WHEN they returned to rehearsals after the festive break, Warrington Male Voice Choir members sang the praises of those who went along to its Christmas Voices Christmas Brass concert and who also donated to a great cause.
An audience of over 400 people went along to the Parr Hall last month to listen to and enjoy the choir and Leyland Band, as well as joining in with the singing of Christmas carols.
The Male Voice Choir were delighted with the audience turnout, despite it being somewhat lower than ticket sales indicated; a reflection, possibly, of some people’s ongoing concerns regarding COVID. Thanks to the efforts of the team at Radio General, the concert also went out live to patients in Warrington General Hospital.
As well as remembering those no longer with us as a result of the pandemic, time was taken to acknowledge the role of the NHS (the choir had donated seats to the Warrington & Halton Hospitals Charity for distribution to employees) and other key workers during the pandemic.
The concert was dedicated to those choir members who had passed away since the choir’s last performance at the Parr Hall – Christmas Voices Christmas Brass in December 2019 – and a special festive message from Choir Patron Terry Waite CBE was also read out.
Since returning to live, twice-weekly rehearsals in September last year, the choir has seen seven new members join and the majority of them were on stage at the Parr Hall. To help them with their first major stage performance with the choir, every chorister used music folders during the concert – the first time this has ever been done by the choir.
After enjoying a great evening of voices and brass, many audience members donated to the exit bucket collection in aid of St Rocco’s – raising a superb £600 in support of the amazing work done by a local charity serving the people of Warrington.
Looking forward, the date is already in the diary for this year’s Christmas Voices Christmas Brass – 17 December 2022. See you then!
