Category: News

The National Association of Choirs ( East Midlands) Concert –  Saturday 20 May 2017 – United Reformed Church, Sutton-in-Ashfield

I borrowed the title for this blog post from the title of a song performed by Amerfoort Mannenkoor at QEA on Friday Zing,vecht, huil, bid en bewonder. Now that’s a song that gets under your skin a bit and the title seemed appropriate on this occasion. At the NAC Concert we had plenty  of singing and  fighting ( in a good way of course!), some crying and praying ( to a degree) and certainly  no small amount of wonder!

The Concert was,  to borrow some footballer’s hyperbole a fantastic, one million percent success and a very memorable evening held in such  a wonderful venue, the United Reformed Church, Sutton-in-Ashfield.

The late, great Frank Zappa once famously remarked that “writing about music was a bit like tap dancing about architecture”. We all know what he meant and I’ve certainly  given up trying to describe these events  in a way that can possibly describe the experience, either from a performers or audience point of view.

But we do  appreciate some feedback from those who were involved ( which includes everyone who was there). Some have shared their views here.

Liz Moulder is Musical Director of Sonara Singers and Chair of the NAC (Midlands East Region),

“Can I thank you all for a superb concert last night. It went so well due to the warm welcome, smooth  organisation both on the night but also in preparation and of course the quality of singing from yourselves and The Gentlemen! A definite night to remember.

“My thanks also to Meryl and her accompanist, Margaret Ball for their professionalism and musicality.”

Geoff Mansfield is Events Manager of Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir,

“What a wonderful evening we had! The concert was well attended, professionally run and ran very smoothly.”

“The organisation and planning paid off and I am grateful to Colin, Bill, Liz and their helpers and also the Mansfield &DMVC  Supporters’ Group for making it happen.”

“The planning and organisation provides the stable framework for the wonderful singing, accompanying and directing skills we experienced.”

“The evident effort and sheer quality of the singing we were all treated to yesterday evening, delighted our audience and provided for a very cohesive and entertaining evening.”

“I thank you most sincerely for your well- honed practice and your fabulous delivery yesterday evening. It just shows what we in the East Midlands can do doesn’t it?”

Ian Grice is Deputy musical Director at Mansfield,

“I thought the whole event was a perfect evening’s entertainment , so many different ways of singing and styles . Brilliant!”

Reverend Colin Bones is the Minister of the United Reformed Church, Sutton in Ashfield,

“This is what our church was designed for! Teamwork, singing and praise”

All of the singing, fighting, crying, praying and wondering was all wrapped up by singers and audience alike in that wonderful performance of I’m Goin’ Up A Yonder ,which was the finale of the evening. Indescribable!

Thank you to all who made it possible and especially to the members and supporters of Pye Hill & District MVC, Erewash Phoenix Choir, Sonara Singers, The Gentlemen and Mansfield & District MVC.

Also a special mention to the members of the URC, Sutton-in-Ashfield for their hospitality and to Eric Curtis, concert compere. Eric was also compere at the event on the previous evening at QEA.

Images from the Event can be viewed on the Gallery section of the website

 

 

 

 

Concert with Amersfoort Mannenkoor, Queen Elizabeth’s Academy – Friday 19 May 2017

“I want to put something back” – it’s something you hear occasionally  usually from those who have been successful in various high profile activities like sport or business.

Now here’s a secret for you- the “unsuccessful!” and the “nobodies” of this world (sometimes described as ordinary people and include most of us, in fact) can make a massive difference in this trouble world ( and “put something back”) if we care enough about our communities (especially those amongst us in great need) to get involved and come together.

The concert last Friday evening  was in aid of Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid. We shared the stage with a wonderful choir from the Netherlands, Amersfoort Mannenkoor,  singing in solidarity with those who provide invaluable support to those of our own community who are sometimes at the end of their tether.

Jo Humphries is the Intervention and Recovery Services Coordinator. Jo was at the concert along with many of her colleagues.

“Here at Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid we really enjoyed, appreciated and were humbled by all the time, talent, energy, and support that was shown at the concert on Friday night. It was powerful to see two male voice choirs wearing white ribbons and standing up to show support in ending violence and abuse towards women, children and young people.”

“The quote of the night for me came from my brother who said ‘it was the best 8 quid he’s ever spent.’ My mum was so proud that everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her also.”

“The feedback from staff who attended has been really positive. The energy and feeling in the hall was really uplifting and lasted all evening.”

“Marilyn did amazing job with the raffle and you could tell she loved bolstering everyone up! The wives and partners of Mansfield choir worked so hard and together getting things sorted in the background.”

As for us here at Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir it was a privilege to make a contribution and a pleasure to make music with our guests from overseas. We look forward to singing with Amersfoort again at some point – they are a great choir.

In male voice choir tradition some guests from local choirs ( Carlton MVC, Pye Hill & District MVC) were invited to share the stage in the second half of the concert.

Ian Watts is Musical Director at Carlton Male Voice Choir and was at the concert and,

“What Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir do best is, well…just be Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir; the organisation, the efficiency, the sheer fun of the event all done exceptionally well and planned to within an inch of its life.”

“It was a pleasure to watch the boys in action and a thrill to hear your well-sung music, from Gwahoddiadd to Bring Him Home and from the African to American Trilogies a performance to match the beauty of the QE Academy Hall you sang in.”

“Excellent accompaniment and direction from the ladies behind the wheel and a very enjoyable evening out for all involved.”

“Mansfield are Mansfield and my advice would be…keep it just like that!”

Hear hear to that!

Images from the concert can be viewed on the Gallery section of the website

There is a bottomless resourcefulness in man that ultimately enables him to transform ‘the spear of frustration” into a shaft of light  – Howard Thurman

Congratulations to all concerned and big thank you for such a great turnout at Newark Show last weekend. It’s not so easy to perform under a canvass marquee but I thought the sound was pretty good and I’m sure we made a good impact on the public. Thanks, as always, to the music team and to Geoff, who does so much work in organising these events.

“Your performance was first rate – but then Meryl would not allow anything less! There were many compliments flying around afterwards and you certainly made a great impression.” said music coordinator of the Event, Gabrielle Burgin Lister. Gabrielle is an international adjudicator and musical consultant of considerable reputation.

A big week ahead sees us at QEA on Friday evening and at Sutton URC on Saturday.

Male voice choirs generally have a wide and varied repertoire and we, as choristers, enjoy singing a variety of different kinds of music.

Our audiences too, love variety. Musical theatre, modern classics and traditional folk and pop songs with exciting and clever arrangements can be  mingled with the more “traditional” items to make up a programme which offers something for everyone.

Each year the NAC Midlands East Region stages a major concert and this year Mansfield & District Male Voice choir are privileged to host and manage the event.

We are inviting five of the best choirs in the East Midlands to the United Reformed Church, Sutton-in- Ashfield, Nottinghamshire to sing and make music in this wonderful building with its astonishing acoustics.

The concert, this coming Saturday evening, is billed as “Music in May” and full details, of course, are on the Events page. Details are also on the Events page and an introduction on this blog (“In Tune With Charity”) for Friday’s show.

The massed choirs on Saturday evening will sing together, at the end of the programme, the modern spiritual, I’m Goin’ Up A-Yonder (Walter Hawkins; Arr. Martin Sirvatka).

The negro spiritual is a very well established part of the repertoire and is also  the subject of a book by Howard Thurman “Deep River and The Negro Spiritual Speaks of Life and Death”. The book  is an attempt to explain why those songs will remain with us forever whilst ever joy and pain and life and death are at the core of the human condition. He writes at length on these songs and with  great  passion and insight.

But of course you have to  hear and feel them to really appreciate the power of the music. Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir have performed this song on numerous occasions and we, as singers, have been moved to see audiences so moved themselves by this song.

It will be a fantastic evening on Saturday. A musical evening full of variety and entertainment, guaranteed to lift the spirits of all who will be there. Don’t miss it!