Welcome to the web site of the Alfreton Male Voice Choir
It’s good that you have found us, and we hope that you will spend a little time to explore our site and find what you are looking for.
Would you like to join us?
Whilst we, (sometimes), perform in churches and sing, (some), religious pieces, we are not a religious organisation and perform a wide-ranging repertoire to suit all tastes.
Go to THE CHOIR to see some commonly asked questions .
Go to the WELCOME page for some reasons to join.
Go to the DIARY page to see where we are.
We meet every Thursday at 6.30pm at Palmer Morewood Social Club, Hall Street, Alfreton and we would be delighted to see you there.
Whatever your musical ability you will be most welcome.
2024
April 6th. Sadly, I missed the event on Ripley market which was held to celebrate 50 years of Amber Valley Borough Council serving the community. They seemed to manage without me and played a part of the celebration alongside entertainment and displays from other local groups. Fortunately, it stayed dry but was very windy, though not strong enough to deter visitors. Terry Clay conducted, and Lisa smith accompanied a varied programme which was well received by the passers-by. I hope it encouraged some of the audience to come and give it a go on Thursdays.
February 7th. Another snowy day so after a brief risk assessment tonight’s practice has been cancelled; better safe than sorry. Have a listen to John Kanaka instead.
February 3rd. A most enjoyable meeting with members and friends of Wesly Church, Alfreton for their 41st anniversary. A variety of songs, a few monologues and some sea shanties filled the afternoon very nicely.
January 25th. Christmas and the New Year passed by with several engagements to brighten up the season but, as usual, it is all over far too quickly. With another year comes another set of challenges to extend our repertoire but we rise to the challenge and look forward to more fun and laughter in our quest to entertain. You would be very welcome to join us, and this is a good time to do it. Our first venture is at Alfreton Wesley Church on Saturday 3rd February to help them celebrate their anniversary.
A diary of events
2018 – 2023
December 8th. After all my assurances that we meet each Thursday and trying to persuade you to attend, last evening saw the practice being cancelled, at the last minute, due to very bad weather. We managed to contact all members I believe but, would you believe, 2 potential members not on our books yet, did not get the message. Even worse, we have no more practices until 11th January 2024 so please be aware.
November 23rd. Last Friday (17th) proved to be a great evening with music to suit all tastes. From the opening resounding call to Let All Men Sing, to the closing joint piece which pledges You’ll Never Walk Alone it was a very varied programme.
A representative from Marie Curie explained a little of the aims of the organisation and told us that they provide support for all conditions, not just cancer so you should never have to walk alone. We are very pleased to have received donations from the evening allowing us to present £357.00 to the Marie Curie Foundation.
October 31st.
Starting last Friday, (27th October) the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust launched the opening of the South Wingfield Station after a million pounds (plus) programme of restoration. It was built in 1839/40, after survey by George Stephenson in 1835, and came to the forefront of railway travel at the time. It fell out of use in the 1960’s after the infamous Beeching cuts but, being noted for its claim to be the last surviving building from the era, it was ‘listed’ in 1971. It continued to decline until the second decade of the 21st century when Amber Valley Borough Council and the Derbyshire Trust commenced a rescue operation, culminating in the opening events that we were pleased to partake in. The station is restored to its former glory with some 21st Century additions to help it continue to serve a purpose.
October 10th
A great night on Saturday, 7th October, at Old Tupton Methodist Church where we entertained a small but, as I said before, enthusiastic, audience. We provided a varied programme with some notable moments. We see John introducing Leonora the lioness to the audience before leaving her in the capable hands of an audience member during our rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight; this performed with a background of jungle sounds enough to prevent anyone from sleeping.
Then you see ‘Big John’ (complete with hard hat!!) in his role of disaster reporter on a mine collapse. The choir are looking suitably concerned about the fate of the trapped miners but rest assured, Big John saves the day.
We introduced a new member to the Saga Louts (David Oldham) who, despite a case of ‘stage fright’ did very well. Eddie was missing because he was celebrating his 60th Wedding Anniversary and we wish him and Jean all the best and heartfelt congratulations.
There were monologues from John and Terry.
The audience joined in heartily with ‘Sweet Caroline’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ to round off a lively evening.
Thanks to Cllr. Pam Windley for photographs of the evening.
June 24th. A great evening at Christ Church, Ironville where we entertained in aid of the ‘re-wiring’ project. As buildings get older and standards change, it is an expensive job to keep up with legislation and the electric system no longer meets requirements. The church needs a significant sum of money to make improvements and it is hoped that our ‘electrifying’ performance helped it on the way. With Monologues’ and Sea Shanties, trips to the jungle and rides on trains the audience got ‘switched on’ with Sweet Caroline and You’ll Never Walk Alone. All in all, another great evening.
June 3rd. We enjoyed a great evening when joined by the Shirland Welfare Brass Band for our annual concert. It was an evening of songs, introduced by our Compere for the evening Mandy Oldknow : Starting things off we offered to Let All Men Sing, noted What a Wonderful World it is, and pondered on the nature of ‘Perhaps Love’. Hallelujah and Morte Criste ended our opening set. Piano solos from our pianist Lisa included Songs from Childhood by Schuman, Funny Story and Bogeyman Coming, Lyric Pieces by Grieg , Waltz, Watchmans Song and Fairy Dance and, finally, I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserable. Absolutely brilliant.
The band, introduced by Lyndon Cooper, played a number of pieces including Starburst, Lullaby and You Can’t Stop the Beat to end the first half.
After the interval, the band welcomed everyone back with Paddy’s Wake, a horn solo by Luke Newborough, Seaside Rendezvous and In the Mood.
Following close behind, the Saga Louts told some tales of the sea to include John Kanaka , Sloop John B and The Wellerman.
More songs from the choir include The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Workin’, Chatanooga Cho Choo and Bohemian Rhapsody. The concert was rounded off by a joint item with choir and band in a rousing chorus of Sweet Caroline, to include much arm waving and singing, and ending with a chorus of Land of Hope and Glory.
All in all a very enjoyable evening with proceeds to the British Heart Foundation.
May 23rd. A great evening at Derby Cathedral on May 13th with a very varied programme from Derbyshire Community Choir, Mansfield, Pye Hill, Dalesmen and Chapel-en-le-Frith and, of course Alfreton Male Voice Choir. Our programme of Let All Men Sing, Workin’ and Bohemian Rhapsody was very well received. Finally, with over 100 voices together, we raised the roof with Llanfair, American Trilogy and Morte Cristi. A truly memorable evening.
May 20th was another great collection of voices appearing at St Peters Church, Belper for the annual concert produced by the National Association of Choirs. We joined Rolls Royce Ladies Choir, Rock ‘n’ Soul Singers, Bestwood Male Voice Choir and the Sonara Singers for a varied programme, ending with 100 mixed voices singing Dona Nobis Pacem. Two great weekends to remember.
May 9th. May 7th, Coronation Day, was disappointing due to the weather and it was good to experience it all from the comfort of the living room and enjoy the spectacle. It was a pleasant surprise on Sunday, to be rewarded with a beautiful clear blue sky and blazing sunshine for our visit to South Wingfield. Whilst singing in the open air has its difficulties, not least of which is Lisa trying to play the piano and hold on to the music at the same time, we were fortunate to have a great audience that entered into the singalong spirit of the final few pieces, particularly Sweet Caroline, and helped to make it a most enjoyable event. A varied selection of songs from the choir were supported by Colin Smith, our bass soloist taking us On the Road to Mandalay and John Stamp’s monologue, supported by the acting talents (???) of Derrick Hesketh as The King, Lisa Smith as The Queen, Michael Wilcockson as the Dairy Maid and Tom Devonshire as the Cow, persuading the King that marmalade is better than butter (I think). We then went on a trip to sea with the Saga Louts (Michael, John, Dave and Eddy) taking us on the Sloop John B, while waiting for the Wellerman and meeting John Kanaka (see above) before leading the audience to indulge in some patriotism with Rule Brittania and Land of Hope and Glory. Back to the choir to lead more singalong, and with much arm waving, to end with You’ll Never Walk Alone. But, of course, it could not finish without ‘God Save the King’. All in all, a great celebration.
Back to work ready for Saturdays visit to Derby Cathedral, promising to be an exciting evening.
March 27th. On Thursday 19th January, the choir took over the Methodist Church at Nether Heage to set up a recording studio for our YouTube videoing session, and a most enjoyable day it was. After a day’s labour, it was finally edited to a 5-minute piece, but we are pleased with the end result. Finally released to YouTube (click to view/listen) in March it has already caught some attention and we were invited to Radio Derby yesterday (26th March) to talk about it on the Donna Alos Show. Secretary John chatted with Donna about the choir and the making of the video and the fact that we are always on the lookout for new members. Let’s hope it encourages some recruits.
February 14th. Time flies by and busy time ahead. On Sunday May 7th we will be at South Wingfield Social Club for their celebration event for King Charles III Coronation, on Saturday 13th we are at Derby Cathedral with The Derbyshire Community Choir, on Saturday 20th May we are at Sr Peter’s Church, Belper for the National Association of Choirs and Saturday June 3rd we are at The Post Mill, South Normanton for our annual concert, this year supporting the British Heart Foundation. Shirland Band are our guests this year so we look forward to an entertaining evening. It’s all hard work but worth every moment to perform for, and please, an audience.
Sadly, the proposed concert for Cancer Research at the Royal Albert Hall (see Jan. 16th) has been cancelled. Another casualty laid at the door of Covid as many choirs have not recovered their numbers since the pandemic such that the event is, therefore, not sufficiently subscribed. Very disappointing for the 35 people who had signed up for our trip: maybe next year?
January 16th, 2023. The end to 2022 was a sobering time. We had several enjoyable Christmas events but, sadly, we had 3 funerals to attend as well, which was a very sad ending to a year in which we lost far too many of our members and members wives.
We enter the New Year with optimism; this month we are producing a video to put out on YouTube to promote ourselves in the hope of reaching a wider audience. We have brought our annual concert forward to June 3rd at the Post Mill Centre, South Normanton, we have the King’s Coronation to prepare for (celebration booked for Sunday May 7th at South Wingfield Social Club); in October a number of us are, again, appearing at the Royal Albert Hall in a concert for the benefit of Cancer Research; this will be the third visit, for some, a first for others, to this wonderful venue. We have a great deal of work to get on with.
We are proud to have facilitated charity donations last year. We donated £150.00 to Marie Curie at South Wingfield, £300 to support the collection for British Heart Foundation at Ripley Co-op and £1,065.73 to the RNLI.
Friday November 18th 2022. On 10th November we were invited to the Fellowship of the Services Festival of Remembrance at the Winding Wheel, Chesterfield. After the Muster of the services and introduction of the dignitaries Long Eaton Silver Prize Band provided some entertainment, there was some community singing and the first half was closed with our presentation of ‘You Raise Me Up’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
After the interval the ‘Remembrance Service included prayers for the fallen, the lowering of the service flags and the poppy drop.
Thursday October27th. On 14th October we attended Cromford Church where we joined The Matlock Community Choir for an evening of entertainment hosted by Cromford Women’s Institute. The church is not only beautiful to look at, but the acoustics are wonderful as well. If you have an opportunity to visit it is well worth the time. The Matlock Community Choir sang a varied programme, several pieces being A Cappella, contrasting well with our programme and making for a most entertaining evening.
Of course, the main event of our calendar is the October Concert which was a sell-out event at The David Neiper Academy on 22nd October. With guests Alfreton Treble Clef Choir and David Neiper Student Choir, and with an appearance by the Saga Louts, there was plenty to enjoy, with laughs along the way. The concert proceeds are in support of the RNLI and representatives were on hand to answer questions and describe some of the activities carried out by this dedicated body of volunteers. There was a varied programme from the three choirs covering years of musical ‘standards’ with the DNA Choir bringing us up to date; the Saga Louts carried the seafaring theme with ‘Sloop John B’, ‘John Kanakanaka’ and ‘No hopers, jokers and rogues’. Altogether an extremely rewarding evening.
Next event is an appearance at 43rd Festival of Remembrance on 10th November then Christmas is upon us. Busy times ahead.
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Wednesday August 17th. Our annual concert is fast approaching. Tickets are available to purchase from Palmer Morewood Social Club, Hall Street, Alfreton, from choir members or online. To purchase from home, go to the menu bar press ‘TICKETS‘ and follow the instructions.
We were shocked on 21st July to be informed of the passing of our President, Alan Randle.
As you may know, Alan was elected President in February at our AGM after George Curley was made Life President in recognition of his lifelong support but failing health.
After practice on 14th July, I approached Alan to write a piece in his role as President to feature in the programme for our annual concert in October; on Friday evening I received the following and I can think of nothing better as a reflection of Alan than to present it here.
A Message from the President
Only recently I was given the great honour and privilege to be the President of the Alfreton Male Voice Choir, an honour to follow George Curley who held the position for over 35 years, I hope I can carry out the same commitment that he has done.
I joined the Choir in 1957 under the Conductor Mr. Walton, we attended competitions and I remember being told to go to Greenwoods and buy a black blazer and grey flannels, this was the uniform, no free issue and a tie and a badge that Hazel sewed on the blazer, I still have the badge.
We went to a competition at Biddulph, and we won.
Over the years I have been the pianist when we had no pianist, and Conductor when we had no Conductor, I enjoy being a Conductor.
This Choir has been a large part of my life, a wonderful group of men and it is like a family.
I have seen Concerts, Contests and of course the two visits to The Royal Albert Hall for the two wonderful Concerts in aid of Cancer Research, something I will never forget.
I extend my best wishes to the Choir for the future and hope that I can carry on the position of President as well as George Curley has for so long, I wish him all the best and God bless you.
Alan Randle
President Alan
Words can’t express the sadness we all feel that Alan has been unable to enjoy the Presidency of which he was so proud. God Rest, Alan.
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In honour of the queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Sunday 5th June 2022. We finally made it to South Wingfield Social Club after several disappointments due to Covid. The club had a series of events starting on Friday 3rd and it looks like a good time was had by all. The Jubilee weekend, however, was rounded off on Sunday 5th with a performance by the choir. Starting, and ending, with singing of the National Anthem and a great deal of flag waving; in between the audience was treated to songs, monologues and yodelling lessons. From the song Anthem from the musical Chess to the miners’ lament with Take Me Home, to Bohemian Rhapsody and a visit to the jungle for The Lion Sleeps (though with all the noises I don’t think sleep was likely), the choir made their mark. John Stamp regaled us with some agricultural monologues and one about Joyce the librarian. Mick Mullarkey was on hand to lend some sophistication (??) to the occasion in his usual manner. All in all a most enjoyable afternoon for one and all.
Thursday 2nd June. Alfreton Town Council celebrated the Platinum Jubilee with a visit to Alfreton Park Special School; the special school has only recently been completed and the public were offered the opportunity to take a tour of the facility. Anyone who took the opportunity could not fail to be impressed by the building and its features.
At 8.30 the choir performed a number of pieces for the assembled audience, at 9.00 the Treble Clef Choir performed 4 pieces before we all went outside to see the lighting of the beacon where the piper was in attendance before the lighting.
A heartfelt chorus of ‘God save the Queen’ completed a most enjoyable evening.
Saturday 21 May 2022. The concert on Saturday at St Mary the Virgin and All Souls Church, Bulwell was most enjoyable with 13 pieces from the choir, 5 pieces from the organist, Michael Anthony, a solo spot from our bass member Colin Smith and a little light relief with our very own Mick Mullarkey. With some delicious cakes and cups of tea in the interval we were primed for a visit to the jungle to meet Leonora the lion trying to get some sleep, looked after by 2 audience ‘conscripts’. The evening was rounded off with choir, audience and organ joining in with the patriotic favourite, Jerusalem.
Proceeds from the concert were in support of the church and the choir funds and are very gratefully received.
May 2nd. We’ve been busy lately, welcoming new members, preparing for last Saturday’s concert and recording some pieces for publication.
The choir was delighted to be asked to guest at the annual concert of the Derbyshire Community Male Voice Choir last Saturday (30th April) and it turned out to be a most enjoyable evening. An early start for a run through of the 2 pieces we sang together before we were treated to a buffet tea with thanks, particularly, to the Aspire team on behalf of whom the concert profits were to be donated.
It was good to see so many turn up to the event, which was an almost full house. DCMVC performed a variety of songs including Morte Christie, Hallelujah and Sound of Silence whilst AMVC offered The Lion Sleeps Tonight (including jungle noises) , Bohemian Rhapsody and Rhythm of Life to name just a few. Both choirs joined for a spirited offering of You Raise Me Up and American Trilogy to round off this very enjoyable evening; both choirs certainly enjoyed it and so, I believe, did the audience.
Click on the link below to see and hear our version of Bohemian Rhapsody and That’s All I Want from You (or A Little Love) filmed and recorded at Palmer Morewood Social Club, our usual practice venue.
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April 7th. Unfortunately spring seems to have taken a step back to allow wintery weather to return; luckily our outside gathering on April 2nd , though cold, was blessed with a little warmth from the sun so we were able to manage two and a half hours.
Before that, though, (17th March) we had our Pie and Pea Open Invitation Evening, which was most enjoyable and successful, seeing two new members being encouraged to join.
April 25th was the memorial service for Ron and Mavis Padley at which the choir sang That’s All I Want from You (affectionately known as ‘Ron’s song’ as he donated the piece to the choir) and You Raise Me Up.
Vicar’s comments:-
Singing played a large part in Ron’s life, and he very much enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie that Alfreton Male Voice Choir gave him. Not only was it an opportunity to voice his passion, but it also offered the chance to visit new and existing venues. This gave Ron a chance to chat to the many new people he met – a task that he took on with gusto!
Likewise, for Mavis, who became a choir groupie, it was an opportunity to make new friends and form friendships which she treasured.
The family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to Alfreton Male Voice Choir, for so freely giving their time today. Ron and Mavis would have been chuffed.
Tonight (7th April) we will be recording a couple of songs, both audio and visual, can’t wait to see/hear the result. Tuesday 12th April we are holding a social evening at Palmer Morewood; one of Cherilyn’s buffets is something to look forward to and Chairman Mick Mullarkey will provide some entertainment. Watch this space.
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March 1st. Spring is on the way (we hope) and practices continue with some new pieces for 2022; What a Wonderful World, Workin’ and My Way being the current focus.
At the AGM we presented our President George Curley with the title of Life President and a certificate to commemorate 35 years in the role of President. In those 35 years George has seen many changes but his, and the choirs, enthusiasm and enjoyment has never wavered.
Our next outing, as a choir, is to Ron Padley’s memorial service (delayed for almost 2 years due to the pandemic), at St. Martin’s Church Alfreton on 25th March. Before that, however we have our invitation evening to join the choir for pie and peas on 17th March; let’s hope we have some results from that venture.
On Thursday 24th February we had a visit from Sally Pepper of Radio Derby who, primarily, came to see our secretary John Stamp; John has produced a solo recording of Take Me Home (look for ‘John Stamp Take Me Home‘ on YouTube to listen) to promote interest in the choir. Sally interviewed John with particular reference to being a cancer survivor and highlighting the benefits of being in a choir.. She broke off his interview to record the choir practicing Bohemian Rhapsody; you can find the full interview (almost 14 minutes of it) by pressing play below.
Safe to say, it is a further endorsement of the effect of being in a choir; friends keep in touch, you have a goal to aim for and the exercise of singing is good for the body. Missing a lung and still being a top tenor says it all.
“Songs for Easter” performed by Alfreton Male Voice VIRTUAL Choir.
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January 13th. November and December passed by in a blur. Whilst sometimes Christmas seems to start too early, it’s suddenly here and gone. Our work started on November 27th with an appearance at the lights switch on for Alfreton Town Council on a snowy bitterly cold day; at least that made it feel more like Christmas.
On November 29th we helped the Freemasons at Abraham Lincoln Library celebrate their Christmas lighting event and a great family evening it was, the choir involving the audience with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and 12 Days of Christmas which seemed to be enjoyed by all, especially the children.
On 1st December we entertained at the Palmer Morewood Christmas Party, an annual event which we support in gratitude for the rest of the years support from the club. On 3rd December we visited Morton for their lighting event, which was well supported by craft stalls and food stands and was very well attended; another enjoyable, though cold, Christmas gathering.
Sadly, over the course of the next few days, the shadow of Covid was cast over the land and, as precaution was deemed the safest option, our visit scheduled for South Wingfield Social Club on 15th December was cancelled, much to everyone’s dismay but, hopefully , their understanding. Another cherished Christmas event was expected on 18th December when we were to entertain shoppers and make collections for the British Heart Foundation at the Ripley Co-Op; since government restrictions meant you must wear a mask in shops, it was clearly not an option to sing.
So, after an incredible resurgence of activity which did take place and a disappointing few engagements that did not take place, the choir goes into 2022 looking forward to the year to come. Whilst things are still a little uncertain as to what the next few weeks will bring, the choir Committee met on 10th January and has decided, with some increased safety precautions, that we will meet ‘face to face’ on Thursday 13thh January when we begin to seriously consider our programme for the coming year.
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October 18th. It was a long time coming but our October 16th concert proved to be as enjoyable as we had hoped. We were delighted to welcome a great audience back to the David Nieper Academy with it’s new car parking and modern facility; what a wonderful turn-out it was. General consensus suggests that the evening was enjoyed and appreciated; the choir had a varied programme going from Stout Hearted Men to home going miners to American spiritual singers to finding the rhythm of life.
We then listened to some wonderful trumpet pieces from John Barker.
After that the lion tried to get some sleep but the jungle noises kept Leonora the lion awake (it was pointed out , (apparently to John’s surprise) that our pet lion is, in fact, a lioness); fortunately she was looked after by a couple of audience members.
Summer wine was grown and harvested before an enchanted evening turned into an anthem (from Chess) and leading to requests to bring a boy home and join the barricades. Barricades were manned by our flag waving top tenor (who, incidentally had, earlier been a rather fierce sounding lion) Tom Devonshire.
After a well earned interval we crossed over troubled waters on the way to a Bohemian Rhapsody.
Our charity this year was Aquabox and Keith Hardy gave a presentation describing the aims and principles of the charity and the issues involved with distribution. The charity , formed in 1992 has sent more than 110,000 aid boxes to more than 50 countries in disaster areas worldwide and we are pleased to help support the work that they do.
Mick Mullarkey then led on the group of exhibitionists known as the Saga Louts who had the audience singing along to such classic hits (well nearly) as ‘Does Your Chewing Gum Lose its Flavour on the Bedpost Over Night’,’ Freight Train’ and ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’ . They dressed for the occasion as you can see.
More from John Barker to calm everyone down showing What a Wonderful world it is.
Finishing the evening was Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ and one of our favourites ‘That’s All I Want From You’ then John Barker joined us high on a hill where, it is promised, we need never walk alone.
Presentations were made to Lisa Smith our wonderful pianist who was particularly impressive with Bohemian Rhapsody , to Terry Clay our hard working task master, Joy Williams and sound engineer Huw who looked after all technical details for the Academy, Michael Anthony and Rachel our second pianist and his page turner who has worked hard during lockdown to record our pieces enabling us to continue to practice on line, to our guest John Barker and to Peter Worrall who compered the evening.
We also should thank members of the Rotary Clubs of Alfreton and Amber Valley who provided car park duties and front of house support; thank you very much.
So after the highs of Saturday evening, Thursday will see us, no doubt, under slightly less pressure (just for a little) until we start preparing the next event(s) — Christmas is just around the corner.
September 28th. Always a nervous time when you suddenly realise how close we are to meeting the public. Practices have been going well and rough edges are being smoothed. Plans for use of David Nieper Academy are in place and we are looking forward to performing there again. There is now plenty of car parking, entering from the old gate at the top of Grange Street . Previous concerns over the walking distance are no more as there is ample facility for disabled parking near the entrance to the school. We sincerely hope that you will join us on 16th October and help support this years charity, Aquabox.
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July 22nd. We are finally back indoors at the Palmer Morewood Memorial Social Club and what joy it was. The cotinued work we have been doing via ZOOM has proved worthwhile, particularly in regard to the new songs we are putting into the concert programme, and it was great to hear real life voices rather than recorded tracks. Terry has certainly got some polishing to do, but for a starter it was very encouraging. Drinks in the bar were enjoyed after practice and a renewed sense of freedom (with caution) is finally in our grasp.
October 16th is the date for the diary.
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July 1st. We had our first ‘face to face’ practice, thanks to the facility provided by the South Wingfield Social Club. This was in the open air under an open sided marquee and after 16 months it was a joy to give the vocal chords an airing; the spacing and the openness does not allow the best reproduction but it was a start. We had 3 weeks here, the weather was kind and we thank Steward Joy for her hospitality.
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May 20th. We are getting very excited as we edge closer to some kind of freedom; it is our intention, in the hope that life progresses as we hope, to re-commence ‘face to face’ rehearsals on July 1st. Whilst ZOOMing has been a great way to keep in touch and keep focus on our vocal training, it is not the same as being together. We recognise that, after 14 months without singing ‘together’ we will need some ‘together’ time before we are concert ready. However, having a target is a great boost to our enthusiasm and the Committee is working towards having our first public engagement on October 16th at The David Nieper Academy. Clearly a great deal of work is required to ensure that government guidelines and common sense are employed to ensure the safety of the choir and the audience. Our tireless secretary, John, has, again, ‘taken over’ Andy Twigg’s show on Radio Derby to promote the concert and issue a plea for new members. Here’s a chance to listen.
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April 5th If you didn’t manage to catch Chairman Mick’s interview with Donna on Radio Derby this morning, here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to26OsI-yJk
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April 1st. It’s a long time since Christmas but the choir has been very busy, virtually rehearsing and recording various pieces for release on Facebook and You Tube. Above is our latest offering to celebrate Easter. It has been a steep learning curve to enable us all to contribute to these recordings but has given us all much satisfaction; we hope that you enjoy them too. If you click the top left corner you will reach our ‘You Tube’ page where you can see our Red Nose rendition of ‘My Old Man’s a Dustman’ and our Valentines Day releases ‘Let it be Me’ and ‘Unchained Melody’.
With the gradual easing of restrictions we begin to consider the future with more hope of actually meeting and resuming, as much as possible, our old lifestyle — singing together, having a drink and some laughs and preparing for real life concert performance ; this is, after all, what it’s all about. Whilst we have enjoyed our virtual practices, we will need some time to get back into the habit of singing together so do not expect to be performing in front of an audience until October. In the meantime, Secretary John is working hard to promote the choir; he interviewed Andy Twigg on Radio Derby recently (that’s what Andy thought anyway) and Chairman Mick is due to be on Radio Derby this Sunday (4th April) at 7.25am to discuss our Songs for Easter. Must set the alarm for that.
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29th December. Christmas is over and we hope that you enjoyed it, despite the restrictions imposed. It’s hard to remember how it all seemed too early to start the Christmas run-up in November and suddenly it’s past. We enjoyed all the Christmas songs and the recordings , hope you did too .It’s now onto some fresh pieces for the new year. Since that’s now only two days away, I wish you a very Happy (Socially Distanced) New Year and look forward to, eventually, returning to some sort of normality (whatever that might be).
8th December. It’s getting near to Christmas and everyone seems to want to outshine each other with Christmas lights. It’s good to see the effort that people are putting in. As for the choir, we continue to meet and enjoy Thursday evenings; we have had a very busy couple of weeks making our Christmas recordings. We now have up to 14 contributors to the recordings and several others are working on the technology. It’s very pleasing to hear the finished piece and, as we all get more experienced in the process, we hope to continue to build on our new found skills. Keep following our face book and you tube releases. Hoping that 2021 allows us to meet up and sing together – recording is all very well, but not a patch on the real thing. Fingers crossed that the vaccine lives up to expectations.
6th November. It looks like we will be virtually practising for some time yet, so it is important that we build on our new found skills. Thursday evenings are very enjoyable and we have an enthusiastic group of singers. This week we have made a little tribute to the act of Remembrance and this is released on ‘face book’ and ‘you tube’. Please go to the picture of Lisa above and at the top left is a small round picture; double click on that and you will be connected to our ‘you tube’ submissions. Hope you enjoy them.
23rd October. Progress has been made with our technical team and we are now able to share our little musical presentation. We are getting very excited about the progress of our sound and vision achievements and it is spurring on some who thought the technicalities were outside their understanding to get involved; just double click on Lisa’s nose and watch (and listen to) our little video. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed producing it.
13th October. The Committee have worked hard to prepare for face to face meetings and are committed to resuming as soon as possible. Analysis of restrictions shows that we are allowed to proceed provided it is an organised and compliant venue and procedure and, as such, we are ready to go. However, a lengthy discussion yesterday concluded that we felt it necessary to continue as we are for another month before a further review in early November.
17th September. We got a little excited last week when we started proceedings to prepare for face to face (socially distanced, of course) choir practice. Risk assessment and location plans formulated just in time for the brakes to be put onto gatherings. However, we continue to maintain contact and enjoy virtual choir practice each week; the recordings have also been going well and we are all pleased to be able to sing together even if not at the same time (work that one out). Tonight’s practice is given over to recording session; branching out from manipulation of the audio by yours truly, Secretary John is having a go at picture editing; can’t wait to see where that takes us.
Sadly, we have heard from Colin Goodwin that, due to his and Josie’s health issues he will be unable to continue with choir activities. Colin is a long standing member of the choir and has been our oracle; should you wish to find what songs we sang in any of the past 20 years, Colin’s your man. We keep Colin and Josie in our thoughts and wish them the very best during these difficult times.
30th July. The world still does not know how to handle this dreadful situation; as time goes on the future seems less certain in many ways, not least of which is the risk associated with how the virus spreads. Singing is still well up there on the list of ‘do nots’ and without some science to satisfy any fears, then we see a bleak future.
Before all this started, it was generally seen as anti-social to be constantly occupied on the internet rather than face to face; that is now turned upside down and we are all trying to get to grips with the technology we so derided. The choir has stepped up to the mark and is embracing the ZOOM practices we have each Thursday; we are progressing our skills at providing practice materials and we are working towards producing a choir recording. Each member is recording their own part in the comfort of their own home (the soundproofing of which seems the hardest part) for our ‘apprentice sound engineer’ to work on. I’m sure, as our skills are honed, we will continue to enjoy the challenges of singing to a different audience.
25th June. Hard to believe we have been isolating for 3 months; when this began we did not imagine that we would be suffering for so long. Fortunately, the weather has been kind so the queue for shops has been more acceptable than it could have been.
The choir has continued to progress with practices via ZOOM and we are slowly getting to grips with the technology required to keep us moving forward. Let’s hope it’s not too long before we can return to the real world.
Here we are on 10th May and still confined to barracks. An announcement is due on the next phase of the ‘lockdown’ which we approach with concern on many levels. We are seeing many changes to everyday life and the choir is striving to maintain contact through continued ‘ZOOM’ choir practices. We log in to the meeting at our usual practice time and have chance to say hello to most of the members before having a sing to backing tracks broadcast over the system. Not ideal but good to maintain a presence and keep in touch. Thursday nights session was an opportunity to celebrate VE Day, though not how we expected it; we were due to entertain at Tupton but, instead, were treated to some music from Mick Mullarkey and a chance to sing some well known favourites like The White Cliffs of Dover and We’ll Meet Again to get in the mood for the ‘big day’.
On Wednesday 6th May we were able to join the funeral service for our old friend Ron Padley . With only 10 people allowed at the crematorium the service was broadcast on the ‘web’ and it was good to be able to ‘virtually’ attend as the only available alternative. It was a lovely service which is now available to view at www.obitus.com, select ‘view a webcast’; at the top there are 2 boxes, in the first put amber6645 and in the second 589645. Press the arrow you see to the left of the picture and see the service. I was not aware, until then, that singing was not allowed and this makes you realise how difficult the future is going to be.
Hoping you and your families are keeping safe, and spirits up, just don’t forget to keep singing.
18th March 2020. In a rapidly developing picture, I think it safe to say that at least half of 2020 has been cancelled. Suffice to say that, rather than announcing what is cancelled, we must assume that all activities are stopped until further notice. Early April now seems a little ambitious for choir practice resumption; I think the difficulty will be getting started again after this stage of the crisis is declared over. It’s difficult to imagine, at this moment, what the future holds; all we can hope is that all our friends are able to keep safe until it’s over and look forward to meeting up again at the other side. As we have said so often, singing is a great healer so let’s all keep taking the medicine.
After the tremendous start to the year (see below), you may have seen from the Facebook feed that it has been decided that choir activity be halted until early April.
The Civic Service which was due to take place at St Martin’s Church this afternoon (15th March) was cancelled and future concerts will be subject to constant review.
It is remarkable how life has changed in such a short space of time due to the coronavirus ; in consideration of the long term prospects it can only be hoped that normal service will be resumed.
To all you choir members, a reminder that practice tracks are on the site and can be accessed for you to help keep in touch with your vocal chords.
Hope to see you soon.
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2020 got off to a tremendous start for the choir last evening (24th January) when we were joined by the Derbyshire Community Male Voice Choir, led by Chris Hare, at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, Alfreton; it was a great evening of entertainment for a small but enthusiastic audience which enjoyed music and laughter from both choirs.
We set the ball rolling with Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin classic 1911) before going romantic with our version of ‘Let It Be Me’ (popularised in 1994), and High on a Hill (arranged by Alwyn Humphreys); closing the first half was a solo from one of our base section, Colin Smith.
DCMVC then entertained us with a variety of pieces, one of the highlights, to me, being a very moving solo by Tom Fleming singing ‘Tell My Father’ from a little known musical called Civil War. Another favourite was Hallelujah, the well known Leonard Cohen piece. Chairman Kevin Griffiths quoted a few nuggets from his joke book between numbers to raise a smile.
Our very own Mick Mullarkey entertained, encouraging audience participation with Swing Low and a few other well known and liked sing-along songs. What would we do without him?????
We then tried to help a sleeping lion with ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ (popularised by Token, 1987), then sang ‘Bring Him Home’ and ‘Do You Hear The People Sing’ from Les Miserable (1980) and ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’ (1938). ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (Original version by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, popularised as a football anthem in 1963) rounded off the AMVC set. This was followed by a joint rendition of ‘You Raise Me Up’ and ‘American Trilogy’ to bring the evening to a rousing conclusion.
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December 2019
2019 went out with a hectic few weeks seeing the choir entertaining at several venues, all of them greatly enjoyable.
3rd December (see below)
10th December was the Palmer Morewood Christmas Party, good fun for all.
11th December South Wingfield Social Club, a great evening enjoyed by all.
13th December Swanwick Baptist Church Carolathon, carols chosen by the audience.
16th December Florence Shipley Care Home entertaining residents and families.
19th December Meadows Care Home for our old friend Ron Padley.
21st December Christmas at the Ripley Co-Op. Most enjoyable morning raising £400.00 for British Heart Foundation.
Time to rest the vocal chords before it becomes a happy memory!
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Tuesday 3rd December
Today several members of Alfreton MVC joined Pye Hill MVC to attend the funeral service for Raymond Grenville Smith who sadly died on 8th November aged 88. Ray had been a valued member of both choirs for some years and was, to say the least, a well liked ‘character’. Having sung everywhere from base to top tenor he could always be relied on to add something to our vocal arrangements.
A delightful service was conducted by Reverend Ros Wilkes at Swanwick Baptist Church, entrance music being Moon River, one of Ray’s solo triumphs. All Things Bright and Beautiful was the opening hymn followed by a tribute to Ray’s life and exploits. Pye Hill and Alfreton Choirs then joined in singing ‘Speed Your Journey’ and ‘Softly as I Leave You’. Amazing Grace was the final hymn before words of commendation and exit to the song ‘On Top Of The World’ by the Carpenters.
We then retired to the Cross Keys for refreshments and more memories of our ‘experiences’ with Ray. A most fitting and enjoyable, though sad. occasion.
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Friday 29th November
After a great disappointment on Thursday 28th November due to cancellation of the Willersley Castle appearance (they omitted to inform us until we had arrived at the venue) we had an enjoyable evening entertaining guests at the Roman Catholic Church, Alfreton, A lively evening was enjoyed by a sizeable audience and the choir. Mick Mullarkey and the Saga Louts caused some merriment amidst a varied programme of songs from the choir. Our pianist, Michael Anthony, played a couple of delightful Christmassy songs ably assisted by his daughter, Rachel, on sleigh bells. Tea and mince pies supplied by the church were a welcome half time treat.
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‘YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE’ CONCERT
19TH October
Last Quarter of 2019
Another update for 2019. The last one started with our activities at a Christmas celebration (admittedly in January) and here we are coming very close to it starting all over again. We have been busy with Bulwell and Stonebroom concerts, the Mayor’s Civic Reception and, of course, our annual concert for this year in support of the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
And what a night that was at The Post Mill Centre, South Normanton.
A packed house was treated to an evening of varied music with a great deal of laughter thrown in. We were entertained to some wonderful trumpet solos by Mr John Barker, some light entertainment and community singing with the Saga Louts and pieces including ‘Alexander’s Rag Time Band’, ‘Let it be Me’, ‘The Holy City’ and John Rutter’s interpretation of ‘For The Beauty of the Earth’.
Although we sang about it, the lion did not get much sleep; we seem to have a new member which helped us bring some amusement to Wimoweh.
Other songs from the shows included Anthem from Chess and, from Les Misérables, Bring Him Home and Do You Hear the People Sing {with much enthusiastic flag waving from Tom). Mulligans Musketeers put in an appearance before being upstaged by pirates from the Jolly Roger (and Squalk the parrot).
Chairman Derrick Hesketh presents tokens of appreciation.
We enjoyed singing How Great Thou Art, always a pleasure to hear John Stamp’s solo verse. I should also mention the solo performance in The Holy City performed by Colin Smith; unfortunately this was missed from the programme so many apologies to him as it is a great piece.
After some information about the Bluebell Wood Childrens Hospice, the beneficiary of the evening, ‘That’s All I Want From You’ was a very poignant reminder of how precious life is. ‘High on a Hill’ (accompanied by John on trumpet) is about making your way and seeing the world while, finally, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ sums up the evening’s theme; in the face of events which most of us, thankfully, only hear of, it is heartening to know that a place like Bluebell Wood is there to support patients and families through the most difficult of times and that no-one need feel they are alone.
Life goes on:-
November promises to be a challenge with Wirksworth URC, Willersley Castle and Christ the King on 23rd, 28th and 29th. Somewhere in there the Saga Louts have to pull in a collection for ‘Children in need’ around Alfreton town. Then we’re getting in the Christmas spirit at Palmer Morewood’s Christmas Party on the 10th December, South Wingfield Social Club on 11th December , Swanwick Baptist Church on 13th and Florence Shipley Home, Heanor on 16th.
We’re looking forward to our visit to Ripley Co-Op on 21st and that’s almost another year over.
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Halfway through 2019
Where does the time go? We are already half way through 2019 and are working hard in preparation for our October Showcase; in the meantime we have had a busy time. January 15th was a late celebration of Christmas at the Palmer Morewood Club; in March we visited our own Ron Padley at the Meadows Care Home, Alfreton and he helped us entertain the residents (Ron can’t get to the choir practice, so the choir went to Ron). In April we entertained at the Mayors Civic Reception, held at Palmer Morewood and on May 23rd we entertained at Alfreton Community Hall, in aid of St Martins Church, alongside Samantha Knighton and Hannah Ball. Sadly, prior to this, on April 24th, we were privileged to be invited to attend the funeral of Jacqui Mullarkey , the much missed wife of Mick Mullarkey. On 11th June we made a further visit, back by popular demand, to the Meadows Care Home for Ron and on 19th June we entertained holidaymakers at Willersley Castle, Matlock. A visit to Belper Memorial Park on 30th June for the annual Lark in the Park brings us up to date and we hope you have managed to catch at least one of the performances; if not we hope to see you sometime in the future.
A little quiet spell coming up for a few weeks while we hone up the concert programme . It gets busy in September and continues to be hectic all the way to Christmas. Keep an eye on tbe diary.
We are sad to report the passing of Mavis Padley, the wife of our longest serving member Ron who, you may recall, we recently visited in the Meadows Care Home where they both lived. The funeral is on Monday 12th August at 1pm at St. Martin’s Church, Alfreton; the choir will be there to support Ron at this very difficult time and be singing one of our, and his, favourite songs, which we know as Ron’s Song, because he donated it to the choir some years ago. Thoughts and prayers go out to Ron and the family.
Memories of 2018
As you may know, the highlight of the year was our performance at the Royal Albert Hall; (click to see the story) on what you may not know is the amount of work that goes in to this event. Learning the pieces is one thing ( some of them being arduous), taking practice time on a weekly basis and 3 trips to Huddersfield for collective rehearsal adds to the commitment. We did, however, manage to perform our usual concert at the Community Hall, Alfreton (with proceeds on behalf of St Martins Church) on 11th of May; as usual we were wonderfully supported and entertained by Samantha Nighton and Hannah Ball.
On 30th of June, we attended St Peter’s Church, Stonebroom and joined the junior choir for an evenings entertainment. July the 1st was our visit to Belper River Gardens where we were blessed with some beautiful weather and a very happy and enthusiastic audience.
For 23rd August, Secretary Stamp organised an afternoon out comprising a trip down the Cromford Canal on the Birdswood Barge followed by afternoon tea at Willersley Castle, a thoroughly enjoyable social gathering.
On the 6th of October, our concert at the David Nieper Academy was on behalf of the charity When You Wish Upon a Star and was a most enjoyable evening; we were joined by mezzo soprano Sara Louisa Parry singing songs from the shows; what a wonderful voice she has. We were pleased to be able to present the charity with a cheque for £800.00.
Monday 3rd of December found us entertaining residents, friends and family at the Florence Shipley Residential Care Home in Heanor, a lovely facility for dementia, old age and physical disability cases. A great time was had by all, the residents getting into the swing by dressing up as pirates for a trip on The Jolly Roger and acting out the Twelve Days of Christmas. It was heartening to see the pleasure given to some residents who, whilst not being very aware on a day to day basis, were able to join in and enjoy the well known songs; further proof that singing is a great incentive.
12th December was our visit to South Wingfield Social Club where another great time was had by all, mince pies and mulled wine being supplied in abundance. Again, the Twelve Days of Christmas encouraged a great deal of audience participation and laughter.
On 13th December, Secretary Stamp excelled again by arranging a Christmas dinner at Alfreton Golf Club. A great meal was followed by a quiz which involved some vocal answers; novel and much fun.
On 21st of December, we attended Swanwick Baptist Church and entertained with a few of our songs, interspersed with a selection of carols picked by the audience; children were particularly encouraged to join in and did so with great relish; apparently parents took a long time to regain control after the excitement.
22nd December was our visit to Ripley Co-op where we entertained shoppers for a couple of hours; representatives of the British Heart Foundation made a collection and it was certainly 2 hours well spent; enjoyed by all, the collection raised a fantastic £354.27.
Our Christmas presentation to Palmer Morewood Social Club, thanking them for putting up with us each Thursday all year, was due to take place in December but, due to unforeseen circumstances, it was postponed. It is now scheduled for Tuesday 15th January, Christmas decorations and carols to be retained. We look forward to the Christmas extension. Roll on 2019.
November 2018
Our concert venue.
That’s us going in the Artists’ Entrance.
Being part of this, raising money for the most worthwhile causes and enjoying the spirit of singing and comradeship each week makes me wonder why you have not joined us yet.
Mick Mullarkey, ever ready to entertain, helps us unwind after the concert.
Happy choristers and supporters on the way home after a tiring but exhilarating weekend.
See ‘News’ for a report of the weekends adventures.
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October
What a busy few days: choir practice on Thursday, sound checks in preparation for the concert on Friday, concert performance on Saturday and trip to Huddersfield on Sunday for a rehearsal for our Royal Albert Hall Concert .
Saturday
Saturday, 6th October, saw the choir come together, with our guest Sara Louisa Parry, at the David Nieper Academy where we entertained an appreciative audience and raised money in aid of ‘When You Wish upon a Star’. It was a great evening with a variety of songs from the choir: a medley from the musical Oliver, a song of the Drunken Sailor, a trip aboard the Jolly Roger (accompanied by the parrot ‘Squalk’) night manoeuvres with Mulligan’s Musketeers and a trip to the barricade and beyond with ‘Do You Hear The People Sing’ a meeting with some ‘Stout Hearted Men’ and we went Marching In with some Saints; Calon Lan, Goin’ Home, How Great Thou Art, a trip to the Holy City and the traditional song ‘Amen’ completed the programme.
What a treat it was, though, to hear Sara Louisa Parry’s Mezzo Soprano voice singing ‘Memory’ from Cats, a Judy Garland Medley, a Barbra Streisand Medley and ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Misérables; a truly thrilling performance.
We are always fortunate to be supported by Lisa Smith on piano (who always seems able to keep us in order) but who proved her particular talent in supporting Sara with such feeling and virtuosity.
There was a resounding finish when Sara joined the choir in ‘You Raise Me Up’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ to round off a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
This years charity was ‘When You Wish Upon a Star‘. Alexa Wigfield represented the charity and gave us all a little insight into the work that is carried out to bring a little light to the lives of these unfortunate children and their families. We hope that our, and your, efforts will help. If you click on the ‘When You Wish’ logo above you can see, and hear, some heart warming stories.
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Sunday
On Sunday we had an early start to get to Huddersfield Town Hall for 9.30 to attend a rehearsal for our November 3rd appearance at the Royal Albert Hall. This was a meeting of Northern choirs and the first time the ladies and men got together. We were under the eyes and ears of William Relton (wearing his trademark red braces) and were given a few sharp words of ‘encouragement’ when we did not stick quite to his plan. It was most enjoyable and rewarding to hear the pieces we are practicing taking shape with 750 voices instead of the usual 30. A slightly concerning fact is that the men are outnumbered by the ladies this year; not, you understand, that I have anything against ladies, but see it as a worrying decline of interest in the male section.
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Nights are drawing in and clocks will soon be going back. I’ve already heard of some people singing carols. The years get shorter!
A few weeks concentrating on The Royal Albert Hall then it is really nearly Christmas. A busy time for the choir begins with a trip to Florence Shipley Care Home in Heanor on 3rd December, Wednesday 12th December we are at South Wingfield Social Club, Thursday 13th we are having our own Christmas celebration at Alfreton Golf Club, Thursday 21st Baptist Church, Swanwick and Saturday 22nd we are at Ripley Co-Op for our annual ‘Entertain the Shoppers ‘ with a collection for the British Heart Foundation, usually a most enjoyable and rewarding morning.
Each Thursday we enjoy our singing session followed by some very welcome lubrication from the bar. Unfortunately, we have lost several members of late for various reasons and need to recruit replacements. If you’ve read this far, how about giving it a go; you would not regret it!!!
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Last year was a busy and enjoyable year for the choir with several appearances at Willersley Castle, an afternoon ‘ Lark in the Park’ (with good weather) at Belper River Gardens, concerts at Alfreton Community Hall and Zion Church at South Wingfield , we supported 2 wonderful wedding ceremonies, performed at the Alfreton Town Council Civic Service at the Watchorn Church and entertained the Somercotes Ladies Group. These events were topped in October by our Autumn Showcase, performed at a new venue, The David Nieper Academy, Grange Street, Alfreton.
During the Christmas period some choir members entertained a group of Dementia and Alzheimer sufferers at a meeting in Alfreton; we all performed at South Wingfield Social Club’s Christmas Event, Palmer Morewood’s Christmas Party, morning at Ripley Co-Op and evening at Tesco, Alfreton. All these events were well received and collections for the British Heart Foundation alongside appearances at the Co-Op and Tesco realised the magnificent sum of £457.99.
We look forward to 2018 being equally productive and enjoyable; as usual, we hope to make your acquaintance along the way.
This years annual concert is on October 6th and is supporting ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’
Press this LINK for more information.
It is very moving to see the enjoyment that these unfortunate children, and their carers, get from the experiences they have, thanks to the support and encouragement of this organisation. The good thing is that you can support the charity and, as a reward, have an excellent evening’s entertainment at The David Nieper Academy, Alfreton.
You may have seen through the year that we have a small group of choir members who like to ‘dress up’ (or maybe that should be ‘down’) to support the busking talents of Mr Mick Mullarkey; on these occasions Alfreton has been ‘entertained’ in aid of collections for Ashgate Hospice, Children in Need and Red Nose Day ( in fact, any excuse to have a laugh and make money in the process). They also seem to have found their way past the MD and into the concerts (he appreciates it really), providing a little amusement and diversity.
Keep an eye on the diary and make sure to join us at some future event; we look forward to the opportunity to entertain you. Please continue to explore the site; we hope you find it interesting. It would be very much appreciated if you would leave a comment on the CONTACT page; simply go to the enquiry form, fill in what it asks for and leave a message. Whether a criticism, a suggestion, some information for us, a request for something from us or just to acknowledge that you are there, we will be pleased to hear it.
Click HISTORY to see where we come from and DIARY to see where we are going to. (Make a note in your diary and we hope meet you).
See our CHARITIES for the beneficiaries of our work and JOIN US should you be interested in singing (sorry but we are a men only choir). There is a little about our singers in MEMBERS with sample music in GALLERY.
There is lots about us in WHAT WE DO and the range of our music in SONGS. If you have any requests for concerts, bookings or suggestions use CONTACT US. For up to date details and practice news press LINKS.
To see some information about significant members of the choir, go to BIOGRAPHIES
Where: Palmer-Morewood Memorial Club, 36 Hall St, Alfreton, DE55 7BU
When: Thursdays 6:45pm - 8:30pm
Tupton Village Hall is holding an event to celebrate D-Day and we will be on hand to lend some vocal entertainment. I will give more information when available.
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