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2009 Patrons' Concert

Croydon Male Voice Choir staged its annual Patrons' Concert at Whitgift School on Saturday, June 13.  A 400-strong audience, including patrons, friends and some special guests, packed the school's magnificent concert hall to hear songs from the choir's latest repertoire.

 

Several of the pieces, selected by musical director Richard Hoyle, were heard by the patrons for the first time.  The audience was  treated to fine singing by the soloist, tenor James Kinsella, who performed six songs.  He ended with an encore of Nessum Dorma in which, to his surprise, he was joined by the choir, bringing a smile to his lips.

The guests included local resident Roy Thackray, who had previously contacted Richard Hoyle to offer the choir his own arrangement of More I Cannot Wish You from the musical Guys and Dolls.  The choir performed the piece for the first time at the concert and Roy received a standing ovation when he was introduced to the audience.   Roy said that he was "more than happy" with the choir's performance of his arrangement, whch he had undertaken specially for the choir.  "It sounded perfect - it sounded better than when it was in my head."

Della at PatronsAnother special guest was the choir’s new president, the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Della Jones. This was Della’s first opportunity to hear the choir perform and Richard and the choir were keen to hear her opinion.  During the interval she addressed “her boys”, as she refers to the choir members, telling them how much she was enjoying the concert.  She was especially impressed by the choir's amazing sound, its discipline on stage, how closely it followed Richard's directions, and the fact that it sang without looking at music.  She ended by saying that she planned to attend a rehearsal and to join the choir afterwards for a beer.  Who knows, she may even be persuaded to sing a song or two.

Left: Della Jones talks to "her boys" at Whitgift  School