City of Coventry Male Voice Choir

The choir brought some festive cheer to patients and staff at the University Hospital, Coventry as part of the hospital's Festive Music 2011.

£92.09 was raised on the evening we attended (14 Dec 11).

£1634.11 was raised in total for the Baby Care Appeal.

WALES  FESTIVAL  OF  REMEMBRANCE

ST DAVID'S  HALL  CARDIFF 

SATURDAY  5th  November  2011

At 9:00 am on Saturday we assembled at Foleshill Community Centre where 18 choristers, some with wives and guests, boarded the Harry Shaw coach and set off for Newport, Gwent.  We arrived at the hotel in time to sit down to an excellent buffet lunch before boarding the coach again for the short journey to St David's Hall in the centre of Cardiff.

After security checks we were allowed into the venue and this is where the fun began.  We were guided through a labyrinth of corridors, stairs and passages with rooms on either side.  Wondering if we would ever find our way to the outside world again, we entered a dressing room which was to become our refuge for the rest of the day.  At 2pm we were directed through yet more corridors to the staging area consisting of tiered seating situated behind the main stage where we joined the other choirs to form a 300 strong massed choir.  It was then that we had first sight of our conductor for the evening, Dr Alwyn Humphreys.  After what seemed like a very short rehearsal we had some free time and even managed to find our way outside to sample the delights of the city centre coffee bars.

The 31st Wales Festival of Remembrance supported by the Royal British Legion is the premier event in honour of the fallen victims of The Principality.  The City of Coventry Male Voice Choir was honoured to be one of only two English choirs attending.

At 6:45 we were all suited up and in position as the organist played the opening prelude.  At 7pm we all sang the British National Anthem to the wonderful sound of The Band of the Royal Welsh conducted by Major Denis Burton.  The first half of the evening which was presented by Roy Noble stated with 'Fantasia for Harp' delightfully played by Hanna Stone who in 2011 was appointed Official Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales.  Next it was our turn, the Massed Choir sang 'Llanfair' followed by 'Bring Him Home' from 'Les Miserables'.  I found it quite awe inspiring to play even a small part in such a prestigious event.

The evening continued with some wonderful performances.  A male voice choir Chor Pochodnia, had travelled all the way from Poland to take part.  Guest soprano Shan Cothi performed a medley of songs from the war years and Harri Davis entertained us with some unusual sounds on the electric guitar.  The evening was punctuated by songs from our massed choir and some stirring music from The Band of the Royal Welsh.

After the interval there was a change of mood, the rest of the evening took the form of a Remembrance Service.  It was very moving, listening to music by the Regimental Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Welsh as the stage was gradually filled by representatives of all the Armed Services and other organisations such as the British Legion Wales and the Royal Hospital Chelsea.  As the evening drew to a close we all sang 'Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah' to the wonderful 'Cwm Rhondda', followed by the hymn 'O God Our Help in Ages Past' beautifully sung by Boy Sopranos: Oliver Barton and Guy Roberts.  The evening concluded with 'The Last Post' then two minutes silence as poppy petals gently fell into the auditorium.

Back at the hotel, tired but not wanting to go to bed, we finished the evening with a drink or two (or three or ...) and yet more singing.

Sunday morning was ours to do as we pleased.  Some decided to explore the local area but the majority joined the coach trip to Cardiff Bay.  The weather was kind to us and we visited some interesting places including the Millennium Centre and the Welsh Assembly Building.  At 1pm we returned to our hotel in time for another splendid lunch.  At 3pm we boarded the coach for the final time and returned to Coventry via Chepstow and the picturesque Wye Valley.

All were agreed that this trip was a most enjoyable weekend and thanks went to Mike Sears for his efforts in organising the trip.  Work has now started on organising a similar event for next year; will it be Cardiff for the third year running?  Watch this space!

Peter Nicholds

Sat 24 Sep 2011 was a busy day in our calendar.  We were delighted to welcome to Coventry a visiting choir, Imery's Mid Cornwall MVC.  The visit was arranged some weeks in advance and happily all the arrangements went off as planned.

At lunch time the two choirs performed in Coventry Cathedral, which was a great experience.  We gave an informal one hour concert which was well received by a larger than expected audience.

In the evening a joint concert was held at West Orchard URC, finishing with both choirs joining in Morte Criste and Gwahoddiad to a rousing reception.

The choir from Cornwall did a 'proper job' and we were proud to sing with such an accomplished choir.  We look forward to meeting up with them again sometime in the future.

Congratulations are in order to our accompanist, Marina Kuznetsova, who has given birth to a baby girl.  Marina now has two daughters to keep her busy!

We welcome back Sally Aitchison, our previous accompanist, who is at present standing in for Marina.

The concert at Warwick Road United Reformed Church on the 18th June 2011 was another memorable evening, as witnessed by the standing ovation that the choir received from the whole of the audience.

This was another concert which was proposed and organised by the choir to raise funds for a local charity, The Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind. We provided a varied programme, with songs from the shows and other favourites, and featured five of the choir members as soloists.

Over a thousand pounds was raised for the charity, which makes all the hard work that we put into practice and rehearsals worth while.