The Newsong Group

"Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things;" Psalm 98:1
Welcome to the Newsong Group website.
We hope you enjoy exploring our spiritual journey through song.
The Newsong Group is a UK based musical partnership set up in 2006 to breathe new life into familiar and well-loved words from the existing Christian Science hymnal, as well as to write totally new songs.

From our first recording "Songburst - Hymns with a Beat!" released in November 2007 through to our latest recording of "Gracenotes - Songs of Peace and Love" launching this August 2008, with news of more CDs and a songbook to come, there's much to enjoy and look forward to!

You can listen to snippets of the new songs to get a feel for each CD and we'd encourage you to sample them for yourselves, share the music (legally of course!) with your Churches, Sunday Schools, members and friends and to use them in your services and meetings where and whenever you feel inspired to do so!!

We hope that the songs will awaken a joyful spring in your step, a peaceful and healing understanding in your hearts.

A youthful, upbeat recording of some totally new hymns and some new settings to familiar words. The healing message puts a spring in people's step and expresses a joyful, upbeat sense of life. In this recording, involving a talented bunch of 30 musicians, our choir of singers span three generations, and the instrumentation includes piano, drums, bass, guitar, sax, flute oboe and even marimba. We hope people of all ages will enjoy singing along with us, - anytime, anywhere, and especially in Sunday Schools. For youth and youthful movers and thinkers. Songs composed by Andrew D. Brewis and Fenella Bennetts.

This album has been enthusiastically received and is currently also available in Christian Science Reading Rooms worldwide.
A songbook of sheet music for this album should be available by Christmas 2008 on this website.
For those waiting for the next upbeat Songburst album, yes, we have started writing and recording and are planning to release it in 2009.

Songburst is also available to buy at www.Spirituality.com.

Listen to samples by
clicking on the titles below:

This soul-filled album responds to the desire for peace and healing in our world today. It helps counteract the strain and stress of modern day living, with tender messages of love, set to beautiful original melodies which touch the heart.

Gentle solos and duets all written by Andrew and sung by Andrew and Airlie, with piano, guitar, double bass and Tamsin's lyrical flute obligati.
Available from August 2008.

Listen to samples by
clicking on the titles below:


	Andrew, Airlie and Tamsin are good friends who have been making music together since early school days. Growing up in the same area as young Christian Scientists, we really enjoyed getting involved in Sunday School and youth forum activities, attending Easter camps and Focus youth camps, all the time exploring active, vital ways to apply Christian Science in our lives. Singing hymns together has always been an integral part of the way we pray and enjoy the spiritual side of life. While sharing ideas and music in the past few years, we felt that there was a need to bring a more vital sense of music into our Churches and Sunday Schools. We wanted to reflect the upbeat, true sense of life and healing we've felt living and practicing Christian Science...and once we'd started, there was no stopping us! Andrew started to write new musical settings of loved and existing hymnal words and as we shared these, along with some written by Fenella, at a Focus youth meeting in 2005 we realised what a huge hunger and receptivity there was for the work. This fuelled our passion and led us to record the first Songburst album in 2007 involving 30 musicians, 3 generations of singers, and much love and support. Soon followed our second album, a more peaceful, gentle healing album "Gracenotes Songs of Peace and Love" of solos and duets. We're loving this work, and definitely hooked on newsongs, hardly keeping up with the speed at which Andrew is writing new tunes. We envisage more CDs and various accompanying Songbooks of the sheet music the first of which to come out will be for Songburst 1.

September '08 "Gracenotes" CD Celebration
venue in London tbc

Personal reviews from people who've enjoyed newsong so far...

I wanted to let you know just how much we are appreciating the CD 'Songburst' at First Church Derby, Sunday School.
We have started to sing along with some of the hymns featured on the CD. (A) student who was always reluctant to join in the singing ... now always joins in with delight, when we use the CD!

We do hope you are planning more. ..... these songs provide a great boost to the volume, quality and atmosphere of hymn time.

Derby, UK

I must tell you that our first order for "Songburst" was put out on Sunday morning; we only ordered 4 as a start, and all were gone in a flash ! So I've asked for a further order to be sent as soon as possible.
I heard them playing it in the Sunday School, and I'm pretty sure, these are the hymns they will be singing in future.
Everyone is absolutely delighted.
Thank you so much for the joy this CD is already bringing to everyone who has heard it,

Capetown, South Africa

Discovered your new CD SONGBURST in the Reading Room today and must write and thank you. The harmony of your friendship and musicianship comes through in such clear joy. You have certainly fulfilled your goal of praising God with gladness. Funny, I never felt like dancing in the RR before, but it was hard not to with all your catchy rhythms. Cheers! Bravo! I shall look forward to your next recording and am spreading the word about this one.

Just another note on the music. My habit for many years has been to play Handel's Messiah every Sunday. All day. I love the beauty, glory, majesty, reminders of what is. Today I am breaking that tradition, starting my day with your new praises. And you know what? There is no difference. The feeling is the same. Perfection is like that, isn't it, whatever form it takes.

New Mexico, USA

Hello there,

I am Sunday School Superintendent of 1st Church of CS Etobicoke - part of Toronto Ontario Canada.

Everyone loves singing along with your choir! I have a couple of students who play instruments and wondered if sheet music was available and if so how can I buy it.......

Thanks so much - a great addition to our music scene...I also use your CD along with some other ones to play before Sunday School starts as a Sunday school style prelude.

Etobicoke, Canada

Here's an American take on the cracking good British CD, just appearing in Reading Rooms (and other places) this fall, 'Songburst: Hymns With A Beat'.

And they do-rock. It's upbeat, but mostly smooth, cool, often piano plus traps (percussion).

But, being cool, even "sweet" rock at times, Songburst let's us stay close to the words, listen hard with heart and mind, while the tunes serve it all up with a bright, energetic swing.

People of ALL ages will respond to the authentic spirituality of these hymn settings, a purity of tone, liveliness, and a winning, natural wholesomeness.

The genius is how "musical" it all is, very singable. In fact, if you're not at least dancing fingers, or up on your feet, you'll probably be singing full voice-in your room, at the park, driving downtown, where ever. I have.

It's very "friendly" music. You get into it. It gets into you. It lifts you up.

Illinois. USA

Newsong Group
62 Avondale Avenue,
Hinchley Wood, Surrey KT10 0DA
United Kingdom

info@NewsongGroup.co.uk