SANDIACRE MALE VOICE CHOIR was founded in May 1920 when a group of gentlemen with a passion for singing, met in the Clowes Methodist Church, Butt Street to discuss the formation of a male choral group. Within two years the group had grown to around thirty and was practising each week in the White Lion public house, singing part songs and choruses, both sacred and secular. The choir soon moved to new premises – the Ladycroft School in Victoria Street, which was its home until 2014 when it moved back to the Methodist Church where it all started!
In the early years there was a tradition of sons following fathers into the choir and also a number of members achieving long service of around 40 years (Note – there are two current members whose joint service approaches 140 years!) There have been only five conductors since formation, Horace Wagg wielding the baton for 49 years and more recently Peter Barber for 41 years. The present conductor is Stuart Graham who succeeded Peter in 2012.
The number of choir members has fluctuated, from a peak of forty to below thirty in the 30s and 50s. Although it continued to exist during the war years, meetings were suspended and recommenced in 1946. Currently membership hovers around thirty but the choir is always happy to welcome new members. The choir meets on Monday evenings at Butt Street starting at 7pm to practice a wide range of secular and spiritual choral music. For any information regarding bookings or to join us, please contact our secretary Anthony Taylor via the contact us page.
The Choir’s motto is “Philanthropy and Harmony” and for the past five or six decades it has raised a considerable amount of money by promoting and giving concerts for the benefit of worthy causes and charities – both local and national.
It goes without saying, therefore, that we are delighted to be part of the “Voices for Hospices” initiative and hope you will enjoy the Choir in concert as much as we will in performance.
Views: 919