Golden Jubilee Joint Concert

 Stevenage Male Voice Choir and Hitchin Symphony Orchestra

                            �

 

                 

At St Mary's Church, Hitchin on Saturday 22 November 2008 at 7.30 p.m.

with Ian Boughton (Solo Baritone)

A new composition was written for this concert with words by John Bishop and music and by Paul Adrian Rooke. Composed for Speaker, Baritone Solo, Male Voice Choir and Orchestra, I am the Song is a celebration of the unique qualities of words and music separately and their wonderful pairing in vocal music.

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

Stevenage Male Voice Choir would like to thank Paul Adrian Rooke for all the work he did to ensure that this, our 50th Anniversary Concert, was such a success. The Choir would also like to express its appreciation to Hitchin Symphony Orchestra for its valuable contribution to a memorable evening.

 See the picture gallery of this concert

on page 25 of this web site

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Tour de France (!) 16 - 22 May 2008 

Group photograph outside Hotel Fontarabie

  Hotel Fontarabie at Fontenay-le-Comte                             The Beach at Chatelaillon-Plage

Friday 16 May

Our tour started outside Matalan in Stevenage from where our coach departed for Stansted Airport and a flight to La Rochelle in France. A French coach was waiting at La Rochelle to take us to our first three night stay at Hotel Fontarabie in Fontenay-le-Comte in the Sud-Vendée. After a lovely dinner at the hotel the evening was left for us all to enjoy refreshments and merry-making.

Saturday 17 May

After breakfast an amble through the local open-air market followed by lunch and then a short coach journey to our first concert venue, the Catholic Church at Foussais-Payré. We rehearsed on our own and were then joined by 'Choraline', a French mixed choir, to rehearse our joint pieces. After some excellent refreshments we awaited the audience - and what an audience arrived. We estimated that it exceeded 300. Were they 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 was followed by a standing ovation requiring an encore. After the concert there were more refreshments before the coach returned us to our hotel and bed.

Sunday 18th May

Organised coach trip into La Rochelle.

Monday 19th May

Transfered by coach to our second venue, Chatelaillon-Plage in Charente-Maritime and a stay at the Hotel Majestic. Two full days to discover the delights of this beautiful area before another rehearsal in the Catholic Church at Chatelaillon-Plage.

The concert was again well attended and with only SMVC and Jason Wallace performing it gave Alan Davis a 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 some presentations, we sang our final number and gained another standing ovation which  was duly rewarded with another encore. Some refreshments were again provided after the concert. Then we returned to our hotel.

Thursday 22nd May

Alas, this was to be our last day and, after a morning of free time, we all took lunch in the hotel before being taken by coach back to the airport at La Rochelle and our flight back to Stansted.

Thanks must go to ALL concerned in making this such a memorable French tour. Without their excellent organisation, both in England and in France, the trip would have not been so enjoyable.