Photos by Colleen Gauntlett. Left click on an image to enlarge.
On Saturday 15th October over 50 members of Caldicot Male Voice Choir travelled up the modern M50 and M5 motorways before following in the footsteps of the ancient Romans along the Fosse Way to the picturesque All Saint’s Church in the village of Harbury, near Leamington Spa. This was the choir’s third visit to the church and our concert this time was to raise funds for the church’s Memorial Garden of Remembrance project and also to help the Harbury e-wheels scheme. This worthwhile endeavour uses the villages E-car Club members cars to transport those with physical or financial reasons who have little or no other transport options at no cost. The scheme works with local agencies such as Food Banks, Children’s Centres, Surgeries and Social Services.
Conducted by Siân Hatton and Shirley Anne James and accompanied throughout by John Nicholson on piano, the choir presented the enthusiastic audience of about 200 to a wide mix of genres and styles from our repertoire, including oppening with the well known Welsh hymns Rachie, Aberystwyth and the English favourite of John Wesley, Morte Criste (When I Survey the Wond’rous Cross). The programme also included music from the film and theatre worlds including The Lady is a Tramp, The Impossible Dream, The Rhythm of Life, On the Street Where You Live and Somewhere Out There. The pace changed from the love song made famous by Bette Midler, The Rose to the Elvis Presley version of An American Trilogy and Barbra Streisand’s The Way we Were. Mindful that the 14th October was the 103rd anniversary of the Senghenydd Mining disaster in which 440 Welsh Miners were tragically killed and also close to the 50th Anniversary on 21st October of the Aberfan disaster, the choir movingly sang A Miner’s Song written by Dan and Laura Curtis, appreciated by everyone present.
The concert was delightfully enhanced by the support of local 16 year old Lucy Bishop who only took up playing the harp less than 2 years ago after seeing the Nutcracker Suite ballet. Still at school, studying for A levels, Lucy has been accepted into the Junior Royal School of Music. Her first half performance on a full sized Italian concert harp, expertly played at a level well above her age and experience included Clement: Sonatina – Allegro, Andante and Vivace and the Skye Boat Song. No less wonderfully played, the second half included Pachelbel’s – Canon in D, Yiruma – River flows in you, featured on the album ‘First Love’ and an Ed Sheeran and Snow Patrol member Johnny McDaid composition – Photograph. The Choir and audience responded to Lucy’s performance with several rounds of rapturous applause throughout and at the end of the concert.
The concert, organised by chorister Terry Plummer’s daughter Julie Linforth who lives in the village, closed with Ride the Chariot with soloists Siân Hatton and David Gould followed by the modern Welsh song, extolling the virtues of living in Wales, O Gymru with soloist Tommy Hole.
We all look forward to re-visiting Harbury in the not too distant future, not least following the warm welcome and reception we have always received in this wonderful venue.