Category: News

Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir are proud to celebrate the fact that our esteemed accompanist, Margaret Ball, has achieved the distinction of being the longest continuously serving accompanist in the history of the choir.
Margaret joined the choir in 2002 and has been a solid foundation to the rehearsals and performances of the choir having supported three Musical Directors in this time. She continues with vigour and interest and as she said “great pleasure” in belonging to our choir family. Even on dark wintery evenings when it can be an effort to travel to rehearsal, Margret underlined the point that you go home uplifted by the camaraderie and the sheer pleasure of singing.
Without her steadfast accompaniment it is certain that we would not have been as well prepared as we are when singing in concerts and this has taken the choir to venues across the country as well as innumerable local concerts.
Choir President David Marriott and Chairman John Wakeland presented Margaret with a certificate as testament to her dedication, along with cards and gifts. Many, many thanks Margaret and long may your association with the choir continue.

The choir, along with Carlton Male Voice Choir were invited to participate in the 70th Anniversary Celebration Gala Concert for our friends Bestwood Male Voice choir at the wonderful Albert Hall in Nottingham.

The guest artiste was the magnificently talented Jeneba Kenneh–Mason a 19-year-old pianist from the famous Nottingham musical family. Not only was Jenebah simply electric with her skill, she mesmerised the audience, particularly
with Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody, into well-deserved standing ovations after her two appearances during the lovely Sunday afternoon event.

Innovation abounded as the three choirs performed both separately in the first half introducing songs which are new to the canon of male voice standards including ‘Shine”, “Our House”, Gonna Rise Up Singing”, “Heart of Gold” “Wind Beneath My Wings”, and a fabulous sea shanty called “Wellerman” performed by Bestwood MVC.
The second half was performed jointly as a massed choir and delivered superb performances of contrasting songs ranging from the most powerful ‘Llanfair’ where we were joined by the skilled organist David Butterworth, to the haunting ‘What would I do without my music’.

There is no doubt that the friendship between these three choirs is palpable with MD’s and accompanists supporting each other and the massed choirs readily and accurately following the differing interpretations of the songs required by each MD. This made for a wonderful afternoon and a worthy celebration of the 70-year history of Bestwood MVC.

We must add our congratulations to two of our choristers who have been long standing friends and who joined the choir after the infamous Covid lockdown. Tony O’Connor (1st Tenor), on left in the photograph and Andy Marsh (Baritone) performed in their debut concert with professionalism and joy. That’s what it’s all about – well done gentlemen.

Fifth charity concert in 2022 by Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir

Having been involved in raising over £6,000 so far in 2022, on 23rd July at St. John’s Church, Mansfield, the Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir staged their fifth local charity concert of the year.

The concert featured not only the choir but the talented young musicians of the Joseph Whitaker and Redhill Academy Jazz Group. The group, led by their Musical Director Carolyn Beedle, have performed with the choir earlier this year for one of the Ukraine benefit concerts at the Village Hall in Ravenshead. The sound made by the group was electrifying and the audience couldn’t help but tap their feet, clap their hands and become totally engrossed in the professional performance. The choir performed a mixture of male voice choir standards and favourites as well as some very entertaining new songs from the modern era. Musical Director Ian Grice has skilfully prepared the choir to a great sound and it was another cracking event.

The charity on this occasion was the The National Association of Blood Bikes who are a rapid response, motorcycle-based charity, run by unpaid volunteers including Airline Pilots, Paramedics, Plumbers, Builders, Teachers, Vicars, Police officers, Professors and many more. Products and services collected and delivered include blood, human donor milk and faecal microbiome transplant material. The association of over 40 blood bike groups annually deliver over 100,000 items to the NHS & Health and Safety Executive, free of charge!
In the last 12 years blood bikes groups numbers have grown so that the UK mainland now has a ‘coast to coast’ blood bike service and is now considered an integral part of the NHS front line services, delivering a robust service to professional standards. The mandate of the National Association is to work towards parity with other front line emergency services in terms of legislative support and recognition by various government departments and agencies on national topics. So, the next time you see a blood bike on the road, remember that the rider is an unpaid volunteer, working to professional standards and providing a free service to the NHS.

This concert was requested by the family of Jean and Denis Hales. Both Jean and Denis gave sterling service to the choir for many years as choir committee members, Jean as Secretary and Denis as Deputy Chairman and Social Secretary. We were honoured to take up the family’s request in memory of these two stalwarts of the choir.

At a Tuesday evening practice, a cheque for £1,050 was presented by Choir President, David Marriott to Blood Bikes former Chairman John Devlin.
Franck van Huesen, dressed in his motorcycle equipment brought along his £18,000 Yamaha FJR 1300 motorcycle to demonstrate his voluntary work. Ian Grice and John Wakeland are also shown at the presentation. The two Blood Bikes representatives attended and enjoyed the choir rehearsal and asked numerous questions about the choir but as their blood bikes commitments take priority they are, unfortunately, unlikely to become choir members.