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Hexham Male Voice Choir was formed nearly 80 years ago with just 13 members on the 26th. May 1948 in the Queens Café, Hexham. It was instigated by Cecil W. Shearer who had been in an army choir during WW2. The choir is now about 30 strong and still meets each week at Hexham’s West End Methodist Church.

The first performance by the choir was at a private dinner in the Abbey Hotel (now The Beaumont) in the December of 1948 with its first public concert at Trinity Methodist Church on March 18th. 1950.

John Gillhespy was the founder conductor of the choir and the prime mover in establishing the choir’s celebrity concerts, where top class artists were brought to Tynedale. Amongst those who ventured north was the great bass soloist, Owen Brannigan, who appeared several times during the fifties and sixties. His first visit in 1952 was greeted by a capacity audience of 800 at the Forum Theatre.

The choir would also take part in various musical competitions around this time, travelling to The North of England Music Festival in Blackpool most years and winning the competition twice. TV stardom beckoned when the choir performed with the late Harry Secombe on his ITV show “Highway” in 1984.

 

The choir exists principally to give men from any walk of life who enjoy singing the opportunity to do so in the company of like-minded individuals. Rehearsals are held every Thursday night throughout the year (with the month of August off) and are relaxed and informal. The music however is of high quality, the result of a dedicated Musical Director and the accompaniment of professional musicians.

Our repertoire is as diverse as the choir members themselves, from traditional male voice pieces  through music from West End stage musicals to modern popular music made famous by such artists as Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond and Leonard Cohen.

The choir gives several concerts throughout the year, mainly in the Hexham locality but with some trips outside the area. Joint concerts are regularly arranged with other visiting and local choirs and an annual Christmas Concert is held, usually with guest appearances by local singers or other choirs. All of these concerts give members who would not normally do so the opportunity to perform in public and all raise funds for charitable causes and the choirs themselves.

Like all dynamic organisations we are always looking for new members. A male voice choir requires four voice ranges, bass, baritone, second tenor and top tenor. We are particularly looking for tenor voices but all ranges are welcome. An ability to read music is not required, enthusiasm and being able to sing in tune is!

If you wish to contact us regarding potential membership, a possible booking, or any other matter concerning the choir then please use the contact form elsewhere on the website  and we will get back to you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                          

                                               The Choir in its Silver Jubilee Year 1973

 

 

 

 

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