Golden Jubilee Joint Concert:

   Stevenage Male Voice Choir and Hitchin Symphony Orchestra

                            �

        At St Mary's Church, Hitchin on Saturday 22nd November 2008 @ 7:30 pm.

                                           with Ian Boughton (Baritone soloist) 

          A new composition has been composed for this concert with words by John Bishop and music and orchestral arrangement by Paul Adrian Rooke. Written for Baritone-Soloist, Speaker, Male Voice Choir and Symphony Orchestra. It is a celebration of the unique qualities of words and music and their wonderful pairing in vocal music.

         Also in the programme will be songs for choir and orchestra, songs for choir alone and pieces for orchestra alone. This will be a very special concert and a fitting end to our Golden Jubileee year.

        The SMVC would like officially to thank Paul Rooke for all the work he did to ensure that this, our 50th Anniversary Concert, was such a success. We would also ask Paul to pass on our appreciation to The HSO for their contribution to a memorable evening.

 See our picture gallery of the Hitchin Concert on  Pages 23 and 24 of this web site. 

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Tour de France (!) 16 - 22 May 2008 

                                               Group Picture outside Hotel Majestic.

  Hotel Fontarabie @ Fontenay Le Comte.                        The Beach at Chatelaillon - Plage. 

        Our trip started outside Mataland, Stevenage when our coach took us to Stansted Airport and a flight to La Rochelle Airport in France. A French coach was waiting to take us to our first three night stay at Hotel Fontarabie in Fontenay-Le-Compte. After a lovely dinner at the hotel the evening was left for us all to enjoy refreshments and merry-making.

       Saturday 17th: after breakfast an amble through the local open-air market followed by lunch and then a short coach journey to our first concert venue in Foussais-Payre Catholic Church. We rehearsed seperately and were then joined by "Choraline" mixed choir to rehearse our join numbers. After more excellent refreshments we awaited the audience, and what an audience arrived. We estimated over 300 strong. We were sure they were bussing them in from Paris!!! The concert was a huge success and the very attentive audience enjoyed selections from both choirs and Jason Wallace playing Flamenco music on his Guitar. The concert finished with both choirs singing together and achieving a standing ovation requirering an on-core. More refreshments before the coach returned us to our hotel and bed.

        Sunday 18th:   Organised coach trip into La Rochelle.

        Monday 19th: Transfered by coach to our second venue in Chatelaillon-Plage and staying at the Hotel Majestic.Two full days to discover the delights of this beautiful area before another rehearsal in the Chatelaillon-Plage Catholic Church.

         The concert again was well attended and with only the SMVC and Jason Wallace performing it gave Alan Davis chance to introduce the running order in immaculate French. Our soloist Tom O'Kane (Baritone) sang two French songs, in French, which brought the house down. After the presentations, we sang our final number which gained another standing ovation and earned another on-core. After show refreshments were again provided and then to bed.

        Alas Thursday 22nd: was our last day and after a morning of free time we all took lunch in our hotel before being coached back to La Rochelle airport and our flight back to Stansted and home. Thanks must go to ALL concerned in this memorable French Tour. Without their excellent organization, both in England and in France the trip would have not been so enjoyable.