Saturday 24th June, Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir 80/30 Anniversary Concert.
The Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir joined forces with our fellow choristors of Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir and Wycombe Orpheus Male Voice Choir to celebrate Vauxhall’s 80th anniversary, and Luton’s 30th anniversary.
An early start saw us meeting up for rehearsals and stage management at St. Mary’s Church in Luton just after lunchtime. Time passes quickly when you are working out the logistics of getting on and off stage, rehearsing with 60-plus singers!
After a busy afternoon schedule, we were glad of a break to refresh and eat before the evening concert
The concert included some favourite Male Voice Choir “standards” - "Morte Criste", "Take Me Home", "When The Saints Go Marching In".
Each choir showcased their own numbers.
We performed Bohemian Rhapsody and Steal Away.
The concert culminated in a rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone from the musical Carousel.
The post-concert afterglow at the University Union building involved some more singing – what a surprise! - as everyone relaxed after a very successful and enjoyable evening.
The Programme
Compere for the evening: Terry Driver
All Three Choirs
The National Anthem ................................................. arr. Edmund Walters
Morte Criste ................................................................ Emryn Jones
Take Me Home ........................................................... Edwards & Hand
Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir
Shenandoah .............................................................. Trad., arr Jeff Funk
Karen Beer – Soloist ................................................. accomp. David Beer
Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir
Bohemian Rhapsody ................................................ Freddie Mercury, arr. Meirion Davies
Steal Away ................................................................ TRAD, Spiritual
James Banville – Organ Solo
Toccata in F .............................................................. Widor (from 5th Symphony)
All Three Choirs
Gwahoddiad ............................................................. L. Hartshough, arr. John Tudor Davies
Rhythm Of Life ......................................................... D. Fields & Cy Coleman, arr. Richard Barnes
(from “Sweet Charity”)
INTERVAL
All Thee Choirs
American Trilogy ...................................................... TRAD, arr. A Humphries
My Lord, What A Mornin’ ......................................... TRAD, Spiritual, arr. R. Lee Gilliam
When The Saints Go Marching In ........................... TRAD, arr. Denys Hood
Wycombe Orpheus Male Voice Choir
God Only Knows ...................................................... B.Wilson / A. Asher, arr. Roger Witney
One Day Like This ................................................... Guy Garvey & others, arr. Paul Ayres
Karen Beer – Soloist ................................................ accomp. David Beer
Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir
The Rose .................................................................. Amanda McBroom, arr. Alwyn Humphries
African Prayer ........................................................... Enoch Sontonga, arr. Eric Jones
All Three Choirs & Karen Beer
You’ll Never Walk Alone ............................................ Richard Rodgers arr. Robert Gillman (from Carousel)