Hello from Alcester, Warwickshire and welcome to our website. |
Our 36th year is from September 2009 –July 2010 but before launching into this year, I would on behalf of AMVC committee members and choir members, like to thank all the hundreds of people who kindly supported us throughout our celebratory 35th Year. It was a fantastic success throughout and sponsors and audiences and friends of the choir helped to make it very special for us.Below is a summary of the year that will be remembered by many people during the years to come. It was a year of revisiting venues and participating in concerts with fellow comrades as well as organizing and following our own individual engagements. The highlight of the year was organising our 35th Anniversary Concert in Symphony Hall. A few photos have been included from the photo album.
| AMVC and Judith Land (MD) on Centre Stage | A Section of the Audience |
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| AMVC & Judith with the Royal Artillery Quintet | AMVC with Rutleigh/Norris Ballet School (Aida) |
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| Alcester Town Crier, David Parkes | AMVC with Rutleigh/Norris Ballet School (Carmina Burana) |
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| Jonathan French (Piano) | Bournville Young Singers and Anne Ellis (MD) |
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| Gary Griffiths (baritone) and Nico de Villiers (accomp) | Andrew Fletcher (organ) |
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The many wonderful accolades that have been sent to us has made us feel that all of the hard work was well worth it. To almost fill Symphony Hall to capacity was amazing and tremendously satisfying. Our audience provided an ambience of belonging and responded to each item with such enthusiasm.
Several people commented that ‘from the beginning of the concert with the Fanfare of Trumpeters from the Royal Artillery Band through to the passionate singing of Alcester Male Voice Choir and excellent performances by all participants, that each item was like a finale because each one was so good’. It certainly was a joy working with Philip Cotterill (presenter), young professionals and amateur groups of young people. Our Live at Symphony Hall CD recording provides a lovely record that captures the concert very fittingly.
 Sylvia Hyde, Lyndsay Butler and Judith Land |
Has the last year given us an appetite for working towards more ambitious projects? Well…. Yes it has … and it would be particularly wonderful if we could work side by side an ambitious charity wanting us to help them raise funds for their charity. To discuss a prospective project, please contact - judithamvc@hotmail.com
The 35th DINNER was well attended by 140 people and the evening was very successful and full of fun. Alcester Town Crier, David Parkes provided the formal announcements for the reception, after dinner speeches, awards to MD, accompanist and choristers for long service and introducing us first to the string quartet who played appropriate music throughout the evening and to the magician who certainly made us think and caused laughter during his table magic.
 Alcester Town Crier, David Parkes |
 35th Celebratory Cake |
 Sue and Judith (off duty) |
Invitations to participate in two very different Male Voice Choir Festivals meant that we sang with like-minded people with full choral programmes. At the Royal Albert Hall participating in the London Welsh Festival of Male Voice Choirs, AMVC had excellent high status seats on centre stage and were sandwiched between the London Welsh MVC and Treorchy MVC who complimented AMVC on their very good welsh pronunciation! Thank you Treorchy! This was captured on DVD so another memorable record of achievement is in our archives. We enjoyed the two rehearsals in Swansea and the repeat of the concert for Teenage Cancer Treatment at the Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
Soon after our Symphony Hall concert, we left for a very successful concert tour in Cornwall. Cornwall British International Festival of Male Voice Choirs is where we shared concerts with international choirs, appreciating and enjoying each others cultural musical tastes. Listening to other choirs is something that choristers don’t often do! We sang in four concerts including the Eden project and met up with the Somerset and Avon Police MVC. We have decided to do an exchange visit and we feel very pleased that they have agreed to be our guests at our 37th Annual Concert on April 16 2011 in the Greig, Alcester.
 AMVC Eden Project, Cornwall (Sue Perrins accompanist) |
 International MVC Festival- Hall for Cornwall, Truro |
Participating in two Festivals of Remembrance organised by the British Legion is considered to be a great honour by AMVC. The Midland Festival of Remembrance at the Town Hall Birmingham is followed the week after by Alcester Festival of Remembrance, a concert we support every year.
Local concerts to Worcester, Stratford upon Avon, Evsham Arts Centre, Pershore Abbey, Leicestershire, Alcester Market, guests with Bournville Young Singers in Tanworth in Arden all provided funds for a variety of worthy charities.
 Alcester Market Day (concert in Baptist Church) |
 AMVC stall managed by the Ladies of AMVC |
A Thanksgiving Service for 35 years was given in St Nicholas Church, Alcester. The Church was very full and well supported by the congregation and invited guests. We seemed to have moved people to tears again with our singing and one comment to me afterwards was: They’re as good as ever aren’t they? I couldn’t agree more!
A huge thank you must go to our two very competent accompanists: Sue Underwood who has been with us for 11 years and Helen Pugh who joined us 3 years ago. We have also been grateful to Sue Perrins who has stepped in from time to time. The Minors of Alcester Male Choir also deserve much praise for their contribution over the last year and giving their debut performance at Symphony Hall. They have been invited to sing at the Town Hall, Birmingham on November 1st.
 Sue Underwood |
 Helen Pugh |
 The Minors of Alcester Male Voice Choir |
Our forthcoming concerts will be fund-raising for worthwhile charities and we would like to welcome you to come and join us from time to time. On Weds September 9th we will be holding our OPEN singing rehearsal. Gentlemen... please do come along and join us for the evening. You could be part of our choir and you don’t have to audition should you choose to join us! Details can be found on the poster (displayed below). If you are unable to come on this date then why not just come along on another Weds evening?
It may be worth noting that a booking form system is in place for the 36th Annual Concert on Saturday April 17th at 7.00pm at the Greig. Seats will be reserved on a first come first served basis. You are advised to book early!
On behalf of AMVC I would like to thank you once again for your continued support and we hope to see you and new faces at our future concerts or indeed do feel welcome to come along to our rehearsals if you are in the area.
With All Good Wishes
From Judith
The Music Team and AMVC (A Brief Summary)
Judith Land MA, FRSA, LWCMD, DPSE, Cert Ed.
- Judith was born and raised in Cwmbran and left South Wales to follow a teaching career.
- Founder-Director of Music of Alcester Male Voice Choir
- Studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music Drama, Teacher Training College (Cyncoed) and University of Central England, Birmingham (Music in Education and Music Technology)
- Trained to be a school teacher and was Head of Music teaching to ‘A’Level
- Examiner in Music for GCSE and ‘A’ Level
- External Moderator for Performance Skills and Music Technology.
- Conductor for a variety of BBC Radio programmes (Sunday Half Hour etc)
- Gives talks to groups of people interested in the history and development of Alcester Male Voice Choir
- Artistic Director for Alcester Festival of Remembrance
- Leads music work shops
- Cruise Director of Music
- Has attended 2 Garden Parties and a Dinner at Buckingham Palace.
- Judith is married and has two adult daughters.
Sue Underwood B.Ed ALCM
- Sue is an enthusiastic and accomplished piano accompanist
- She has worked with many different choral groups and soloists and has accompanied AMVC for 11 years.
- Over the past 30 years she has played all kinds of music, from operatic choruses and arias, to jazz, hymns, and music from the shows.
- She is organist at The Bridge
- She trained as a music teacher and had a change of career and moved into the world of computers working in the IT Department of one of the country’s biggest teaching unions.
- Sue is married and has a daughter and son.
Helen Pugh B.Mus PGCEdip ALCM
- Helen was brought up in Alcester.
- She plays the piano and French horn and joined the team as accompanist 3 years ago..
- She studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff
- Helen is currently working for Warwickshire County Music Service teaching brass instruments in the schools in and around Warwick.
- She also accompanies dance schools, operatic societies and choirs in the area.
- She is a member of the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra. and has played in prestigious venues including Westminster Abbey, St David’s Hall, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre and underneath the Statue of Liberty!
- Helen is married and has a daughter.
The Choir
WHAT WE DO, PEOPLE WE SING WITH AND VENUES WE SING IN
- No boring monotonous choral singing goes on here- our audiences love our choice of programmes and we perform with energy, passion and enthusiasm!
- We rehearse every Weds in Alcester Baptist Church at 7.30pm (also optional Monday evenings 8 til 9.30pm)
- We raise thousands of pounds for charities each year making our performances very meaningful.
- No fee is charged to engage in the choir. Please contact judithamvc@hotmail.com
- We maintain a stable number of 70 choristers in the choir.
- We offer opportunities to very many young talented singers and encourage amateur performers to work along side professional performers eg At our Annual Concert in Symphony Hall, 2009 we invited the Royal Artillery Fanfare of Trumpeters and RA Quintet, Jonathan French, Gary Griffiths, Bournville Young Singers and Rutleigh/Norris Ballet Schools.
- We have sung with Katherine Jenkins, Dame Shirley Bassey and Willard White and well known choirs Morriston Orpheus, Pontarddulais, Llanelli, Treorchy, Dunvant, Dowlais etc.
- Concert venues have included, Worcester Cathedral, Pershore Abbey, Ragley Hall, Symphony Hall (Birmingham), Cardiff Arms Park, NEC, The Town Hall (Birmingham) and the Royal Albert Hall.
- In addition to many venues in the Midlands, concert tours to Cornwall, Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy have been successful.
