Male choirs on song as joint force (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Male choirs on song as joint force

2:20pm Wednesday 15th April 2009 in Music

THE United Reformed Church rang with the wonderful sound of male voice singing when the Wessex Male Choir were guests of Basingstoke Male Voice Choir in a joint concert – despite some strong competition from the bar music nearby!

The first half of the programme comprised serious music with some wonderful highlights – Sancta Maria by Johannes Schweitzer from BMVC with a solo by Penny Jubin – and a most beautiful arrangement of The Water is Wide, arranged by Miles Ramsay, from Wessex Male Choir.

We were treated to a light programme in the second half, with Wessex donning police helmets for a funny rendition of The Gendarmes by Offenbach, and a fantastic performance of Me and My Shadow with movement and dance.

Obviously, Only Men Aloud are not the only male voice choir adding movement to their music. The audience loved it.

And then it was the turn of BMVC, who delighted the audience with a group of light songs, including Old Man River from Showboat with a moving and beautifully performed solo by Henry Wallin.

The evening finished with two joint pieces, the amusing De Animals and the old standard Deus Salutis, which just about raised the roof from the URC.

–Margaret Allen

The BMVC’s next concert is at St Bede’s Church, in Popley, on April 25, at 7pm, with The Marnel School Choir and Beech Hill Band. Tickets will be available at the door.

The choir also celebrates its annual concert at The Anvil on July 26. Their guests will be Basingstoke Ladies’ Choir, Pontypridd Male Voice Choir and Bristol Male Voice Choir. Soloists will be Fabienne Borget (soprano) and Robin Scott (from Bjorn Again).

This very special concert will be a celebration of Dai Ogborn’s 28 years as BMVC musical director – so don’t miss it. Tickets are available from the Anvil Arts box office, on 01256 844244.