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The choir held its 30th Anniversary Concert at All Saints’ Parish Church, Leamington Spa during the evening of Saturday 19th July 2025 – All the World’s a Stage – (Seven Ages of Man), with Cubbington Silver Band.
Proceeds in aid of Warwickshire Vision. During the evening the choir was accompanied on piano by Helen Pugh.
The event was a great success with a packed church and included readings by Annie Othen and Alexandra Darlington. Our musical director, Kieron Howe, did a brilliant job, as did Helen Pugh and the Cubbington Silver Band.
Some recordings from the concert:
When I’m 64 by John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Excerpt of Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton Arr. Roger Emerson
Excerpt of Wherever You Are by Paul Mealor
Excerpt of The Road Home by Stephen Paulus
Excerpt of Shosholoza – traditional
Many thanks go to all those behind the scenes who helped to organise and provide for the event – including Top Nosh, refreshment servers, our furniture movers, entrance & raffle ticket sellers and those who provided and prepared the raffle prizes.
Also to All Saints’ Parish Church, Leamington.
On 12th/13th July members of the choir took a weekend away for a workshop in Bristol with Wendy Sergeant and later travelled to Yeovil to perform in an evening concert with South Petherton Ladies Pop Choir.
All very much enjoyed both events and were very grateful to Wendy and to the Ladies Pop Choir for there involvement. Please click on the following to read the full Report.
Thursday 8th May 2025 the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The choir sang in the early evening at a short service of Remembrance at Leamington Spa War Memorial.
Village Voices sang “Only Remembered” from Warhorse and the lovely hymn “Nearer My God to Thee”.
On Saturday 5th April 7.30pm the choir held a concert at St Nicholas Church, Kenilworth with a jazz quintet and Warwickshire Youth Choirs.
During the evening the choir was accompanied on piano by Helen Pugh.
The concert focused on a journey into Africa including Zimbe! by Alexander L’Estrange.
Proceeds in aid of Warwickshire Vision.
The church was absolutely packed. Our musical director, Kieron Howe, did a brilliant job, as did Helen Pugh, the jazz quintet and Warwickshire Youth Choirs, in making the evening a resounding success.
Many thanks go to all those behind the scenes who helped to organise and provide for the event – including Top Nosh, our furniture movers, entrance & raffle ticket sellers and those who prepared the raffle prizes.
Also to St. Nicholas Church, Kenilworth.
Our Christmas Concert, Amid The Falling Snow, was held on 14th December 7.30pm at St. Nicholas Church, Warwick, where we raised £1,800 for New Chapters, our chosen charity for 2024.
Joining us in concert were:
Musical Director: Kieron Howe who has a long list of musical achievements and commitments, and the choir is so fortunate ‘he took us on’ in 2022.
Pianist: Roger Haygreen, our accompanist since 2010. Like Kieron he has a long list of musical achievements and we don’t know what we would do without him!
Flute: Sophie Robertson who plays flute in North Leamington Wind Band, Warwickshire County Wind Band, the recent Swan Youth Orchestra course and more.
Pianist: Julie Edwards an accomplished musician who directs and plays for Southam Melodymakers and is the accompanist for a number of singing groups.
Singing Group: Singing for Fun run by Kieron and set up in 2017 as a new enterprise of Warwickshire County Council’s Adult & Community Learning Team. It provides wonderful musical, health-giving and bonding experiences with a membership of at least 30.
Clarinet: Peter Wimpenny, a member of Village Voices and multi-instrument soloist and folk band player.
Below are some recordings from the concert:
Village Voices
Amid the Falling Snow Words: Roma Ryan, Music: Enya & Nicky Ryan
Ding Dong! Merrily on High 16th century French melody, arr. Peter Hunt
Village Voices and Singing for Fun
Te Harinui – Christmas song from New Zealand Willow Mack, arr. Wendy Sergeant
Village Voices
Coventry Carol 16th century English, arr. Martin Shaw
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol Words and music by John Rutter
Village Voices and Singing for Fun
Gaudete Piae Cantiones, 1582
Village Voices
Love Came Down Words: Cristina Rosetti, Music: Craig McLeish
Away in a Manger 19th century American, Melody: W.J Kirkpatrick
Winter Waltz Based on the poem Winter Waltz by Christy Ann Martine, Music: Wendy Sergeant
On the evening of Saturday 9th November at the Spa Centre, Village Voices took part in the moving and reflective act of remembrance known as Warwick District Remembers.
The choir’s repertoire for the Concert included:
Siyahamba, *National Anthem, Something Inside So Strong, This is Home, Harbour,
*Rule Britannia (chorus), *Nearer my God to Thee, Shores of Normandy, Greater Love,
*Jerusalem and *I Vow to Thee my Country. *Denotes audience participation songs.
Very many thanks to our musical director, Kieron Howe and our accompanist, Roger Haygreen, for enabling the choir to perform so effectively. Also many thanks to all those behind the scenes, who worked so hard before, during and after the event.
The choir singing Harbour:
The evening was organised by Adrian Barton and was a mixture of music, poetry, pageantry and religious service that was a fitting homage to remember those who have given their lives in various conflicts.
There is no glory in war and this event did not glorify war. It was an act of remembrance for those who died. Those who find themselves embroiled in conflict do not necessarily do so out of choice, yet their lives come to an abrupt, inglorious end in some far-flung part of the world. Those of us who benefit from their ultimate sacrifice have little to give in return. All we can give to them is remembrance.
On Saturday 20th July 7.30pm at Dale Street Methodist Church, Leamington CV32 5HL Village Voices presented a concert to a packed audience in aid of the local charity New Chapters, which included:
Movements from Zimbe! – Alexander L’Estrange,
Adiemus – Karl Jenkins,
Sing Gently – Eric Whitacre,
Greater Love – Ireland,
Locus Iste – Bruckner,
Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton,
Something Inside So Strong – Labi Siffre.
As Alexander L’Estrange turns 50, Karl Jenkins turns 80, and Anton Bruckner would have been 200, Village Voices celebrated some of their fabulous music with space for celebration and reflection.
We also remembered the 110th anniversary of the start of WWI and the 80th anniversary of D-Day with John Ireland’s music setting the words ‘Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends’.
We invited the audience to bathe in the beautiful sounds of Eric Whitacre’s Sing Gently and finished the concert back in Africa with Labi Siffre’s empowering Something Inside So Strong.
Those attending were also captivated by the amazingly talented brothers: Edouard Scherer on alto saxophone and Martin Scherer on Euphonium, who added an extra musical dimension to the evening.
Very many thanks to our musical director, Kieron Howe and accompanist, Roger Haygreen, for making the evening such a resounding success.
Also many thanks to all those behind the scenes, including those who prepared the raffle prizes and sold tickets; provided the delicious refreshments and the catering team; and those who moved all the furniture before and after the concert.
Not forgetting those who organised the concert and created and distributed the publicity material.
Finally, many thanks to Dale Street Methodist Church for allowing us to use their lovely venue.
Below are some recordings from the concert:
This is Home by Sophia Efthimiou
Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton arr. Roger Emerson
Something Inside So Strong by Labi Siffre arr. Jonathan Wikeley
Siyahamba & Freedom is Coming Traditional arr. Alexander L’Estrange
Sing Gently by Eric Whitacre
Roses of Picardy lyrics by Fred E. Weatherley music Haydn Wood arr. Peter Irvine
Greater Love Hath No Man by John Ireland
Locus Iste by Anthon Bruckner
Adiemus by Karl Kenkins
I will Sing with the Spirit by John Rutter
At the start of our choir session on Thursday evening 16th May, Irene, who had requested we support the local charity Rufus’ Friends’ Fund in 2023, presented a cheque for £4,325 on behalf of the choir to representatives of the charity.
Members of the choir sang at Galanos House in Southam. The care home is exclusively for the Armed Services community and the choir was invited to perform a number of their favourite pieces of music, old and not so old, for residents and family at the home.
We had a lovely response to our performance, we even had some of the audience dancing to our version of Rock around the Clock!