After an exceptionally busy year in 2013 we have been able to re-group and catch our breath to some extent this year. That’s not to say we haven’t been very active. We have performed fifteen concerts and have sung at three weddings in 2014. The most distant venue was Hexham where we held a joint concert with Hexham Male Voice Choir, but we also performed in Crook and sang at weddings in Sunderland and Middleton Tyas. We were also delighted to sing at St. Hilda’s Church at the very special wedding of Tracey, who was brought from Hartlepool Hospice to marry the love of her life, Andy.
The other concerts were more local, generally being within hald an hour of Hartlepool or in the town itself. Once again, we were thrilled to join Hartlepool Ladies’ Choir in Concert for the Ceremonial Mayor’s Charity and as a result of that were invited to sing at Shotton Hall in Peterlee to help raise money for the charities supported by the Mayor of Peterlee.
We were sorry that we had to opt out of a Summer Celebrity Concert in June. This was because the performers booked had to cancel all future concerts owing to illness. In hindsight we probably needed a bit of a breather!
No such easy ride in 2015, however, with the return of Russell Watson to join us for our Summer Concert on June 20th in the Borough Hall, a Choral Spectacular with the Northern Group of the National Association of Choirs at the Sage in Gateshead, a third joint concert with Hartlepool Ladies’ Choir, once again at the Borough Hall and for the Ceremonial Mayor’s Charities and, in November, our regular (every three years) visit to The Royal Albert Hall for the Festival of Brass and Voices in aid of Cancer U.K..
As well as these events, we are also booked, at the moment, to perform at seventeen other venues. The dates and times of our commitments can be found in the Concerts section of this website.
We have lost some members of the Choir through illness and work commitments, but are still recruiting. We have welcomed seven new singers into our ranks during the year. We regret the long-term absence through illness of stalwarts Peter Witham, Selby Allison and John Gorman and send our best wishes to them and to long standing members Alan Risebury, Sammy Chappell and Allan Millington who have retired from the Choir for personal reasons. We have also lost Paul Mogford and Tony Fox to work commitments.
Sadly, we also lost our only Hon. Life Vice-President, Matty Daley, who passed away recently and whose unstinting support for, and generosity to the Choir was exceptional. We miss him, and our sympathy goes to his family.
Finally, thanks to all of you who continue to support the Choir in all we do. It is greatly appreciated.