One Fantastic Host; four Great Male Choirs and Yes, we really did have HARMONY IN HAMPSHIRE!

For those of us in RMVC ‘Harmony in Hampshire’ was reminiscent of previous massed choirs’ events we had held in the welcoming Thornden Hall. This one was however different. The idea for the concert was that of Hampshire Police MVC and the organisation for the concert shared between the four choirs. Assembling over 100 choristers in the right places at the right time can be a challenge. Fortunately, during a long afternoon all went well and the concert was all set to begin……

FIRST HALF

A moving video of the work of the Air Ambulance Service held everyone’s attention before our own Concert Secretary Mike Bull took to the microphone to welcome all, and especially our host for the evening, BBC South Today Presenter Jo Kent. Then all choristers were brought to their feet by Richard Childress, Basingstoke MVC’s Musical Director and Conductor, with Accompanist Brian Budden, to perform a piece aptly called What Would I Do Without My Music. After this the first half running order saw Hampshire Police MVC sing two songs including the popular Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Fly Me to the Moon; Basingstoke MVC came forward to sing Stand By Me and Fields of Gold, followed by RMVC performing it’s versions of He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, and the ever rousing Bui Doi. Finally, Rushmoor Odd Fellows gave the audience some more old favourites performing Yesterday and the Londonderry Air.

A second combined choirs piece Speed Your Journey, conducted by Hampshire Police Musical Director Geoff Porter with Accompanist Sian Bibby-Shah concluded the concert’s first half.

At the beginning of the second half Richard Corbett, the CEO of Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance, gave us all, audience and choristers alike, the reasons why the charity is so needed and why it is only through donations and events such as this concert, that it’s clinical and other teams can do the work they do.

So, with that still in their in minds, the combined choirs stood together once more to perform Morte Criste – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, conducted by Philip Viveash-Brainch, Rushmoor Odd Fellows Musical Director with Accompanist Andrew Harrap. Following this, in order were Romsey, Rushmoor, Hampshire Police and Basingstoke choirs each singing a further two songs as below:

RMVC: Seize the Day & Prayer of the Children. Rushmoor Odd Fellows MVC: What a Wonderful World & When the Saints Go Marching In. Hampshire Police MVC: High on a Hill & The Radetsky March. Basingstoke MVC: Bridge Over Troubled Water & Don’t Stop Believing.

AND SO, WE DREW TO A CLOSE

An impactful, uplifting finale, is always a favourite, and for MVC’s American Trilogy so often does that very job so very well. Conducted by our own Musical Director Marion Maxey with Richard Stannard Accompanist, the four choirs most definitely did ‘give it their all’ and without doubt the audience loved it, testament to this everyone remained seated for the encore of What Would I Do Without My Music, completing a brilliant evening of song!

THANKS

To Jo Kent – you are a star to give up your time.

To the Choir’s concert organisers – you made a difficult job look easy!

To the Musical Directors and Accompanists -without your talents and dedication it simply cannot be.

To our generous sponsors – your contributions mean so more can be given to the Air Ambulance.

To our lovely audience – so hope you enjoyed the concert as much as we enjoyed you being there.

POST SCRIPT

We will let the accompanying photographs tell you what happened after the concert finished!