Category: charities

On Saturday evening the 16th December 2023 at St. Nicholas Church, Warwick, Village Voices with Southam Melody Makers held their ‘Ding Dong Merrily’ Christmas Concert in support of the charity Rufus’ Friends’ Fund. £1,800 was raised for the charity, including Southam Melody Makers generous contribution.

The packed audience enjoyed a varied programme of well-known and not so well-known Christmas music, including pieces by the talented young violinist Kateryna Pratsovyta.

Kateryna also joined Elena Mitsuk and Kieron Howe as soloists singing the beautiful traditional Ukrainian Carol, V Vyfleyemi Novyna (There is News in Bethlehem), arranged by Kieron.

The audience also joined Southam Melody Makers and Village Voices in singing some traditional Christmas songs.

Very many thanks to Kieron Howe, musical director of Village Voices, for making the evening such a special occasion, as did Helen Pugh, accompanying the choir and similarly, Julie Edwards director and accompanist of Southam Melody Makers.

The evening also included some readings by members from both choirs.

Christmas Concert Programme

Also many thanks to all who helped behind the scenes, including those who moved all the furniture into place, who prepared the raffle prizes and sold tickets, who generously provided food and drink for refreshments and those who served them up and cleared away. Not forgetting all those who organised the concert and provided publicity material.

Below are YouTube links to a number of videos recorded during the concert by Southam Melody Makers:

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The Lamb, Ding Dong Merrily & A Winter’s Tale The Lamb John Taverner words by William Blake, Ding Dong Merrily words George Ratcliff Woodward music Jehan Tabourot arr. Peter Hunt & A Winter’s Tale Mike Batt & Tim Rice

V Vyfleyemi Novyna There is News in Bethlehem trad. arr. Kieron Howe

Mary Did You Know? arr. Roger Emerson words and music by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene

We Wish You a Merry Christmas trad. arr. Alexander L’Estrange

And finally some audio recordings of the concert:

The Lamb

Ding Dong Merrily

Winter’s Tale

V Vyfleyemi Novyna

Mary Did You Know?

The University of Warwick Brass Society and Village Voices presented: A Christmas Concert at Saint Nicholas Church in Kenilworth, on Saturday evening 9th December 2023.

The audience enjoyed and participated in a wonderful evening of festive songs with minced pies and mulled wine.

£366 was donated, from the proceeds of the concert, to Myton Hospice in memory of Colin Sullivan.

On Saturday evening the 15th July at St Paul’s Church, Friars St, Warwick, Village Voices presented Summer at St. Paul’s; a programme of varied choral music spanning the last 400 years and across the globe.

The choir was delighted to welcome Edward Button from the King’s Singers, who sang Eternal Source of Light Divine, accompanied by David Pugh on trumpet.

Concert Programme

Other soloists included the very talented young flautist, Sophie Robertson, plus choir members Linda Hemming and Viv Hadley accompanied on piano by Julie Edwards. Also Julia Lea accompanying herself on guitar.

Very many thanks to Kieron Howe, the choir’s musical director, and pianist Helen Pugh, who accompanied the choir, for making the evening so joyful and successful.

Over £1,000 was raised for the choir’s chosen charity for 2023, Rufus’ Friends’ Fund.

Below is a selection of recordings from the concert:

Village Voices sing, with Sophie Roberts on flute, Early One Morning Traditional arr. Alexander L’Estrange

Village Voices sing Ave Verum Corpus from Gradualia by William Byrd

The choir sings Weeping by Dan Heymann arr. Alexander L’Estrange

Village Voices sing Wanting Memories by Ysaye M. Barnwell

Followed by Ah, Poor Bird and Rose, Rose Traditional

Ukrainian Prayer by John Rutter

Click to see Videos of Ukrainian Prayer, Harbour and Fields of Gold.

On Saturday 25th March Village Voices with North Leamington School Wind Band presented a concert of Music Stage and Screen at All Saints’ Church, Warwick.

 

 

The packed audience delighted in a fun-filled evening of music and entertainment with talented young soloists – Sophie Bull and Evie Howe. Plus the choir’s own Colin Sullivan accompanied by Peter Wimpenny on clarinet.

 

 

Concert Programme

 

Kieron Howe, the musical director of both the band and the choir, and Roger Haygreen, the choir’s accompanist since 2010, together with Julie Edwards, did a wonderful job in making the concert such an enjoyable event.

From funds raised during the evening, Village Voices donated £1,500 to the local charity Rufus’ Friends’ Fund.

Below is a selection of audio recordings from the concert:

Village Voices sing Moon River by Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini arr. K Bellman

North Leamington School Wind Band  plays music from the Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt arr. Michael Sweeney

Colin Sullivan sings If I Were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof by Sheldon Harnick & Jerry Bock. Accompanied by Peter Wimpenny on clarinet and Roger Haygreen on piano

Village Voices, accompanied by North Leamington School Wind Band, sing Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco) by Giuseppe Verdi

Sophie Bull sings Requiem from Dear Evan Hansen by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Sophie Bull, accompanied by North Leamington School Wind Band & Village Voices, sings You Will be Found by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul arr. Mac Huff

Village Voices sing Now is the Month of Maying by Thomas Morley

Followed by I Wan’na Be Like You from Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book   arr. Mac Huff

Village Voices sing The Seal Lullaby. Rudyard Kipling’s words set to music by Eric Whitacre

And Love Changes Everything. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart arr. Ed Lojeski

 

Village Voices & Cubbington Silver Band held a joyous Christmas Celebration Concert on Saturday evening 3rd December at St. Nicholas Church, Warwick in support of the British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK and Myton Hospice.

The church was absolutely packed and the concert included ‘Walking in the Air’ – a trombone solo by Lilia Clifford and ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ – a clarinet solo by Peter Wimpenny. Plus, a number of readings by individual members of the choir.

 

Christmas Concert Programme

During the evening the Cubbington Silver Band played the National Anthem of Ukraine, and the choir sang a traditional Ukrainian carol, Boh Predivcnyj Narodivsja, especially for our guests – a number of Ukrainian refugees living locally.

Kieron Howe, the musical director of both the band and the choir, and Roger Haygreen, the choir’s accompanist, did a wonderful job in making the evening such an enjoyable occasion.

From funds raised at the concert, Village Voices donated £500 to each of the charities it has been supporting in 2022: British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. The Cubbington Silver Band making its own donation to Myton Hospice.

Below are some audio recordings from the concert:

Village Voices singing Torches by John Joubert

Village Voices singing Angels’ Carol by John Rutter

Cubbington Silver Band playing Everlasting Light by Martin Cordner

Village Voices singing O Christmas Tree arranged by Alexander L’Estrange

Cubbington Silver Band playing Schneewaltzer by Thomas Koschat arranged by Goff Richards

Village Voices singing Gaudete! Traditional

CSB playing Stop the Cavalry by Jona Lewis arranged by Derek Broadbent and

Fairytale of New York by Jem Finer & Shae McGowan arranged by Jock McKenzie

Village Voices singing Boh Predivcnyj Narodivsja, a traditional Ukrainian carol

CSB playing the Ukrainian National Anthem by Mikhailo Verbytsky arranged by Kieron Howe

On Sunday afternoon 17th July 2022 the choir held a very enjoyable and varied concert at Northgate Methodist Church in Warwick, which raised £450 for Evelyn’s Gift.

 

The concert programme included:

 

A number of choir members sang solos including Claire Darlington, Viv Hadley and Amanda Lewis. Trevor Barr and Kevin Sumner led the audience and choir in singing ‘The Lighthouse’ by Lin Marsh, and Trevor played an improvised piano piece. Peter Wimpenny played the clarinet as part of the choir’s rendition of ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’.

On Sunday 5th December 2021 the choir held a very successful Christmas Concert for family and friends at Northgate Methodist Church in Warwick.

 

The total raised for Evelyn’s Gift was £731.50, including donations raised from the sale of items during the term, proceeds from ticket sales & raffle and retiring collection.

 

Below are links to video recordings of the choir performing:

Oh Holy Night by Adolphe Adam arrangement Benjamin Hamilton

Ding Dong Merrily on High words by G. R. Woodward

Gaudete! by Stefan Wyatt

The Nativity Carol by John Rutter

Mid-Winter by Bob Chilcott

Hark the Herald Angels sung with the Audience

O Little Town of Bethlehem by H. Walford Davies words Phillips Brooks

 

Singing at the Guild Chapel, Stratford-upon-Avon. Readings and Carols in support of Springfield Mind. Followed by refreshments in Stratford Town Hall.

On Saturday 7th December at 7.30pm Village Voices presented its Christmas Gloria Charity Concert at All Saints Church 29 Vicarage Field, Warwick CV34 5NJ in aid of The Friendship Project for Children.

Village Voices were joined by Soloists Belinda Morley, Olivia Griffiths and members of Leamington Sinfonia for a performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria, followed by traditional carols.

Musical Director Trevor Barr and accompanist Roger Haygreen.

The sell-out concert was the most ambitious and successful presented by the choir to date and raised £1,350 for The Friendship Project for Children.