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DERBY HOSPITALS CHOIR HAVE RAISED

MORE THAN £140,000 FOR LOCAL HEALTH CHARITIES 

The 2013 Christmas Concert

The Assembly Rooms venue itself, beautifully decorated and professionally set out for the evening and packed with choir, band and audience, had an air of warmth and expectation. The concert was introduced by Thomas Plant who stepped in at short notice due to Charles Hanson’s illness. Thomas proved to be an excellent compere and jollied the concert along with humour & sparkle, never forgetting the fund-raising objective of the evening.

The choir opened the concert with two Rutter items; Jesus Child and What Sweeter Music – What Sweeter Music contained some particularly tender and balanced singing. This was followed by the first of four Derwent Brass slots. This article is primarily a review of the choir, but it is impossible to review the concert without noting what an excellent, professional sound the band produced under their conductor Keith Leonard, with both Christmas and non-Christmas music well chosen to fit the themes of the evening. Congratulations also to David Johnson for an accomplished and balanced choir accompaniment throughout.

The second choir set was film music: Walking in the Air had good sustained singing with some nice swells on the phrase ends, a dramatic “suddenly” and a good pianissimo ending; Hallelujah – one of the highlights of the evening – gave the choir an opportunity to sing with confidence, good diction, punctuation and a lovely closing crescendo & decrescendo; lastly Bare Necessities was the most foot-tapping piece of the evening, sung with enthusiasm & energy – helped to romping conclusion by piano & drums – impossible to sit still listening to this one! The choir concluded the first half with the Lion King Medley – though this could have had clearer syncopation in “Can you feel” – it was an enjoyable performance and ended the first half with a fabulous crescendo on the final chord of the Circle of Life.

The second half began with the rousing Grand March from Aida for Band, Piano & Choir – the overall effect was a grand and balanced sound with the choir entry living up to the band’s introduction and coping well with the particularly high operatic setting – here some of the tempo changes were not quite together between band and choir – but an impressive sound nevertheless – and what a super march tune! A big contrast then with the following unaccompanied Gabriel’s Message – where gentle expression, clear words, balanced harmony and real sense of meaning created a little gem. This was coupled with ‘All things Bright & Beautiful’ which was sung well – just lacking the resonant acoustic it enjoyed earlier in the year at the Cathedral’s Florence Nightingale memorial service!

The next choir set included David Johnson’s lovely setting of Silent Night – another highlight – I particularly enjoyed the control the choir exhibited here, especially in the final verse. This was followed by David Henshaw’s contrasting arrangement of the lively Calypso Carol which bounced along with confidence and good rhythmic drive. The choir’s final pair comprised the unusual, jazzy arrangement of Follow that Star, sung with appropriately laid back yet rhythmic panache, and the classic Holy City– sung perhaps with most positive force of the evening, with the final sustained chord a great way to end a concert.

But wait! – the choir had not finished – what a glorious descant rang out over the top of the concluding audience carol – Titled: Hark the Herald Angels Sing – Yes, they did & I heard them that evening.

Sound Bites click on below

12 Follow that star

13 The Holy City 2

10 Silent Night

05 Bare Necessities

04 Hallelujah

HOSPITAL CAROL SINGING SESSIONS

 1. ROYAL DERBY HOSPITAL, GALLERY 

4th December 2013  : 10.30am – 12.30am

 2. LONDON ROAD COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 

     MAIN RECEPTION AREA

6th December 2013: 10am – 12noon

 3. BROADWAY BAPTIST CHURCH CONCERT 

Rehearsal – Wednesday 27th November 2013 7.30pm

Concert – Wednesday 4th December 2013 7.30pm

4. ROYAL DERBY HOSPITALS

    VOLUNTEERS’ CHRISTMAS PARTY

Tuesday 10th December 2013 12.45 to 1.15pm

THE GENTING CLUB, DERBY (Above the Bus Station)

The staff of the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU), at the Royal Derby Hospital would like to express their thanks to the Derby Hospitals Choir for choosing to make them the beneficiary of their 2013 Christmas Concert.

MAU consists of 51 acute medical beds where patients from Derby and the surrounding areas are admitted throughout the day and night from either Accident and Emergency or GP directives.  These patients undergo treatment for many different medical conditions, i.e. stroke, respiratory problems, heart conditions, diabetic problems, cancers and infections to name but a few. Almost everyone within Derby and the surrounding area will have either received or know of someone who has had treatment in this extremely busy unit.

Patients generally only stay for a short time in the unit, until they are either transferred to a ward or are discharged home.  Unfortunately, some patients will be terminally ill or be diagnosed with a serious medical condition. At such times a room in the unit is used by patients and their relatives as sensitive information and special needs are discussed with the doctor. Relatives may also use this room as a quiet retreat.

However, staff feel that the room currently used in these circumstances could benefit from a sympathetic makeover.     They aspire to improve the room’s ambiance and provide a more relaxing place for both patients and their relatives in times of stress.

This year the Derby Hospitals Choir is supporting the staff of the Derby Royal Medical Assessment Unit, raising money to make improvements to a room on the unit where both privacy and dignity can be afforded to patients and relatives at such difficult times.

 

Photo shows Chairman Gill O’Halloran handing over a cheque for £10,000 to Dr Gillian Lowery, Consultant Respiratory Physician Derby Royal Hospital.

Funds raised by the Derby Hospitals Choir 30th Anniversary Christmas Concert, 2012.

Below, chairman Gill O’Halloran is seen handing over a cheque for £236 to Gay Evans, Community Fundraiser for Treetops Hospice. Proceeds generated by the concert in St John’s Church, December 2012.

EXTRACT FROM CHAIRMAN’S REPORT – 10^th APRIL 2013

I am very proud to report another fantastic year for the Derby Hospitals Choir with the 2012, 30^th Anniversary Christmas Concert being an amazing success, attracting a full house at the Derby Assembly Rooms. We were privileged to have Charles Hanson perform the duties of guest compere and his unique sense of fun gave a new dimension to our concert.  I am delighted to report that Charles has agreed to join us again this year.

Once again, the most important thing to say in my report is a huge thank you and well done to everyone involved in this remarkable success. Due to the refurbishment of the Broadway Baptist Church, rehearsals this year had to be held in the church hall.  Although this did prove rather difficult we managed to rise above adversity and succeeded in performing our best concert ever!  In terms of funds raised for the Royal Derby Hospital Respiratory Unit, we should all be very proud of raising the record sum of £10,000 – the team from the RDRU was overwhelmed when they learned of the amount involved. I should at this stage say a particular thank you to Marjorie Tucker and Margaret Lane for their donations in memory of their dear late husbands, Ken and John respectively, both of whom had received marvellous care from the RDRU.  This year’s concert was dedicated to their memory and so it is fitting that feedback received from those who attended the concert showed it to be the most widely enjoyed performance to date; they would have been proud of us!

 

Review of Florence Nightingale Service

The Florence Nightingale memorial service was my first formal engagement as Musical Director with the Derby Hospitals Choir – and what a splendid introduction.

We sang Mozart’s ”Ave Verum” (in English), Rutter’s setting of “All things Bright & Beautiful” and an unaccompanied arrangement of “Non Nobis Domine” (attributed to Byrd). I was delighted with how well the choir sang all three pieces, with good phrasing, light and shade in the dynamics and attention to detail – supported of course by the wonderful acoustics of the building and Peter Gould’s effortless accompaniment. Two of the three hymns had descants written specially for the occasion and these soared beautifully over the congregation, particularly when coupled with the ending choral harmonies in “Thy Hand O God has Guided”. Approximately 50 members of the choir were able to sing on the day, and all seemed to have their eyes glued on me throughout. Well done – you have set a high standard for the full choir to follow this Autumn!

Rehearsals for the Florence Nightingale Service:

Wednesday 1^st May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm

Wednesday 8^th May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm

Wednesday 15th May at Broadway Baptist’s Church 7 30pm

 

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE – DERBY CATHEDRAL

18^th MAY 2013  11.00am

Florence Nightingale’s birthday occurs on 12^th May which is also the start of International Nursing Week and the service incorporates both events. The service will be preceded by a procession starting from St. Peter’s Church, passing through the City centre and then on to the Cathedral.  Nurses and health care practitioners from both the Derby Hospitals Trust and the community at large will be led by a marching band, and members of the choir will join the procession at the Cathedral entrance.

The service will be attended by Derbyshire’s dignitaries, Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff, Mayor etc., and there will be high profile speakers from within the caring profession.

The choir will be singing three pieces and there will be three congregational hymns. The choir’s pieces are

1 Anthem – Ave Verum (Mozart) Jesu Word of God

2 Anthem – All things Bright & Beautiful (John Rutter)

3 Introit – Non Nobis Domine (Anon./Byrd)

The Service starts at 11.00 am.  The Choir will wear usual attire:

GENERAL INFORMATION AND TIMINGS

9.15  Arrive at Cathedral and deposit coats, bags etc in Beddows Room

9.30 Go upstairs to the Retro Choir stalls to be allocated your seat

9.40  Practicing processing out  and in to the Cathedral to ensure we are foot perfect.

10.00   Rehearsal of our three pieces with accompaniment from Peter Gould, Master of Music at the Cathedral.

10.30   Return to the Beddows Room for a comfort break

10.50  Congregate at the East door of the Cathedral.  We shall not be processing through the town and will meet the procession as they arrive at the Cathedral.  The choir will “fall in” behind the cross and lights and in front of the band to lead the procession into the cathedral.

The service begins at 11.00 am sharp and will last for one hour.  When the service has finished, the Choir will lead out of the Cathedral and walk around back to the East Door thereby avoiding blocking the main entrance.

 

 

1983 Macmillan Continuing Care Unit,

1984 NSPCC,

1985 Radio Link

1986 Dr Barnardo’s,

1987 St John Ambulance,

1988 Community Health,

1989 Heart Start Appeal,

1990 Disabled Driving Centre,

1991 DRI Centenary Appeal,

1992 DCGH Quiet Garden,

1993 Mental Health Trust,

1994 Friends of the Children’s Hospital,

1995 Headway Derby,

1996 Umbrella,

1997 Derby Mind

1998 DRI Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit,

1999 Rainbows Children’s Hospice,

2000 Derby Leukaemia Centre,

2001 Royal School for the Deaf,

2002 Intensive Care Services SDAH,

2003 Derbyshire Assoc. for the Blind,

2004 Renal Services Derby Hospitals,

2005 CAMTAD

2006 DRI Acute Stroke Unit

2007 Derby Branch Alzheimer’s Society,

2008 Derby-Leics-Rutland Air Ambulance

2009 Derby Branch Multiple Sclerosis

2010 Derby Branch Parkinson’s U.K.

2011 Derbyshire Branch for Motor Neurone Disease

2012 Royal Derby Hospital Respiratory Unit

GRAND TOTAL RAISED TO DATE:
IN EXCESS OF £133000.00

 

 

Congratulations to you all on a fantastic 30^th Anniversary Christmas Concert at the Assembly Rooms.  It was a marvellous night which was enjoyed by nearly 1200 people and, although it is too early to be precise about the amount of money raised for the Royal Derby Respiratory Unit, we can say that it is looking like another record sum – we can certainly all be proud of a really brilliant performance.

This year the choir celebrates 30 years of singing and fund raising and will be holding a special Anniversary Christmas Concert at the Assembly Rooms on 23rd November 2012. We are delighted to announce that we shall be joined by a very special guest, local star of TV and proprietor of Hanson’s Salerooms in Etwall, Charles Hanson. Charles will be our compere for the evening, bringing his own style of humour and great personality to complement a wonderful programme of singing and music by the Choir and Derwent Brass.

The beneficiary of this special Celebratory Concert is the Royal Derby Respiratory Unit (RDRU) and we shall all be working extremely hard to raise enough funds to provide them with some much needed equipment to benefit all their patients, including a number of our own Choir members!

Ticket prices: £12 & £11 Concessions £11 & £10