On Saturday night at the concert to help the Teenage Cancer Trust, Rob Stallard and his wife turned up to listen to us. Rob was so impressed on hearing us and with joining in with the after concert events, he put on his Facebook page that he might like to join.
The good news is that he turned up to practice on Monday and encouraged by a few choristers, asked if he could do his voice test to join the choir. Like so many before him, he went into the back room with Siân, did a few oohs and aahs up and down the scales and emerged to the announcement that he has been accepted as a TOP TENOR! Not only is this increasing the number of tenors, but the average age of the choir is being driven down and more coloured (or even) hair is showing up in the photos. Rob is well known to several choristers and he will be made very welcome. We’re sure he will enjoy an long and happy time with us.
Since most of our new members are in their fifties or even forties, and most are tenors, perhaps the government put something in the drinking water in the nineteen sixties and seventies?
On a sadder note, we’ve learned that Mike Hughes in the second tenors has announced he is leaving the choir because he is moving back to his roots in Neath and then later considering moving to New Zealand to be with his two daughters. Mike has been a loyal and long serving member of the second tenors for many years and will be greatly missed. We wish Mike and his family every happiness on his new move. He intends to be with us at the Annual Concert but regrettably this will be his last. Keep in touch though, Mike.
Dave Gould, our registrar, supplied the following statistics.
The age range of the choristers is from 19 to 92 years old.
79 active members (+ 1 on leave of Absence)
15 new Choristers have joined since January 2013 (8 of these are under 55 years old )
26 of our Choristers are between 45 and 55 years old
25 of our choristers are between 55 and 70 years old, leaving about a third who are over 70.
From this an estimate of the average age of our choir is about 57 years