Bestwood Male Voice Choir's platinum celebration concert is a big hit as Jeneba Kanneh-Mason thrills the audience

Special guest, the young Nottingham musician Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, enthralled the audience with her superb renditions of pieces by Shostakovich, Mendelssohn and Chopin on the grand piano, attracting a number of standing ovations.

Bestwood MVC, under their musical director (MD) Mirek Rus, were joined for this special occasion by Carlton MVC, under their MD Ian Watts and Mansfield & District MVC under their MD Ian Grice.

Although each choir sang a number of pieces on their own, the choirs also joined together to form a massed choir to sing several songs including ‘African Trilogy’, ‘What would I do without my music’, ‘The wonder of you’ and ‘Viva la vida’.

The concert also included David Butterworth playing Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No.4 on the famous Binns Organ, as well as accompanying the choirs on a number of pieces.

The audience included several dignitaries, including, Coun Wendy Smith, Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Coun Julie Najuk, deputy mayor of Gedling, Coun Christopher Barnfather Nottinghamshire county councillor and Gedling borough councillor, and Mrs Wendy Start OBE, DL.

The concert, supporting Prostate Cancer UK, was compered by Rajiv Hasan, voice actor, impressionist and award-winning hospital radio presenter.

Bestwood MVC was founded back in 1952 by the late Len Hogg, the then new manager of Bestwood Colliery.

Len passed away in January 2005 but the choir continues to draw inspiration from his passion for music and works hard in promoting the enjoyment and art of choral singing.