Wednesday, 9thDecember 2009
Dear Choir,
You may remember my Christmas letter last year stating“2008 has been a successful and very busy year … we will have completed 22 events.” Well, this year, we seem to have broken all records. Our Town Hall concert on 19th December will be our 29th event of the year. When you add 49 rehearsals, 11 committee meetings (this is starting to sound like “The 12 days of Christmas”!), other meetings, and tour travel,over 90 days have been taken up by choir business of one sort or another.
Choir members have mentioned different events as their highlights; Malcolm William’s book launch, the Everyman Theatre, the Lady Chapel in Ely, the unique Havengore experience in London on Remembrance Day and the Help for Heroes concert in Gloucester Cathedral. My highlight was being in the Playhouse in September to see Don Baker and Bernard Stride accept their citations “for services to music” from Cheltenham Arts Council. Why? Because I have to own up to feeling a touch of concert fatigue during this year, but I will have to attend many more to match a fraction of their achievements.
The videos uploaded to our website show an improvement in both our presentation and, more so, our singing. Even my Dad, who is difficult to please in matters of deportment, complimented the Choir and one reporter described our singing of Steal Away as “sublime”.
Our musical team must be applauded for 2009. The rest of us can miss a rehearsal or a concert but they can not without making provision for a replacement. This is the reason for our search for an assistant accompanist and assistant musical director. If my memory serves me correctly, Geoff Mann has only missed a couple of dates and Martin Dear’s attendance has been continuous.
More new recruits have joined this year and we are very pleased to welcome them. They have joined during our 60th anniversary year and their enthusiasm has been infectious. As this year draws to an end, we can rightfully claim to have an even stronger choir. I can not think of any aspect which has not improved. We are now saying bookingsare closed for next year, knowing that one or two extras will probably creep in.
I would like to thank my fellow committee members. They are a hard working and helpful team. Each member knows his or her job which they carry out efficiently, so much so that our monthly committee meetings now take little time because all the work has already been done.
My pride in our choir is surpassed only by my admiration for your stamina during this year.
Have a wonderful Christmas,
Steve Allsup
Chairman
The Cotswold Male Voice Choir, 3 London Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6EX, United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1242 236682 M: +44 (0)7717 416154 E: