CanalCuttings - Your FREE online-world British Inland Waterways, Narrowboat, River Cruiser, Canal Boat Magazine, Info Source and Britain's & Narrowboat Holiday Guide.

Over 450 Pages of Information and Features about canals and their usage - We're not just a Narrowboat Magazine. The website includes River and Inland Waterways information.

Canal Town FREE Music Festival

Stone, Staffordshire Music Festival is one of the few ‘free’ music events to be held in the West Midlands

“Stone Music Festival is one of the few ‘free’ music events to be held in the West Midlands and we were bowled over at its success last year,” says Steve who with partner Kate Moss and other members of a voluntary group, organise the event.

www.stonemusicfestival.com

One of Staffordshire’s leading choral societies is to celebrate its 40th anniversary in July with a concert during the Music Festival in Stone, the town where it was formed.

The seventy-strong Stone Choral Society, conducted by Charlie Penn, will sing in the town on Saturday July 11th – part of a growing programme of classical music included in the music festival line up.

Also planned are concerts by the English Costume Orchestra, a pianist from Uganda, an Opera singer and the acappella group Pebbles.

The three day festival will end with a glittering glam rock performance by international Abba tribute band Abba Gold.

“We want our programme to have wide ranging appeal to lovers of all kinds of music,” says chairman Dr Stephen Brookes.

“We’re delighted that Stone Choral Society has chosen the festival as the major part of its 40th anniversary celebrations and I’m sure their concert will be a sell out,” he said.

Also in the festival line up will be The Blueshounds, Ambush, and Rob McCulloch. Local young people will take to the stage in the town centre along with Stone Town Band and there’ll also be a busking competition.

There’s praise for the festival from the Choir’s deputy chairman Martin Jones. “The event was held for the first time last year and was a tremendous success attracting thousands of people to a varied programme of concerts,” he said, adding: “It’s fitting that our anniversary concert is called Feel the Spirit! because that’s just what you can do as a visitor to the festival. We’re proud to be part of this year’s event and see it as an excellent way to climax our 40th birthday celebrations.”

The choir was the brainchild of the music teacher at Alleynes School, Miss Alrene ‘Ollie’ Wainwright who, in 1968, got together a group of enthusiasts to rehearse and perform choral music.

From this small start, enthusiastic members spread the word about Stone’s new Choral Society, which enjoyed such rapid growth that within two years the newly formed choir was performing works such as Haydn’s Creation (March 1970) and more ambitiously Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in December 1970 followed by Handel’s Messiah in October 1971.

Over the years the Choir’s repertoire has grown, spanning a wide mix of styles, not only classical but lighter music too. Their performances have ranged from renaissance sacred music to modern pieces such as David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus; from the works of Gilbert and Sullivan to the Monteverdi Vespers.

The Choir has also had pieces commissioned for it, such as the work by Simon Lambros entitled In Memoriam, setting to music three poems by Siegfried Sassoon during and after his involvement in the First World War.

These concerts gave individual members a chance to showcase their talents and over the years many soloists have emerged from the ranks.

Internationally known, the choir has developed links with other choral groups in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Poland, and has given concerts in Bagnacavallo in Eastern Italy – one of them including songs made famous by Abba.

Last May they linked up with the Strzyzow Chamber Choir travelling to the Polish town to take part in two joint concerts. The Polish songsters visited Stone in June – links the Major of Strzyzow described as being really important for them.

On May 2 nd this year the Terpsichore Chamber Choir will travel from Belgium to join Stone choristers for a performance of the ever popular Carmina Burana in Priory Hall, at St Dominic’s School, in Stone. Also taking part will be the Parents and Children in Harmony Choir from St. Michael's First School. 

The Choir’s reputation rests in no small measure on the conductors who have guided the singers over the last 40 years. From those early years under the baton of ‘Ollie’ the choir has been fortunate to have a number of very talented musical directors including Gary Churchill, Frank O’Neil, David Burrowes, Keith Orrell, Richard Dacey, Patrick Larley, Roger Paul, Simon Dearsley, Amy Bebbington, Sarah Forbes and the current Musical Director Charlie Penn.