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USA Concert Tour ' Press Release '

Members of Swindon Male Voice Choir have returned from a highly successful and busy Concert Tour to the New England Area of the USA.  Departing on 27th May, 30 Choristers with their wives/partners and led by their Director of Music, Max Brockman-More and Accompanist, Kate Lock, flew out of Heathrow to Logan Airport, Boston, USA, to perform four concerts during ten days in the land of ‘Uncle Sam’.

First stop was Springfield, Massachusetts and a Concert on Saturday 28th May staged at the ‘Centre for the Arts’ in nearby Northampton.  The choir responded to a full and receptive audience including many members of local Northampton choral groups and societies.  The concert helped raise valuable funds for the Centre and aided its development of a wide range of the Arts in the area of Northampton.

The Choir moved on to Burlington, Vermont, where on Monday 30th May a concert was presented in the United Methodist Church.  This very special and emotional concert was to raise funds for the Burlington ‘Ronald MacDonald House Charity’.  The house, three doors away from the Church, is used by parents and close relatives of seriously ill prematurely born babies who are being cared for at The Burlington Special Care Baby Unit.  The emotional and financial strains upon parents under such circumstances are immense and the ‘Ronald MacDonald House’ provides a place for them to stay near to their babies where they can release their tensions and relax for a while until they return to their long vigils at the Hospital.  We were introduced to the mother of prematurely born triplets, born in February,  two of whom were still in the hospital and were able to witness and share her relief being able to use the facility provided at the ‘Ronald MacDonald House’.

This little babe was born in February, one of triplets born extremely prematurely. Two boys and a girl.  The little babe pictured is one of the boys and is small but doing well.  The other two are still in Burlington hospital, both with major long term health issues.  It looks as though in due course they will make it home from hospital but a difficult life lies ahead for them and their parents.  The Ronald MacDonald Home provides a unique supporting environment  for parents in situation such as this.  This will probably help you understand the poignancy and purpose that leads us to travel and perform to support such causes.

This concert, to a slightly smaller audience, was warmly received and again the Choir performed to a very high standard.  The choir were overwhelmed with the warmth of welcome at both Northampton and Burlington, generating a real friendship with our American hosts.

From Burlington the Choir moved across to Portland, Maine (on the east coast above Boston).  The Choir on Thursday 2nd June  presented another concert for the ‘Ronald MacDonald House Charity’, supporting the House in Portland.  This concert was staged at The Inn by The Bay Holiday Inn, Portland.  The smallest audience of the tour (reduced by 20 as our wives/partners went out for a special Dinner in the Bay of Portland).  Regardless of the smaller audience the Choir rose to the occasion and provided every bit as good a concert as the first two events!  Warm applause and thanks from our American hosts.

From Portland, the Choir moved South, past Boston to Cape Cod, being based at Yarmouth for the last few days.

The final concert on Friday 3rd June, was staged at the Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth.  A beautiful, traditional colonial style church just a short walk from the Pilgrim’s Stone, where the Pilgrim Fathers are said to have stepped ashore on American soil. 

A good size warm and receptive audience in such a beautiful church could only lead to a concert performance of the very highest standard from the Choir, to standing ovations at half time interval and at the concert close.  During the concert Swindon Male Voice Choir were proud to receive a Special Proclamation of thanks and gratitude to the Choir presented on behalf of the City Council of Plymouth.  

The Choir members left this venue with a very warm and satisfied feeling of Concerts well presented and the name and reputation of Swindon Male Voice Choir spread wide and far and truly enhanced.  Such was the feeling of excitement at 10.00 in the evening, after such a good concert, that once outside the Church waiting for the coach the Choir broke into song again to wide applause up and down the street.  Magical moments shared and enjoyed by the whole tour party.  This was a moment when we regretted that some members had been unable to travel with us and had missed such magical moments!

Since being back in the UK we have received the following letter!

Dear Members of Swindon Male Voice Choir:

On behalf of July Four Plymouth, Inc. I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the entire Swindon Male Voice Choir for their gracious offer to have sponsored a concert to help us raise funds on June 3rd for our annual July 4th Independence Day  parade and fireworks celebration. It was, indeed, a most entertaining evening of fine music here in America's Hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The First Congregational Church was filled with folks who appreciate great music, and what a treat we got!  From Spirituals to African music, from Gilbert & Sullivan to Broadway and Elvis. We were dazzled by the virtuosity, repertoire  and clarity of this superb choral ensemble. Your director, Max Brockman-More was, certainly, an inspiration to all who came to absorb his humorous, accurate, and congenial remarks presaging each number performed.

 We raised over $750.00 from this event and we are indebted to your entire organization for their generosity.  The Swindon Male Voice Choir makes our world a much smaller and better one in which we live.

In Peace and good health,

David Buckman, Treasurer

July Four Plymouth, Inc.

P.O. Box 1776

Plymouth, MA 02362

USA

At each venue the Choir were proud to state and promote the good name of Swindon, and presented Choir plaques featuring the original Swindon Coat of Arms.  Four such plaques are now proudly pinned to walls in New England ensuring the name of Swindon lasts long into the future.

So it was that the Choir retired to Cape Cod for the last few days to relax and enjoy the sun and scenery, before returning home on 8th June. 

The Choir had worked hard to prepare music for the tour including a specially arranged ‘Tribute to the USA’, a medley featuring three of America’s most favoured songs ‘America America’, ‘God Bless America’ and ‘The Star Spangled Banner’.  The fact that the Choir had taken time to prepare such special music for the tour gained immense praise and respect from our American hosts. 

Four choir members had made extra preparations and featured as Guest Soloists, Duets and Quartet during the various concerts.  Their performances were of the very best, receiving warmest applause, and something of a fan club following after concerts! 

An excellent tour, with a tremendous friendship, camaraderie and cheerfulness among the Choir members, their wives and partners, showing the true spirit of enjoyment that music and singing can bring.  

There were many memorable moments along the way, Singing to the Virgin Airlines Flight crew at Boston Airport (You’ll Never Walk Alone); the excellent Bostonian Coach driver almost became a Choir member!  The sighting of a moose as we passed through the beauty of the White Mountains – something seldom seen by locals!  A Dinner cruise on Lake Champlain with plenty of singing, followed by serenading 100 young Burlington Graduation Students as they gathered on the dockside to begin their Graduation Dinner on the cruise boat we had just left!

Above all else the Choir stood true to its basic roots, providing choral music to the highest standards, Enjoying our music, sharing our music wide and far, and promoting the name and status of our home town, Swindon.  

Note: Our Choir Secretary - John Richer has an excellent formal very good quality photograph of the Choir which may be better for your reproduction than those above.  Email him for a copy on john.richer@talk21.com if preferred.

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