Big gig in bag for town choir

They joined nine other choirs and the Band of The Royal Marines for the once in a lifetime gig at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham.

Choirs from across the country were chosen for the event according to their success over the last year and all proceeds will go to the Royal British Legion in Nottinghamshire.

Male voice choirs from as far apart as Sheffield, Grimsby and Northampton took part in the 350-strong performance named Sounds Sensational.

Geoff Mansfield, chairman of Mansfield and District Male voice Choir (MDMVC), said: “It was magnificent - I think the distinguishing feature was the ten choirs singing together in unison and breaking into a four-part harmony.

“It was really quite something special and the military band were superb.

“There were 2,500 people in the audience. It was massive and I think it will give us a great chance to build up opportunities with other choirs.”

Audiences on the night heard classics such as There Is Nothing Like A Dame from South Pacific, Bring Him Home from Les Miserables and Matt Monroe’s Walk On.

Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir was formed in 1944 following a merger between Mansfield Orpheus and Rainworth Male Voice Choir.

At one time during the 1950s and 1960s the group was known as one of the most successful in the country and this is a reputation Geoff would like to win back.

“We have a Musical Director, Meryl Chambers, who has been in on the music scene for 40 years and she drives us really hard,” he said.

“We are also appealing for ten more members and hope this will contribute to greater success.”

But this is not to say the choir has not seen its fair share of glamour already - it has performed at 10 Downing Street, Royal Albert Hall and Manchester’s MEN Arena with 1000 Welsh Male voices.