Braintree Male Voice Choir
Braintree Male Voice Choir
|
|
Testamonials and Reviews
Testamonials
Concert with the Epsom and Ewell Silver Band on Saturday April 16th 2011 at St Botolph's Church, Colchester
From members of the audience to the organisers after the concert
"I liked the great variety of music that the choir and band gave"
"The introductions before each piece by the choir and band were not only informative, but they were also great fun"
"The combined items by the choir and the band were well balanced"
"We were told that the emphasis for the evening was going to be fun, and it certainly was"
"You made the audience feel important, which is always appreciated"
"We paid £9 for our tickets, and got as good value as if we had spent £50 in London"
From St John's Church, Finchingfield, 24 April 2010
From Fostac, Friends of St Andrew's Church, Shalford, 8 May 2010
..... we have received so many complimentary comments from the audience about the evening, the variation of music, including solo items and the performance by young Alex Moore on the trumpet. The whole evening was delightful with songs that brought memories back to quite a number present!
There were quite a number of feature items which have been commented on, such as the Policeman's Song, the solo by Ken Lee, the up-to-date monologue, just to name a few which were all enjoyed by the audience - the whole evening was most entertaining.
Please also convey our thanks to both Elisabeth and Hilary for their expert conducting and accompanying and the time which must have been put into producing such an entertaining and intereresting programme.
Sylvia Lester, publicity.
From Honywood School, Coggeshall, 25 September 2009
..... we were treated to a variety of performances from the choir including 'Selections from Oliver' and the 'Rhythm of Life' and they also joined forces with us to perform three pieces, 'Thank you for the Music', The Lord is my Shepherd from the Vicar of Dibley' and the 'Policeman's song'. We were also given the opportunity to learn about rehearsal techniques ... and to learn a piece that hadn't been seen by any members before. This gave our pupils the opportunity to also develop their listening skills by singing in 4-part harmony.
Comments by the pupils: ..... the workshop was very enjoyable, a lot of fun .... it was more active than I thought it would be .... at first I was unsure about it but it was actually enjoyable as the workshop progressed .... it was fun to sing the different harmony parts and learn how choirs come together.
Miss Jeffries, Subject Leader for Expressive Arts
Reviews from 'Braintree and Witham Times' and 'Halstead Gazette'
Billy Kennedy 22 December 2010
Some Rousing Carols and Spiritual Singing
Braintree Male Voice Choir with Simply Brass, Christ Church, Braintree, December 10
Braintree Male Voice Choir are polished entertainers and they gave a delightful and dynamic performance. Under the direction of Elisabeth Miller and assisted by their principal accompanist, Hilary Morgan, they demonstrated their talent for melody and precision. An audience of some 300 filled Christ Church and were delighted by the performance.
The concert began with music by the 12-piece ensemble Simply Brass, from Battlesbridge. They showed off their dramatic and powerful arrangements with bright and strong performances of The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and two pieces from Carmen. They struck a commanding note and also showed a more tender side when Emma Nicholson played Flugel Horn in the popular classic By thge Time I Get to Phoenix.
The choir took us through spiritual music to an enthralling rendition of Bui Doi from the musical Miss Saigon. The Last of the Summer Wine was beautifully sung and the carefree, yet wistful, sentiments came through the vocal dynamics of the singing..
After the interval, the programme followed a festive theme. The singers took us from the 15th century, with The Boar's Head Carol, through to familiar favourites of the early 20th century, such as Winter Wonderland, and the spiritual, Mary's Boy Child, which brought us into the era of Harry Belafonte. Throughout, the choir were kept to a well-paced and meaningful tone by their conductor.
Simply Brass softened their tone for their festive tunes and showed the audience the mellow sound brass instruments are capable of producing.
The evening was rounded off with all the performers leading the audience in a sing-a-long of familiar carols. It was a rousing end to a splendid concert.
Review taken from Headways 'Fundraising Headlines' for June 2010
'An Evening of Light Music'
We were delighted to receive £2,000 from the Rotary Club of Colchester Forum following the wonderful concert at St Botolph's on 20th March. The Braintree Male Voice Choir were in very fine voice and the Band of the Paras were superb. Our grateful thanks go to the Club who organised the event so well, and in particular, Rotarians Ian Dewis and Arthur Rustage who worked so hard to make the evening a success. We would also like to thank Braintree Male Voice Choir for singing free of charge, and the Band of the Paras and St Botolph's Church for their support'
Pat Rudkins 15 May 2010
Musical Memories Christ Church Braintree
Braintree Male Voice Choir and the Swing Band of The Parachute Regiment
Stronger than ever, yet again, Braintree Male Voice Choir were on entertaining form in what seemed like very short Sets in this sold-out concert. Director, Elisabeth Miller's attention to detail shone. The success of Lets Do It, for example, was ensured by the clear, pointed lyrics.
The highlight of the evening, for me, was the last 3 songs. Accompanied by Hilary Morgan, her piano trills to Over The Rainbow were a special delight, these numbers demonstrated choral singing at its best. Beautifully arranged, the top line was a full part of the harmonious whole. The songs could be appreciated for their musical qualities, as well as their association with memorable films.
It was inspirational programming to include John Walker's Creation monologue.
In this joyful joint gig, the soldier musicians saved their best until last, when one of their trombonists became a Frank Sinatra sound-alike. Colour Sergeant Danny Hall gave a very cool rendition indeed of Come Fly With Me. Rapturous audience reaction demanded an encore, but he didn't oblige. Perhaps he will next time the 2 groups meet?
Pat Rudkins 26 June 2010
Braintree District Arts Festival
The 5th Braintree Arts Festival this summer looks to be bigger and better than ever to judge by the Festival Concert presented in Christ Church Braintree last week ........
Elisabeth Miller's direction of Braintree Male Voice Choir was another treat. The contrast betwen their rousing Fishermen of England and the poignant Irish Blessing, framed the varied programme well .......
Pat Rudkins 3 July 2009
'Choir never fails to impress'
When Braintree Male Voice Choir visited Halstead's Holy Trinity Church recently, it was fitting that two local lads stole the show.
High Street baker Dennis Hume brought the house down with his rendition of The Holy City, while Hedingham's Ken Willis gave lyrical poignancy to a cleverly-arranged Lloyd Webber number, Love Changes Everything.
Hooray for the Gilbert and Sullivan policemen! They joined John Walker's superb Gasman as great comic song performers. The Drunken Sailors were close behind them.
Musical director Elisabeth Miller's hallmark harmonies and dramatic dynamics were particularly pleasing in the Oliver ensemble and Two Little Boys.
As was to be expected, accompanist par excellence Hilary Morgan adapted to the challenging circumstances of her role in this venue, with great aplomb.
BMVC is to be applauded, for its high standard of singing and its commitment to charity concerts like this one.
Pat Rudkins 3 June 2009
'Sounds of the Sixties'
Yet again, Elisabeth Miller's gloriously well-modulated singers triumphed. The programme was a reminder that her ensemble is composed of talented individuals too.
Thus we had Ken Willis's tuneful Fiddler, John Walker's marvellous Gasman and the counter-tenor, David Wood. The latter's Rag Doll perfectly recaptured the era.
New staging gives the award-winning group added presence. However, I would like to see them all present at least two or three songs without scores in front of them to throw restraint away.
Hilary Morgan's expert musicianship on the piano continues to be an essential part of the choir's success, as it was in this concert.
Guest performers, Swing Express Band, certainly got the packed audience going in Green Onions.
Individual instrumentalists played with assured vigour and it was the only time that Joy on keyboard got due respect.
Witty compere Norwood Simpson, volatile trombonist and leader Mario De Pietro and drummer Bob Airzee added interest.
Surprisingly, because this venue is so good acoustically, this combo used microphones. Most unusual.
Pat Rudkins 10 December 2008
'Superb festive sounds'
The concert showed the beautifully modulated sound that musical director Elisabeth Miller has achieved with this choir. David Wood, in counter-tenor mode for Howard Goodall's '23rd Psalm', together with the excellent 'Gospel Train' novelty number, brought smiles all round. Cole Porter would have been thrilled with what Ben Joscelyne, Cam Evans, David Kelly and their backing singers did with 'Don't Fence Me In', while accompanist Hilary Morgan triumphed too.
The Band of the Parachute Regiment, meanwhile, went from their parade ground projection of first-half numbers to some post-interval subtleties. Especially successful was the syncopation of Darren Tucker's flugel horn and sweet-sounding saxophones in 'Marianne'.
Band and choir blended superbly in the carol singing finale.
Pat Rudkins 21 May 2008
'Bring on Broadway'
Musical Director Elisabeth Miller had tremendous success with the Braintree Male Voice Choir at Christ Church - I have never heard them sing better. The balance was superb, especially the unaccompanied ensemble, 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight? The first tenor and bass embellishments were superb.
Piano accompanist Hilary Morgan was on splendid form too. Her delicate touch in the poignant 'I Dreamed A Dream' exposed the choral crescendo and diminuendo to perfection.
The Colchester Band, under Peter Ivey's firm baton, showed the range of it's brass instruments in Alan Fernie's cleverly arranged 'Broadway Spectacular'. Meanwhile, a very promising young percussionist reached his heights in the 'My Fair Lady' selection.
On an enchanted summer's evening, this beautifully-balanced programme of popular show tunes concluded, appropriately with choir and band in harmony to 'Thank You For The Music'.
Mike Shaw. 19 December 2007
'Shame I missed the 27 previous performances!'
The Braintree Male Voice Choir and Bocking Concert Brass Christmas concert has become the popular start to Christmas in Braintree for a number of years. Although attending a number of concerts by these music groups, I am ashamed to say this is my first Christmas concert.
The band got the audience into the Christmas mood under it's conductor Wendy Morris playing 'Three Christmas Carols for Brass' before moving on to the late Ronnie Hazelhurst's 'Last of the Summer Wine'.Three other Christmas pieces followed before their final number for their part of the concert by well known brass composer Goff Richards' stirring 'Barnard Castle'.
It was then the turn of the Male Voice Choir under it's musical director Elisabeth Miller, with accompanist Sue Edwards standing in for Hilary Morgan who was ill.The old jazz number 'When the Saints Go Marching In' got off to a rousing start followed by a much gentler piece in the Matt Monro hit 'Softly As I Leave You. The quartet Dennis Hume, John Walker, David Wood and David Kelly gave a very pleasing rendition of the hit from 40 years ago 'The Jimmy Brown Song', and Lennon/McCartney's 'Yesterday' followed by finishing the first half of the concert with a cheeky piece entitled 'The Girl on the Stairs'.
Bocking Concert Brass, under the baton of Ken Few, turned the clock back at least 60 years by playing two big band numbers, 'Moonlight Serenade' and W C Handy's 'St Louis Blues March'. It's second half continued with two more up-to-date pieces, including 'Memory', which featured principal cornet Louise Burrows. Reminding us of Sunday afternoon concerts in the bandstands of years ago, we also had a selection from 'The Mikado' and 'The Pirates of Penzance' before performing it's final piece of the evening, the 'Hallelujah Chorus' by Handel
.Elisabeth Miller and the choir then took us on a Christmas journey beginning with my least favourite Christmas song 'Little Donkey', sung by an ensemble of Alan Carder, Adrian Wigan, Ian Whiteside, Bill Birks and Nick Minton. They sang it in such a way that I went home quite liking itI It's second part of the concert included three Andrew Goddard pieces, including 'The Irish Blessing', plus the carol 'O Holy Night', 'Do You Hear What I Hear?' and David Kelly and Alan Carder singing solos in 'That's What I Like For Christmas' from the show 'Pickwick'.Finally, the band and choir invited the audience to join in singing carols. This brought to an end a well balanced and varied programme from the two groups of talented musicians.
After missing the previous 27 concerts, I hope to be among the audience again next year.
