2006 - 2007
SEASON

Archive Pages - Diamond Jubilee Year 2006

The Choir celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2005-2006 Season. The creation of this website was part of the recognition of that achievement. Recruitment drives have taken the Choir membership to near its target of 60 in our 60th year. We would be more than happy to greatly exceed this number. COME AND JOIN US!

Photograph taken at the Annual Concert, 11th June 2005, performed at The Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre,Taunton

Diamond Jubilee Year 2005-06

In our Diamond Jubilee Year 2005-2006 the Choir will be associated with four Somerset charities: SURE, Somerset Cancer Care, Somerset Association for the Blind and the Children's Hospice South West. Concerts will be performed for each organisation in Taunton, Burnham, Wells, Minehead and Yeovil with all the proceeds going to the individual charity. Additionally, the Choir will donate £1000 from the proceeds of its Diamond Jubilee Concert on 10th June 2006 at the Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton, to be shared equally between the charities. Additionally, the Choir also has a full concert programme for the year assisting many other worthy causes in their fund-raising efforts.

Events & News Items for this special anniversary year

We have produced a Diamond Jubilee Year Souvenir Programme, which has been financed by sponsors, and David Gill, our President, must be specifically mentioned here for the enormous effort he has put in to obtain financial support. Income from the sales of these programmes will go to the appropriate charity at their concerts. These are priced at £1.50 each (plus postage) for anyone who would like a copy.

Plans are well in hand for a Celebration Dinner on 25th February 2006, which will be held at the Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club. Numbers have to be restricted to 120 but it is hoped that there will be sufficient accommodation for many of our 'Friends of the Choir' to also join us.

Later in the season we will be publishing a full Choir History. Jack Dennis and Francis Burroughes have been slaving away over the words and research for a long time now. The history will contain much of interest about the Choir and the social scene in Taunton throughout the period of the Choir's existence.

The Season was launched with a full page spread in the Somerset County Gazette on Friday 23 September highlighting the Choir's history and personalities over the years. The Choir's most recent photo and an old photograph was published inviting readers to identify past members whose names were not on record.

This will be the final Season for our Musical Director for the past 13 years, Dr Francis Burroughes. His will be a hard act to follow because of the commitment and dedication he has shown to the Choir over the whole of the time. However, we remain optimistic that the right person will be found and that we will continue to thrive. Over the past 15 months we have held workshops and singing classes and managed to attract over 20 new members but the quest goes on! Anyone interested in the position should contact either Brian Reynolds or Tony Slavin (see Home Page for contact details).

Our first concert of this season was held on Saturday 8th October at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, Taunton,in aid of Children's Hospice South West. Our guests for the evening were The Thamesdown Ladies Choir from Swindon. An enthusiastic audience responded well to fine performances by both choirs. The finale, following encores by the choirs, of "The Rhythm of Life" brought a splendid show to an end. The charity benefited by over £500.

Then on Saturday 22nd October at the Princess Hall, Burnham, performing in aid of Somerset Association for the Blind, over £200 was raised in spite of a disappointing audience. Our guest soloist, Mary Morgan, Soprano, was outstanding.

The Choir responded in brilliant fashion to an enthusiastic audience on Saturday 5th November at All Saints Church, Nynehead, at 7.30 pm, in aid of church funds. The little church, packed full, resonated to some awesome male voice crescendos and lilting harmonies which the listeners applauded and at the end even stamped their feet demanding an encore. This was rewarded with a stirring performance of 'Alexander's ragtime Band'. Our soloist Lynn Daniels-Morgan, who lives just over the Devon border in Hemyock, produced an exhilarating performance of opera arias and classic 'standards'. The church funds were boosted by over £250.

The concert on Saturday 19th November at St Mary's Church, North Petherton, was very well attended with the church being almost full. Mary Morgan and a promising young pupil of hers, Rebecca Saunders, sang solo and duet performances that enthralled the audience. The Choir performed the 'World Premier' (we believe) of Cantique de Jean Racine, by Faure, arranged in TTBB by our MD Dr Francis Burroughes. Feedback from members of the audience suggest it was a great success. The proceeds in aid of church funds exceeded £300.

December proved to be busy month with traditional seasonal concerts for the residents of The Britsih Legion, Dunkirk House, Bishops Lydeard, and the users and supporters of The Albermarle Centre, Taunton. The Choir also performed for the second time at The Taunton Bowling Club where we sang from our own repertoire during the first half and carols with the audience throughout the second half. We have been well received there on each occasion and it provides a fitting end to the first half of the season.

In what has now become a traditional event at Vivary Park, Taunton, the Choir and the New Horizons Ladies Choir, accompanied by the Taunton Town Concert Band and a public audience of over 600 including many families, sang Christmas Carols around the Bandstand. Always a night to put you in the Christmas mood.

Our first concert in 2006 on Saturday 28th January was held in the church where we rehearse, the Temple Methodist Church, Taunton. We were very pleased to be able to assist in raising over £500 for church funds. The appreciative audience were not only entertained by the Choir but also by four young musicians from schools in the area. The youngest, Hakimah Aziz, Queen's College, is only 13 and played the violin beautifully when she performed 'Czardas' by V.Monti. She was accompanied on the piano by a fellow student, Tim Davies, who later played the 2nd Movement from Mozart's oboe concerto. The pianist, Martin Hamer, Richard Huish College, then entertained with an Intermezzo by Schumman and 'Take Five' made famous by Dave Brubeck. Finally, young soprano Beky Saunders, from Blakes Science College, Bridgwater, sang two numbers-'I Could Have Danced All Night' and a lovely Robert Quilter song 'Weep You No More'. The Choir prides itself in providing opportunities for young musical talent to gain experience in public performances.

Then on Saturday 11th February we fulfilled our commitment to assist SURE in its fundraising by performing at West Monkton Village Hall. A small venue but with an audience with plenty of enthusiasm and encouragement. Many in the audience who are regular supporters of the Choir expressed the opinion that this was the Choir's finest performance. If this is true then it is a reflection of the tremendous amount of effort and preparation members, both old and new, are now putting into rehearsals along with fine teaching and conducting by Francis Burroughes. Our soloist for the event, Janet Wonfor, requested for the third time by the organisers, entertained and sang beautifully. The songs 'Brown Bird Singing', by Haydn Wood and 'Tonight' and 'There's a Place for Us' by L. Bernstein were particularly well received. The sum of £310 was raised for the charity.

On Saturday 18th February we returned to one of our regular venues, Oake Village Hall, just outside Taunton. Being a recently built hall, fund raising is a major priority, and we have been able to bring in the locals and help put some cash in the kitty. The Choir repeated it's fine performance of last week to the delight of the villagers. This time the 'alternative' entertainment was provided by Jonathan Farey, one of out top tenors and his wife Maria. What a revelation they were too. They chose the rose as their theme for some songs well suited to Valentines Day and music from the Catholic Church praising Mary, with words written by a relative, Mary Ratcliffe. Jonathan was the lyricist for 'Do not stand by my grave and weep' and 'Be Ye Kind, One to another'. A charming and expressive performance of some beautiful music.