuits and mince pies

      Laura Talbot

    7. For being the best Frodo in CAOS

      Phil Thompson

    8. For having the new website ready in 2, no, 4, no, 8 weeks, no after Easter...

      Antony Stevenson

    9. For avoiding doing any of his own or other people's work

      Timothy Rankin

    10. The Boat Race Gold Award

      For winning the Boat Race again, as expected!

      The Brass Section

    11. The Boat Race Silver Award

      For coming second to the brass, nothing to be ashamed of!

      The Rest Of The Orchestra

    12. The Boat Race Cheats Award

      For cheating on the Boat Race--boo!

      The Choir

    13. For downing the fastest pint Ceri has ever seen

      Will Hopkin

    14. The Oustanding Achievement Award

      For being outstanding

      Ceri Middleton

    15. For keeping up the bassoon part when the rest of the orchestra got hopelessly lost

      Jenny Pemberton

  2. 2005

    1. The Fast Learner Award

      For switching from violin to double bass overnight

      Hannah Moore

    2. The Most Refreshing Members Award

      For serving refreshments at both concerts

      Sarah Craig And Alision Pickering

    3. The Sunk Boat Award

      For passing out after the boat race

      Zenobia Metha

    4. The Drunken Sailor Award

      For throwing drinks at people, and herself

      Mandy Hill

    5. The Hot-male Award

      For having a rude email address

      Nick Castell

    6. The Digital Watch Award

      For giving timings to the nearest second

      Daniel James

    7. The 'Not Losing The Will To Live' Award

      For putting up with Will

      Lulu Jiang

    8. The Broken Toe Award

      For breaking her toe in the rush to get to Harry's Bar after rehearsal

      Becky Harper

    9. The Boy Band Award

      For having boyband hair

      Simon Paget

    10. The Soggy Biscuit Award

      For persistantly coming late (to rehearsals)

      Philip Jacob

    11. The Lost Alcoholics Award

      For being in the wrong bar

      The Basses

    12. The Practically Married Award

      For doing everything together - and so well

      Andy Kitching And Ping Liem

    13. For the most attractive male choir member

      Edd Clarke And Ping Liem

    14. For the most attractive female choir member

      Will Hopkin

    15. For the most attractive male orchestra member

      Andy Kitching

    16. For the most attractive female orchestra member

      Alison Pickering

  3. 2004

    1. The Award For Most Attractive Male Orchestra Member

      Andrew Kitching

    2. The Award For Most Attractive Female Orchestra Member

      Matt Harrison

    3. The Award For Most Attractive Male Choir Member

      Oliver Tarney

    4. The Award For Most Attractive Female Choir Member

      Rachel Rigby

    5. The Biggest Flirt

      Nick Castell

    6. The Biggest Alcholic

      Susan Harris

    7. The Mr. Forgetful Award

      For missing most committee meetings

      Gareth Baxtor

    8. The `commitment Beyond Common Sense' Award

      For complete perfectionism over running the society

      Alison Pickering

    9. The Award For

      most enthusiastic flute playing

      Phil Jacob

    10. The Phil Daniels Award

      For disappearing

      Si Edwards

    11. The Scary Welsh Teddy Bear

      For sending scary e-mails and being Welsh

      Gareth Jones

    12. The Movie Trailer Voice Over

      John Baty

  4. 2002

    1. The Peter Buck Award

      For Rockstar behaviour and smashing his Viola

      Adam Carter

    2. The Little Boy Blue Award

      For having a name like a Tory MP

      Duncan Smith

    3. The Space Hopper Award

      For Being the CAOS bouncer

      Suzy Farrow

    4. The Toyah Wilcox

      For frequently changing her hair colour

      Alison Pickering

    5. The Steve Redgrave Award

      For not retiring when he should have done!

      Matt Edwards

    6. The Mc Donalds Award

      For being everyone's favourite export form the USA

      Nadia Prociw

    7. The Pornography Award

      For always having the Horn

      Matt Clark

    8. The Hockey Award

      For having played the most tonsil hockey

      Anne Sipmson

    9. The Lennox Lewis Award

      For being the CAOS heavyweight and attending all socials (but sadly wasn't there to collect his award!)

      Phil Segall

    10. The Jamie Oliver Award

      For being the face of Sainsburys

      Tom Chinnery

    11. The Award For Moonlighting

      For secretly being a local labour councillor

      Jon Byrne

    12. The President Mugabe Award

      For 'fixing' the elections

      Matt Harrsion

    13. The Planning For The Future Award

      For having the forethought to have their daughter's 21st birthday on the night of our annual dinner!

      Mr And Mrs Simpson (parents To Anne!)

    14. The Pritt Stick Award

      For Holding the society together this year

      Elizabeth Thomas

  5. 2001

    1. The Ferrari Daytona Award

      For being so old yet revered by us all

      Matt Edwards

    2. The Boddingtons Award

      For being a beer monster

      Cassie Worman

    3. The Hugh Grant Award

      For having the floppiest hair

      Martin

    4. The David Beckham Award

      For having the haircut of the year

      Steve Rapley

    5. The Boxing Award

      For having the best punch

      Ed, Ed, Ed, Andy, & Dave (Ed Appears 3 Times Because He Did Most Of The Work)

    6. The Petty Criminal Award

      For for being involved in the most MUGSSings

      Alison Pickering

    7. The Pimp Of The Society

      For sitting quietly at the back and controlling all the money...

      Duncan Smith

    8. The Leggy Blond Award

      For for being the biggest bimbo secretary

      Nigel Butler

    9. The Society Mascot

      Anne Simpson's Duck

    10. The Rupert Giles

      For being such a successful librarian

      Liz Thomas (the Librarian Of Course!)

  6. 2000

    1. The Slovak Award

      For parting with the cheques so peacefully

      Su Wen Goh (the Treasurer)

    2. The Mrs Rabbit Award

      For sorting out all the books

      Nigel Butler (the Librarian)

    3. The Ferrari Daytona Award

      For being so old yet revered by us all

      Charlotte Crew

    4. The Benito Carbone Award

      For sodding off and leaving his team in the lurch

      Daniel Woolley

    5. The RSPCA Award

      For looking after and escaped mink

      Elizabeth Bowles

    6. The Entrepreneur Award

      For having his own department store

      John Lewis

    7. The Chilli Con Carne Award

      For being the meatiest Mexican

      Horatio Cantu

    8. The Small Turnip Award

      For being a tasty Swede

      Adrian Marklund

    9. The Godfather Award

      For being in charge of all the fiddles

      John Byrne

    10. The Silicon Award

      For being such a superconductor

      Gary Cheung (our Conductor)

    11. The Jeremy Clarkson Award

      For talkig about nothing but cars

      Matthew Edwards

    12. The Homer Simpson Award

      For drooling over a member of the Simpson family

      Matthew Edwards

    13. The Michael Jordan Award

      For being far too tall for her own good

      Anne Simpson

    14. The Little Miss Naughty Award

      For being the naughtiest member of the society

      Alison Pickering

  7. 1999

    1. The On The Busses Award

      For services to conducting

      Carl Williams (the Conductor)

    2. The Scarlet Pimpernel Award

      For never being seen

      The Oboe Section

    3. The Billy Goats Fluff Award

      For having the subtlest beard

      Nigel Butler

    4. The Highland Games Award

      For having the instrument most like a caber

      The Bassoon Player

    5. The Manchester United Award

      For playing gigs so often

      Louis Birenough

    6. The Grannys Cardigan Award

      For services to knitting

      Chris The Cello Player

    7. The Mr Kipling Award

      For mince pie making

      Charlotte Crew

    8. The Robin Hood Award

      For being so inspirational with a boe

      John, The Leader Of Orchestra

    9. The Janitor Award

      For putting out the most chairs at the Christmas concert

      Matt Edwards

    10. The Doncaster Rovers Award

      For being the most willing to play Schiedt

      Matt Clark