Choir Vice Chairman Alan Higgins said “as we are just starting to learn a new programme and we will be singing with music at our Christmas Concerts, now would be a good time for anyone considering joining us to come along”.

The core of the Choir live in Melbourne but others come from the outlying villages such as Aston and Weston on Trent, Hemington, Castle Donington, Findern and Belton, with one member who used to teach in Melbourne travelling from Croydon every week.

Any former members who would like to return or new members will be welcome to come along to our Friday evening practise that starts at 7.30pm in the Wesleyan Hall in Potter Street, Melbourne.

You don’t need to read music, all you need is to enjoy it. We offer fun, comradeship and good company. You won’t be asked to take a voice test to see if you are good enough, just to establish which of our four sections you need to sit with. There is tea, coffee and biscuits at half time and if you fancy a pint afterwards the ‘wet brigade’ adjourn to Melbourne British Legion.

Why not come along?  If you want further details please contact our Secretary Seymour Bell on 01283 703992.

Choir performed for visitors at the home of its President Lord Ralph Kerr on the afternoon of Sunday 31st August.  A combination of the sunny afternoon and the anticipation of Choir’s performance saw a record number of Sunday visitors for 2014.

Standing in the Hall below the Main Staircase this was the first public performance for Choir under its new Music Team of Musical Director Andrea Leeming, Accompanist Lydia Wright and Assistant Accompanist Charlotte Harris; they did not disappoint.

Highlights included ‘American Trilogy’, ‘ My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose’ and ‘Calon Lan’.  Soloists Tony Mulcahy, Ron Kenning and Graham Cameron added to the enjoyment of the afternoon.

Choir’s Red Wine Club met in the Blue Bell Inn, a well known Melbourne watering hole, both before and after the concert for suitable refreshment.

Saturday August 16th saw two bus-loads of Choir members and supporters leave Castle Square in Melbourne for a lunch time performance in Southwell Minster by kind permission of The Dean.

The Minster has been described as one of Nottinghamshire’s hidden gems. It can trace its history as a church on the site to Anglo Saxon times as early as 630. The present church was built in 1108.

Choir, standing on the alter steps in front of the beautiful West Window, gave two 30 minute performances. They performed excellently with the sound carrying and echoing right through The Quire and The Nave. This particularly impressed visitors with quiet numbers ‘My Lord What A Morning’ and ‘Bring Him Home’ from Les Miserables. As one member remarked, “a wonderful experience".

The party called at Patchings Farm Arts Centre for welcome food and refreshment on the return journey arriving back in Melbourne late afternoon.

Held at the The Ritz in Burton the event promises to be a fantastic evening of live musical entertainment from Tony, with the Choir joining him on the bill.  See the event poster below for all the details.

John Hyde, one of the founder members of the Melbourne Male Voice Choir, has published the sixth in a series of small poetry books which he sells on behalf of Choir.

John, who lived in Melbourne from 1964-1980, started writing poetry during his time at Melbourne Engineering. He also wrote gags for radio’s Huddlines and provided material for The Grumbleweeds.

His proudest writing moment, however, was when the late Ronnie Barker performed John’s monologue ‘The Commissionaire’ on The Two Ronnies.  It has now been shown three times on television, including The Best of the Two Ronnies.

John remembers, “I’d no idea it was going to be used or when it was to appear. Oddly enough, it had been turned down by the script department and I then sent it to Ronnie himself. He wrote to me saying he would put it forward to the producer. I’d written it solely with him in mind and he obviously saw its possibilities. So, when I was watching their Christmas show that year and first saw it, I nearly collapsed!

“Even more remarkably, it appeared in a thick book of scripts claiming to have been written by Ronnie entitled "All I Ever Wrote" – except that he didn’t write that particular one. I took it up and couldn’t believe it when Ronnie himself phoned one evening to apologise for the mix-up. Talk about Surprise, Surprise!”

John Hyde's new book "Di-verse-ify" is his trademark mixture of the silly and the serious.  It contains 36 pieces of his work including a sequel to the famous Stanley Holloway monologues about Albert Ramsbottom. The front cover to the book features a painting of Church Street in Melbourne and the Blue Bell Inn, by local artist and Choir member Ron Kenning.

"Di-verse-ify" is often available to purchase at Choir concerts.  Alternatively you can enquire about buying a copy by getting in touch through the Contact page.

Lord Ralph Kerr, President of Melbourne Male Voice Choir hosted an evening Reception for Choir members and their guests on Saturday 31st May.  Advantage was taken of the fine warm evening to take drinks outside and walk round the historic garden with its broad sweeps of lawn, avenues and arbour.

After a buffet had been enjoyed Lord Ralph spoke of his proud and long association with the Choir.  He recognised the work that had gone into rebuilding the Choir in the past year which now stood at over 30 members.  Lord Ralph praised Choir for their recent excellent concert for the National Trust in the Saloon at Kedleston Hall with Ecclesbourne School. He was looking forward to their return visit to Melbourne Hall to sing for visitors in the afternoon of Sunday 31st August and hoped to be present on Saturday 4th October for their concert with Ockbrook School in St. Edward’s Parish Church in Castle Donington.

Peter Dawn, Choir Chairman, thanked Lord Ralph for his continued support and for hosting the evening.  Choir then performed five pieces from their current programme that included Calon Lan, the Vicar of Dibley version of The Lord is my Shepherd and Lord Ralph’s favourite Gwahoddiad.

Choir now practise on Friday evenings at 7.30pm in the Wesleyan Hall in Potter Street, Melbourne. New members will be made welcome and don’t need to be able to read music.