Kirk concert kicks off Male Choir festive season

Malton District Male Voice Choir is launching the Christmas season with its first major concert in Pickering’s popular Kirk Theatre on Saturday December 1^st.

The choir, now in its sixth year, has already helped raise thousands of pounds for local causes at concerts in Pickering itself and surrounding villages including Middleton, Edstone, Appleton and Newton Rawcliffe.

Its concert at the Kirk Theatre will be its first in Pickering’s premier entertainment venue, although many choir members have performed there in shows over the years by Malton & Norton Musical Theatre, Pickering Musical Society and other local groups.

The concert will feature a kaleidoscope of traditional and modern songs and solos with a festive flavour to get the Christmas season underway.

At the piano is Chris Welch and wielding the baton is Assistant Musical Director Vivien Wilcock, who has conducted the choir since former MD Chris Gulley left in the summer.

Viv has been with the choir since it was founded in 2007 and is a former accompanist with Durham Police Male Voice Choir. She says the Malton choir “must now build on its current success and set a balance between traditional and modern music while having lots of fun”. She also welcomes more young singers. Current members range from 17 to 85.

The Kirk concert is the latest in a busy new season for the Malton choir. On December 8^th it holds its annual concert of Christmas music in Malton Methodist Church. In January it makes a guest appearance with Ryedale Choral Union in Norton and also plans concerts next year in Newton Rawcliffe and Scarborough as well as its annual concert in May.

Tickets for the Kirk Concert, at £8.00, are available from the theatre’s booking office on 01751-474833 or from choir members.

Malton District Male Voice Choir is open to men of all ages and is the only choir of its kind in the immediate area. No previous musical experience is required to join. It meets Friday evenings in Malton Methodist Church. Call Secretary David Ackroyd on 01944-758693 or Chairman Tom Todd on 01653-692362.

Choir members rehearse informally with Vivien Wilcock

Covent Garden mezzo-soprano Kate McCarney adds a royal flavour to Malton District Male Voice Choir’s annual concert in May when she reprises a performance that thrilled local fans in 2009.

The Royal Opera singer is the guest soloist at the choir’s Jubilee Annual Concert on Saturday May 12th in the Malton Milton Rooms. The latest concert marks not only the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee but also the choir’s fifth birthday.

Kate McCarney, who appears by kind permission of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, last sang in Malton in October 2009 to mark the choir’s second birthday. She delighted a big local audience then with a programme which included the popular arias Softly Awakes my Heart from Samson & Delilah, and Habanera from Carmen, in which she tossed red roses into the audience.

Choir Chairman Tom Todd said “Kate enthralled everyone in 2009 and I have no doubt she will be just as memorable this time. It’s not every day you get to hear a classical singer of such quality in our town and I hope her latest visit will attract the big audience it deserves”.

Belfast-born Kate McCarney studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the National Opera Studio. As well as singing with Royal Opera she has taken principal roles with the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, the Opera Theatre Company and at the Wexford Festival. She has also sung in concert in Britain and Holland, Spain, France and Mexico.

Kate will be joined in duet at the Malton concert by bass-baritone Chris Thornton-Holmes, the choir’s former Musical Director and co-founder. Chris sang for many years with La Scala Milan and also with Glyndebourne and Royal Opera. He now lives and teaches locally.

The programme for the May 12th concert will include special Jubilee celebration numbers including Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory which will also include Kate and the audience in try Proms style.

The Jubilee Annual Concert is under the baton of the choir’s current Musical Director Chris Gulley. At the piano will be Vivien Wilcock with Fred Dennis accompanying Kate McCarney and Chris Thornton Holmes.

The concert starts at 7.30 pm and tickets, at £8.00, are limited and unnumbered and available from Hoppers the Stationers in Malton Market Place Tel: 01653-692014 or from choir members. For more information call Secretary David Ackroyd on 01944-758693 or Chairman Tom Todd on 01653-692362.

Jan 4th, 2012: Malton District Male Voice Choir, which opens its 2012 practice season next week, has urged local singers to do something for their health this year - and join in.

“Do your health a favour and make it a New Year resolution to sing!”, said Choir Musical Director Chris Gulley. “It’s good for you as well as being a lot of fun and a great hobby”.

The male voice choir, created in Malton in 2007 and grouping singers aged 16 to 85, opens its new singing season and holds its first informal practice of 2012 on Friday January 13. The practice is in the Malton Methodist Church in Saville Street. “Now is the perfect time to join us”, said Choir Chairman Tom Todd, “as we learn fresh songs for this year’s concerts”.

The choir’s repertoire ranges from popular songs from the shows to folk and opera classics. New members are welcome and do not need to have previous singing experience.

The choir announced before Christmas that it is switching its annual Milton Rooms concert in 2012 from October to May 12 to take part in celebrations marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and also to celebrate its own fifth birthday.

The 2011 annual concert was held September 10^th in the Milton Rooms with acclaimed local opera singer Wendy Goodson. The name of the 2012 operatic soloist has not yet been revealed.

Among other concerts this year will be the choir’s third with Harmonia Ladies’ Choir. Repeat concerts are also scheduled in a number of towns and villages around Ryedale where thousands of pounds have already been raised for good causes.

Malton District Male Voice Choir meets every Friday from 7.45 to 2130 pm. If you’d like to join, call Secretary David Ackroyd on 01944 758693 or Chairman Tom Todd on 01653-692362.

Nov. 24, 2011: Ryedale’s popular Malton District Male Voice Choir has announced a special concert next spring to mark a double anniversary – the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and its own fifth birthday.

The choir is currently returning to its home base in Malton for a Christmas concert after a year in which it has performed in Ryedale towns and villages. Under its MD and Conductor Chris Gulley, it is the guest of Malton’s St Michael’s Church on Saturday December 10^th for a concert of Christmas music. That follows one in Appleton le Moors, the second in that village this year.

News of the Christmas concert comes as the choir reveals it is bringing forward its annual concert next year from autumn to May 12. It said that’s in order to be part of celebrations leading up to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and to mark its own fifth anniversary at the same time. The concert will again be held in the refurbished Malton Milton Rooms.

The choir’s last annual concert was in September and featured acclaimed local opera singer Wendy Goodson. Choir Chairman Tom Todd said that apart from joining in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, a spring concert was “a great opportunity to mark our own birthday at the same time, as well as the start of yet another singing season”.

Malton District Male Voice Choir is a member of the National Association of Choirs and is the first choir of its kind in the region for decades. It was created in 2007 by Covent Garden opera singer Chris Thornton-Holmes and local musical performer Tom Todd and meets weekly. It is one of only a few local choirs open to men who can sing but do not read music or have previous singing experience.

With the 2012 concert season just round the corner, the choir is urging potential members to join now. “It’s a first-class activity and social event, as well as being fun and good for your health”, said current musical director Chris Gulley. If you’d like to join, call Secretary David Ackroyd on 01944 758693. (end)