BIRMINGHAM ICKNIELD MALE VOICE CHOIR

The Birmingham Icknield Male Voice Choir is Birmingham’s oldest male voice choir, formed around 1900. The choir has a proud history and, under the musical direction of Steve Roche, has a reputation for varied musical programmes and high standards. Last year the choir performed at various venues around the Midlands, including the Symphony Hall, and switching on the Christmas Lights.
The choir is always looking for new members. If you can sing in tune (no formal audition) and enjoy good company, then at 7.45pm on Tuesday evenings please come to rehearsals at the Grimshaw Room behind St Chad’s Cathedral, Shadwell Street or contact our Concert Secretary, Stewart Bissell on 0121 240 5756.

GENTLEMEN SONGSTERS MALE VOICE CHOIR

The 60-strong Gentlemen Songsters Male Voice Choir, based in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, celebrated its 45th year during 2002. The choir performs about 16 concerts per year, including three major concerts in its “home base”, Dudley Concert Hall.  The choir has sung in many unusual venues including the top of Ben Nevis, in Kent's Cavern, in the Channel Tunnel and on the Birmingham Wheel. More traditional venues have been The Royal Albert Hall; The National Exhibition Centre, Cardiff Arms Park, Birmingham Symphony Hall, and Birmingham International Convention Centre. In recent years, the choir has toured in Massachusetts, USA, the German Mosel region, Normandy France, Bremen Germany and most recently in the Algarve, Portugal. The next planned tour is to The Netherlands in 2005.
In recent years, the choir has greatly benefited from the hard work and dedication of a very talented Music Team led by Musical Director, Lynn Andrews. A strong team effort has improved the existing repertoire, and has significantly expanded the range of styles of music, giving the choir the opportunity to adapt its performances to suit the occasion.

WARLEY MALE CHOIR

Warley Male Choir was formed in 1943 by a group of air raid wardens and, since then, the choir has grown and became known and respected throughout the Midlands. Most of the choir's concerts are given freely for fund raising or charities, and our own Annual Charity Concert in May of each year aims to raise between £2,000 and £3,000 for the chosen charity.
In the past, the choir has competed successfully in many music festivals, including reaching the last 16 of "The Sainsbury Choir of the Year", from an entry of 360. It also achieved encouraging results at the "Llangollen International Eisteddfod". The choir has performed in France, Germany, Belgium and Holland. On behalf of the R.N.L.I, it has toured extensively in Devon and Cornwall and will be performing three concerts this year in the Scarborough area.
The choir's Musical Director, Stephen Allen, is a comparative newcomer to the choir, after a successful instrumental career with the award winning Woolley Pritchard Sovereign Brass, but he is already establishing a reputation as one of a number of young conductors who are bringing new ideas and energy to male voice singing.

WORCESTER MALE VOICE CHOIR

The Choir was founded in 1987 stemming originally from the Worcester Police Choir; its reputation and membership has grown steadily ever since. Current membership stands at around 50 choristers, drawn from a wide range of professions and age groups in and around the County. Concert proceeds go almost exclusively to local and national charities which have benefitted since 1997 to the tune of some £70,000.
Rehearsals are held on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Angel Centre in Worcester under Musical Director, Barry Jones assisted by Deputy M.D. and Chief Accompanist, Nicolas Wright and Assistant Accompanist, Sheila Leatherland. 2004 saw the inception of the Small Choir which provides some 16/24 voices for performances at weddings etc. where space is more limited. This has proved to be an immensely successful venture and their diary is beginning to rival that of the full choir! The choir also enjoy an active social life with regular events organized by the much-valued Ladies Committee and trips in recent years to Rhyl, Portsmouth, Cork and Worcester’s Twin Town of Le Vésinet, Paris

CHURCHDOWN MALE VOICE CHOIR

Churchdown Male Voice Choir is firmly established on the local music scene, and will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2005. Its members are drawn from all over Gloucestershire as well as some from Oxfordshire and one member who comes from Stevenage in Hertfordshire. Under the leadership of the Musical Director John Blenkinsopp, Assistant MD Ralph Barnes and with accompanist Pam Taverner, the choir performs around 20 concerts a year, the majority of them in support of local and national charities. In the last few years the choir has raised over £12,000 each year for good causes. On Friday 4th February the choir held a sell-out concert in its own centre and raised a magnificent sum of £2360 for the Tsunami Appeal Fund.
One of the highlights of the choir’s year is the annual tour; with few exceptions it has toured each year since 1980. The choir has visited Holland, Jersey and the Isle of Man and last year sang on the Isle of Wight with one of their local choirs. The year 2000 saw the most spectacular tour to date, a 4 concert, 14 day trip to Washington DC, where the choir was honoured to sing with the US Chorus, a choir of men drawn from the army. The chorus sing at all state occasions and was recently heard at the funeral of the late Ronald Reagan and at the Inauguration Ceremony of President George W Bush. This year the choir is to visit Miesbach in Bavaria, Southern Germany, a town twinned with Tewkesbury for the last 23 years through Tewkesbury District Twinning Association.

CRADLEY HEATH MALE VOICE CHOIR

The choir, originally known as “The Cradley Heath, Old Hill and District Male Voice Choir”, is now in its 93rd year. It was founded in Whitley Memorial School on the 12th February 1912. There are now only a few male voice choirs in England that have survived for a longer period of time. Participation in competitive singing was for many years, a regular feature of the choirs’ activities and numerous prizes were won at local and national music festivals. Last year the choir resumed its participation in festivals and won a first prize at the Dudley Music Festival. 
The choirs’ main focus however, is on concert work and many worthy causes have benefited financially from the efforts of the choir. The choir has about 33 members and aims to “Foster the love of good music, entertain the public and assist charitable organisations”. In February 1998 Philippa Brettell became the first ever female Musical Director of the choir and was joined by Cynthia Partridge, her former piano teacher, as accompanist. Together they make a fine partnership.

FOREST OF DEAN MALE VOICE CHOIR
oThe Forest of Dean Male Voice Choir was formed in 1984 with 18 choristers. Membership has now risen to 36 and under the leadership of Musical Director Tracey Gwynne and Pianist Hayley Marangon the Choir has gone from strength to strength and is appreciated by a wide variety of audiences. Over the years the Choir has made many friends singing with Choirs at charitable events throughout the South West of England, South Wales and Yorkshire. The Choir has also enjoyed tours of Cornwall and Germany.
The Choir performs at approximately 25 charitable events a year drawing from a wide repertoire, giving a balanced programme suitable to all venues. If necessary, an electric piano, staging and advice on concert arrangements are available. There is an increasing demand for the Choir to attend wedding ceremonies, entertaining the congregation prior to the bride arriving and during the signing of the register.
The Choir has a range of CDs and DVD entitled 'Our Forest Home' showing scenes of the Forest of Dean. The latest CD, 'Magical Sounds' is a collection of modern songs. All CDs and DVD are available from choir members.

KIDDERMINSTER MALE VOICE CHOIR
 

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Last Update 07.05.08

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