MUSICAL DIRECTOR`S REPORT
September 2009

Annual General Meeting Musical Director's Report

After a summer break the choir reopened in September 2008.

Membership remained at approximately 70 ladies and gentlemen who considered themselves singers. Several new members were welcomed as well as initiated into our unique life of choral singing.

On 13th December the choir gave its annual Christmas concert joined by Meanwood Primary School Choir.

Spotland Methodist Church was then hit by dry rot, wet rot, stolen lead from the roof and general vandalism. Major remedial work was begun and there was much upset to be contended with by the loyal congregation. As a choir we battled on in the dust filled rehearsal room and to show our support donated half the proceeds from the Christmas Concert to the Church.

Many choir members sang in the Crucifixion at St. Paul's Church in March this year and made a meaningful contribution to the Easter Vigil.

Our Easter concert was special in that it was a tribute to both Jean Schofield and Jean Sweetmore who had recently died. Their families were invited and we salute their courage in attending what must have been an emotional evening for them. As a choir we give thanks for the years of commitment that the two Jean's gave to the choir. They brought much fun and laughter along with them and collectively we shared much pleasure both at home and abroad.

The Easter concert was a performance of Easter Anthems taken from books which we were able to buy with the lottery grant of last year. The choir sang with passion and I congratulate them on a splendid evening of music making which was appreciated by a large and supportive audience.

The tour to Belgium took place at the beginning of May 2009 though for a change we stayed on French soil, with a bed each, in St.Omer in France.
We gave concerts in Our Lady's Church Waarmaarde, Ypres Cathedral and the Menin Gate, Ypres. To say we were dined and wined like lords and ladies in Waarmaarde would be an understatement. We also visited a gin distillery and the giant lift for canal boats at Arques.
There were two known casualties on the tour. Newish member Jeff left part of the crown of his head on the coach in his eagerness to be first off for a rehearsal at the cathedral. Several ladies were able to console him.
Our other casualty was Lynn. At first we thought that not only the gusto with which she sang but also the strenuous regime of practising to which she had subjected herself was probably the cause of a severe swelling in her face. As it turned out we had to rush to the local Belgian hospital for professional help. Whilst, at midnight, Lynn submitted to the attention of the dishy looking Belgian medics the rest of us sat in the hospital car park, in the dark, determined to stay put until Lynn was discharged. Armed with antibiotics and pain killing drugs Lynn was finally returned to the coach full of sleepy singers all thankful that Lynn would live to sing another day.

In late June some of the choir sang at the Gracie Fields Theatre thus boosting the chorus of Zadok the Priest and some took part in a special singing day organised by Philip Lowe at the Rochdale Parish Church.

Our summer concert was held at Spotland Methodist Church on Saturday 4th July. That night "All Things were Bright and Beautiful". No members of the audience came in "Two for the Price of One". The singing was such that at no time did I have to say "Let's Begin Again" and it was certainly no "Teddy Bear's Picnic". Indeed "There Was an Old Man" in the audience, called Michael Finnigan I believe, who was heard to say that although he'd missed "The Vicar of Dibley" on television, being at this concert was even better than being at "Home Sweet Home".
The audience came from as far afield as Alabama, news of our quality singing having already been passed from Europe to the states of America. But finally it cannot go without mention that following this concert in mid July one of our tenors received an honorary medal award through the post, sent by a great admirer who was unprepared to divulge Frank's name.

Forty or so members of the choir rounded off the year with a dinner at the Fairview restaurant on 8th July and if someone hadn't shouted "quick we have but a second" we would never have got our "last drinks" before closing time.

And so once again I thank our hosts here at Spotland Methodist Church for all they do to accommodate us and our vast audiences, the working group members of the choir who do so much behind the scenes, friends and family of choir members who work on our behalf, our accompanist Philip for the wonders he performs on his organ, and of course all the members of the choir for the wonders you perform, for your spirit of adventure and for giving my choral home "a special kind of feeling".