Saddleworth Male Voice Choir

Rehearsal Schedule January to April 2008

DATE REHEARSAL DETAILS
Wednesday 9th January Full Rehearsal
Friday 11th January Baritone Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; Bass Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 16th January Full Rehearsal
Friday 18th January Top Tenor Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; 2nd Tenor Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 23rd January Full Rehearsal
Friday 25th January Bass Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; Baritone Rehearsal 8.30 p.m
Wednesday 30th January Full Rehearsal
Saturday 2nd February Concert Corpus Christi Church, Chadderton 7.00 p.m.
Wednesday 6th February Full Rehearsal
Friday 8th February 2nd Tenor Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; Top Tenor Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 13th February Full Rehearsal
Wednesday 20th February Full Rehearsal
Friday 22nd February Full Rehearsal – Mrs Sunderland Festival
Saturday 23rd February Mrs Sunderland Festival – Huddersfield Town Hall
Wednesday 27th February Full Rehearsal
Friday 29th February Baritone Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; Bass Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 5th March Full Rehearsal
Friday 7th March Tenor Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; 2nd Tenor Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 12th March Full Rehearsal
Saturday 15th March Concert St. Mary’s High Crompton. 7.30 p.m.
Wednesday 19th March Full Rehearsal
Wednesday 26th March Full Rehearsal
Friday 28th March Full Rehearsal for Don Valley Festival
Sunday 30th March Don Valley Music Festival
Wednesday 2nd April Full Rehearsal
Wednesday 9th April Full Rehearsal Rehearsal
Friday 11th April Full Rehearsal Eskdale Festival
Saturday 12th April Eskdale Festival - Whitby
Wednesday 16th April Full Rehearsal
Friday 18th April 2nd Tenor Rehearsal 7.30 p.m.; Top Tenor Rehearsal 8.30 p.m.
Wednesday 23rd April Full Rehearsal
Friday 25th April Rehearsal For St. George’s Day Concert
Saturday 26th April St. George’s Day Concert Uppermill Civic Hall
Wednesday 30th April Full Rehearsal
Wednesday 7th May Full Rehearsal
Saturday 10th May Concert Whitworth Civic Hall, 7.30 p.m.

DJC January 2008

Saddleworth Male Voice Choir
engagements: 2008

ENGAGEMENTS 2008

Saturday 2nd February 2008
Concert at Corpus Christi Church, Chadderton

Saturday 23rd February 2008
Mrs Sunderland Musical Festival, Huddersfield

Saturday 1st March 2008
SMVC Dinner at Saddleworth Golf Club

Saturday 15th March 2008
Concert at St. Mary’s Church, High Crompton

Sunday 30th March 2008
Don Valley Festival at Elsecar Heritage Centre

Saturday 12th April 2008
Eskdale Music Festival at Whitby

Wednesday 14th May 2008
Annual General Meeting

Saturday 26th April 2008
Concert for St. George at Uppermill Civic Hall

Saturday 10th May 2008
Concert for Rochdale East Rotary with Whitworth Band
at Whitworth Civic Hall

Saturday 7th June 2008
(St George’s Church, Mossley)

Saturday 21st June 2008
Concert with Chapel-en-le-Frith Ladies Choir
at Chapel-en-le-Frith Methodist Church

Saturday 5th July 2008
Concert for Middleton Rotary Club
at the Gracie Field’s Theatre, Rochdale

Saturday 20th September 2008
Concert in aid of the DMD Charity at Uppermill Civic Hall

Friday to Sunday 3/5th October'08

Saddleworth Parish Council Voluntary Action Showcase

Saturday 4th October
Concert at St. Paul’s Church, Stalybridge

Saturday 18th Oct 2008
Concert for the National Trust at Fountains Abbey, Ripon

Saturday 1st November 2008 Ceilidh organised by the ladies committee

Saturday 8th November 2008
Concert of Remembrance at Uppermill Civic Hall

Saturday 22nd November
(Possibly ‘Manchester Amateur Choral Competition’ at the RNCM)

Saturday 20th December 2008 at 7.00pm
“Messiah” at Uppermill Civic Hall

Sunday 29th March'09
Don Valley Festival at the Elscar Heritage Centre

Saturday 25th April'09
Concert for St. George at Uppermill Civic Centre

Sunday 29th March'09
Concert for the Don Valley Festival Committee at the Elscar Heritage Centre

Saturday 14th November'09
Concert of Remembrance at Uppmill Civic Hall

Sunday 19th December'09
Messiah at Uppermill Civic Hall

Don Valley Festival of Music and Drama March'2008

Choir’s five wins in a row at Don Valley Festival of Music and Drama.

On Sunday evening 30th March 2008 the Saddleworth Male Voice Choir competed for a fifth year at the Don Valley (formerly Mexborough) Festival of Music and Drama held at the Elsecar Heritage Centre near Sheffield.

The Male Voice Choir Gala Competition is the ‘grand finale’ in a week of varied music and drama classes and the Saddleworth choir was in good voice and came top out of four choirs including the Bolsterstone MVC from Sheffield who are former National Champions and were winners of the Llangollen Eisteddfod in 2002. Saddleworth sang a beautiful arrangement of ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ with music by Franz Schubert, a slow piece with testing dynamics. As a contrast, the choir then sang ‘Three Hungarian Folksongs’ a fast unaccompanied piece which tested the choir’s diction and pitch.

The choir’s performance was graded as ‘outstanding’ and Damian Cunningham their Musical Director together with principal accompanist Sylvia Hoare, was invited to conduct a short concert given by all the competing choirs in a selection of songs chosen by SMVC.

The Saddleworth choir won the first prize of £300 and the Nixon Trophy and were also presented with a barrel of beer by one of the festival sponsors.

MRS SUNDERLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL 2008

Class 91: Male Voice Choir

Three Hungarian Folk Songs
The marcarto was captured form the very beginning and The Handsome Butcher progressed with strong rhythmic vitality. In the quiet quaver passages sing right into the centre of each note, so that the pitch remains absolutely safe. Some excellent dynamic control in Apple. Apple and you sounded if you enjoyed kissing the miller’s daughter. Excellent diction and the broad dynamic range gave you plenty of opportunity to explore contrast. Articulate final consonants carefully in the Old Woman and again sing right through the centre of the quick detached quavers especially at the higher pitches. Bags of energy here and strong on rhythmic precision.

The Peacemakers
This gave you the opportunity to show us what you can do in a more reflective style and the cantabile came over very well. In bar 22 don’t be tempted to rush the louder quaver work and throughout blend the higher/quieter work as well as you can. Articulation was a real strength and the contrasts were very clearly defined. Always protect legato lines and listen out for that tendency to rush slightly in your enthusiasm, when the quaver figures cone along. A good strong finish and you painted the words with conviction.

Gareth Green Grade: B

A Grade (Outstanding) 90+ an exceptional performance technically and
artistically

B+ Grade (Distinction) (87-89) an excellent performance technically and artistically

B Grade (Commended) (84-86) a convincing performance technically and artistically

C Grade (Merit) (83 – 81) a capable performance showing some artistic
appreciation and/or technical ability

D Grade (Moderate) (78-80) a performance showing development of technique
and/or technical ability

E Grade (Fair) (75-77) a performance limited in communication.

Saddleworth Festival of the Arts

Saddleworth Male Voice Choir

Civic Hall, Uppermill, Thursday, 7th June, 2007

The Saddleworth Male Voice Choir made their contribution to the Arts Festival on Thursday evening in the Civic Hall, Uppermill. Although they have become a fixture in the Festival they take nothing for granted. Last night was no exception. They clearly had prepared very carefully in every respect, looking smart and singing a long and varied programme from memory. Discipline showed in the singers’ attention to every musical direction from the conductor, Damian Cunningham.
The programme, although not adventurous, was carefully chosen to demonstrate the full range of qualities of the choir. There were the traditional test pieces which they have sung successfully in many a contest, to show off their close harmonising, their rhythm, their excellent enunciation of words and their ability to sing a wide range of music. In the group of spirituals and related songs they handled syncopated rhythms deftly. They let rip in ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ but compensated with the delicacy of ‘My Lord What a Morning’.
In the second half they sang English music, mostly from shows – ‘Oliver’ and various G & S light operas – carrying the audience along with their infectious enthusiasm.
The jewel in the crown was undoubtedly the combination of Joshua Ellicott, a very fine lyric tenor, and his accompanist, Darius Battiwalla as the guest act. Ellicott used his engaging personality and outstanding vocal skills to transport us into the wonderful world of Schubert’s songs in the first half, and then that of the early nineteenth century English songs of Roger Quilter and others in the second half. His conveying of emotion through a full spectrum of vocal colour and expressive phrasing was impressive indeed.
It was a very satisfying evening of music, with something for everyone, and it made out a fine case for the single sex choir. My one criticism is that the concert could perhaps have been fifteen minutes shorter without any loss.

Michael Warrington
For The Oldham Evening Chronicle

DON VALLEY FESTIVAL 2007

The overall performance was graded as Outstanding

The adjudicator wrote

A Choir with an outstanding control of all the elements of choral singing.

Excellent range of dynamics, beautiful unforced tone at all levels.

Slight delay in attack in 2nd piece but a very fine performance and one to be highly commended at all levels.

Clear enjoyment showed by the singers – carried to audience – very important facet – neglected by many choirs!

I should like to hear more of this Choir

Mrs Sunderland Music Festival 2007

Class 97 Male Voice Choir

Position: 2nd (out of 3)

Grade: B+ Distinction (87-89)

The Last Words Of David
Well done for making such an impact at the start of this, The dynamics were conveyed with precision and well graded crescendo and diminuendo work. Make sure you place the final ‘d’ on God. Then when we get to “when the sun riseth” and the phrase before make sure that the sun rises high enough – a touch flat today (on ‘light’, ‘morning’ ‘riseth’). Otherwise much was in tune and the unaccompanied work was suitably atmospheric. Well done with the final section – very nicely controlled and the final chords were beautifully handled.

Three Hungarian Folk Songs

The excitement of the quick work cam across in your articulation and the diction was mostly clear. There were some nice touches of word painting e.g. ‘ring’ ‘shine’. In ‘Apple, Apple’ much was accurate, if you could have shaped the line even more. Make a little more of ‘kissed’ – make it sound as if kissing the miller’s daughter was something of a special moment for you. Dynamics were excellent and I enjoyed the tonal focus you managed to produce, even in the quickest corners. In the loudest, quickest and highest corners maintain the blend as well as you can. Ensure the final chord doesn’t push a shade sharp.

Convincing work – Well done.

Gareth Green

Saddleworth Male Voice Choir Performance of the Messiah 23.12.06

The Saddleworth Male Voice Choir gave its annual performance of Handel’s Messiah in the Civic Hall, Uppermill on Saturday.
The Male Voice Choir has learned to sing with discipline and sensitivity over the years, under the exacting leadership of Damian Cunningham, and somehow he usually manages to assemble sopranos and altos equal to the task for this mixed voice oratorio. This year was no exception, with a nicely balanced choir and only the merest over-weight touches from the basses in the big choruses. Articulation of words, attack on entries and responsiveness to the conductor were exemplary.
The sopranos produced a splendidly confident top A in ‘And the Glory of the Lord’, and almost three hours later in an overheated hall were still hitting resounding high Gs in the ‘Amen’ chorus. The altos were rock steady and displayed a fine sound in the many fugue-like choruses Handel revelled in.
This is an opportunity for the men of the male voice choir to show their capabilities. It was a pleasure to hear the confidence and strength they displayed, allied with an awareness of the need to control their output in the mixed choir setting. Their vocal agility in the fast passages was impressive, indeed the whole choir excelled in ‘For unto us a child is born’.
The soloists were four promising young graduates of the Royal Northern College of Music, Emma Johnston (soprano), Rachel Gilmore (mezzo-soprano), Richard Pollock (tenor) and Thomas Eaglen (bass). They produced operatic qualities Handel would probably have relished – especially the tenor in ‘Every Valley’ and ‘Thou shalt break them’, and the bass in ‘Why do the nations’.
The Pennine Orchestra accompanied competently throughout and only in the exposed Overture revealed some thinness of tone.
It was good to hear the whole work, except for the aria ‘If God be for us’. Why the omission? Another three minutes in three hours would not have mattered, and it is worth performing.
Overall, this was another splendid evening’s music, well performed and much appreciated by the capacity audience.

Mike Warrington

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