Alan and Shirley Paynes 1983-1990
The Society was formed by Alan and Shirley Paynes in September 1983. The inaugural concert was given at Chosen Hill School on Saturday March 31, 1984 with Shirley Paynes conducting and Charlotte Marsh at the piano. The 35 - strong choir opened the concert with Ave Verum Corpus, by Mozart, followed by The Golden Wheat, a Welsh traditional song arranged by Alan Paynes. Amongst other pieces heard during the evening were Agnus Dei from the Verdi Requiem, a song cycle by Kodaly and traditional and spiritual songs. The guest performers were The Apollo Quartet. The price of the tickets was £1 for adults and 50p for children and OAPs.
The first performance of a major work was on Saturday March 30, 1985 when the choir performed Vivaldi’s Gloria with Mary Wren and Nicola Elliot, Sopranos, Joan Hulbert, contralto and an invited orchestra. This was the first time that St Andrew’s Church was used as a venue. Again, the ticket price was £1.
The choir took a major part in the Churchdown Festival in May – June, 1985. In a wide ranging programme the performances included, sections from the Vivaldi Gloria, the Kyrie from Petite Messe Solomnelle, by Rossini and A Festival Allelujah, a piece written for the festival by Shirley Paynes. The featured soloist was Paul Broekman, trumpet.
For its first light- hearted concert the choir was in Swindon Village Club for a charity evening of song and verse on Wednesday October 2, 1985. The programme included Parry’s Blest pair of sirens, spirituals, traditional folk songs and prose and poetry readings. The accompanist on this occasion was Damian Feeney.
The Faure Requiem was the main work in a programme given in St Andrew’s Church on Saturday March 22, 1986. Here the soloists were Claire Mitcher, soprano and David Purcell, baritone. Playing in the invited orchestra were Sue Flower and Kevin Payne, violas.
A concert in support of Cystic Fibrosis was given in the Village Hall, Upton St Leonards on Saturday October 11, 1986. The programme offered a range of music, from Purcell to John Ireland and Herbert Howells to Aaron Copland. There was also poetry readings from Anthony Hoden.
Haydn’s Nelson Mass was the work given on April 11, 1987. The venue was St Andrew’s Church and the soloists were Jillian Whitehead, soprano, Joan Hulbert, contralto, George Howarth, tenor and David Purcell, bass. Shirley Paynes conducted choir and invited orchestra.
The next concert of a major work was on March 8, 1988 in St Andrew’s Church when the choir sang the magnificent Music Makers, by Elgar. The contralto soloist was Diana Walkley and the performance was accompanied by an invited orchestra.
In 1989 the choir again took part in the Churchdown Festival. The concert, given in St Andrew’s Church included arrangements of songs by both Shirley and Alan Paynes and works by Janacek, Bruckner and Handel. The main work was a suite of Gypsy Songs by Brahms.
In March, 1989 it was announced that Shirley and Alan Paynes were leaving the choir at the end of June for personal reasons. The committee had discussed the situation with Shirley and it was agreed that every effort must be made to keep the choir going. As a result of writing to the Heads of Music at every county music school Ann Tilley was appointed as the new MD. Ann was the Lecturer in Music at the college of St Paul’s and St Mary’s, Cheltenham.
The first performance of a major work was on Saturday March 30, 1985 when the choir performed Vivaldi’s Gloria with Mary Wren and Nicola Elliot, Sopranos, Joan Hulbert, contralto and an invited orchestra. This was the first time that St Andrew’s Church was used as a venue. Again, the ticket price was £1.
The choir took a major part in the Churchdown Festival in May – June, 1985. In a wide ranging programme the performances included, sections from the Vivaldi Gloria, the Kyrie from Petite Messe Solomnelle, by Rossini and A Festival Allelujah, a piece written for the festival by Shirley Paynes. The featured soloist was Paul Broekman, trumpet.
For its first light- hearted concert the choir was in Swindon Village Club for a charity evening of song and verse on Wednesday October 2, 1985. The programme included Parry’s Blest pair of sirens, spirituals, traditional folk songs and prose and poetry readings. The accompanist on this occasion was Damian Feeney.
The Faure Requiem was the main work in a programme given in St Andrew’s Church on Saturday March 22, 1986. Here the soloists were Claire Mitcher, soprano and David Purcell, baritone. Playing in the invited orchestra were Sue Flower and Kevin Payne, violas.
A concert in support of Cystic Fibrosis was given in the Village Hall, Upton St Leonards on Saturday October 11, 1986. The programme offered a range of music, from Purcell to John Ireland and Herbert Howells to Aaron Copland. There was also poetry readings from Anthony Hoden.
Haydn’s Nelson Mass was the work given on April 11, 1987. The venue was St Andrew’s Church and the soloists were Jillian Whitehead, soprano, Joan Hulbert, contralto, George Howarth, tenor and David Purcell, bass. Shirley Paynes conducted choir and invited orchestra.
The next concert of a major work was on March 8, 1988 in St Andrew’s Church when the choir sang the magnificent Music Makers, by Elgar. The contralto soloist was Diana Walkley and the performance was accompanied by an invited orchestra.
In 1989 the choir again took part in the Churchdown Festival. The concert, given in St Andrew’s Church included arrangements of songs by both Shirley and Alan Paynes and works by Janacek, Bruckner and Handel. The main work was a suite of Gypsy Songs by Brahms.
In March, 1989 it was announced that Shirley and Alan Paynes were leaving the choir at the end of June for personal reasons. The committee had discussed the situation with Shirley and it was agreed that every effort must be made to keep the choir going. As a result of writing to the Heads of Music at every county music school Ann Tilley was appointed as the new MD. Ann was the Lecturer in Music at the college of St Paul’s and St Mary’s, Cheltenham.