Guildford Philharmonic Choir
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WENL
GPC
NEWSLETTER
Editor: Margaret Dentskevich
ISSUE 1 - JANUARY 1999
Introduction - Michael Dawe,
GPC Honorary Secretary
| was delighted when Margaret asked me to contribute
* We're developing our marketing and fund-raising
activities (choir notelets really are a good idea — or
an introductory article, because this new venture - our
first Choir newsletter - is one further tangible symbol of
the recently-discovered self-confidence and new lease
of life which the choir has established over the last
will be, if you buy them!).
* We're slowly building up the social side of the choir,
and people are now wanting to come to
“extracurricular” activities .
year or so.
When Kathy retired and the Guildford Philharmonic, at
the behest of its political masters, set sail in a totally
new direction with the GPC not as securely on board
as it might have wished, there was much pessimism
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turned out to be the catalyst for a complete
transformation.
If the general mood and morale of its members and
the standard of its singing (which for us is as high now
as | can remember) were the sole yardsticks by which a choir can judge its
success, then we are well on the way.
These alone, however, are not enough.
There are practical considerations too,
but under John Trigg’s leadership these
particular order:
% Through Chris Robinson’s careful
stewardship, we've built up a
reasonably secure financial base.
* We've proved that we can
successfully mount a full-blown
“blockbuster” concert.
* We're attracting increasing
numbers of younger singers.
* We've maintained and shall
continue to develop our relationship with our friends
in Freiburg, with or without the Borough’s participation. The St Matthew Passion to be sung with them
in Guildford Cathedral in the year 2000 is a mouth:
watering prospect!
in
succeeded
have
we
% Under Jeremy's direction
finding that elusive combination of providing the
paying public with imaginative programmes to
about the long-term future. | will quite cheerfully admit
that at the time | too had my doubts about the choir’s
chances of survival. | was wrong, however. What at
first appeared to be a potential disaster has actually
also have been addressed. A few successes, in no
q
,
which they will come, and of providing the choir with
fulfilling music that they will enjoy singing.
L3
And the exciting thing about all of this is that we've
done it ourselves, and not just sat back and waited for
it to be served up by the Borough. No longer is the
GPC just the “Borough” choir. It's now very definitely
“our” choir. This has not come about despite the
changes made by the politicos, but because of them.
It's flowed directly from these changes, and has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to build on the
foundations that have now been laid. It seems that
we're now on the threshold of a golden era. A begin-
ning has been made. It's now up to you, the members,
to ensure that you and your Committee maintain the
impetus.
This newsletter is but one element of that momentum.
| therefore commend it to you and urge that you give
both it and Margaret your fullest support.
fi.
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Concerts
Review of Carmina Burana and Rio Grande — Jane Garrett, Surrey Advertiser
the orchestra communicated its enjoyment.
Guildford Philharmonic’s sell-out
concert at the Civic on Saturday night
The Pianists was a tour de force from Jeremy Filsell
and Les Pearson, strings made great donkeys, and the
was a jolly affair, full of wit, humour, sound and fury.
lead cellist was a particularly poignant swan.
The programme started with Constance [sic]
Lambert’s Rio Grande, moving to Saint-Saens’
Carnival of the Animals and ending with Carl Orff's
rumbustuous [sic] celebration of wine, women and
Carmina Burana is not for the squeamish. The problem for Surrey choirs is often that they are too polite
and restrained, and on Saturday there was a tendency
for the delivery to be2
song, Carmina Burana.
come tame as the volume receded.
Rio Grande is an exciting and inventive work
employing most unusual juxtapositions of instruments,
and happily exploring the potential of a choir, soloist,
A ferocity of articulation
is required and a
confident accuracy of
intonation for the isolated
chords. Neither were
[sic] impressive, until the
percussion, brass and a piano in his jazz-influenced
setting of Sitwell's poem.
The Philharmonic responded well to conductor Jeremy
Backhouse, and the jazz rhythms gave a welcome
breadth to the orchestra’s repertoire.
work demanded full throttle. Then the choir rose to the
occasion quite magnificently
It is hard to recognise in The Carnival of the Animals
the same composer who created the great piano and
organ works. Saint-Saens is wonderfully funny, with
highly selective and elegantly minimalist scoring, and
Mahler and Bruckner on 13" March 1999 — Jeremy Backhouse
ar This concert wil be one of the most
Philharmonic Orchestra will field approximately 80
musicians, including for example quadruple woodwind,
10 French horns, offstage brass and a massive
percussion section, together with a total choral force
(us and the Wooburn Singers) of about 180 and our
very own Jeremy Filsell at the organ - it is rarely
performed outside the major national musical centres;
| would hazard a guess that it has never before been
exciting that the choir has ever been involved in. Some
claim - but | think that after the concert you'll agree!
The programme is made up of two great choral works
of the latter part of the 19" century that never fail to
impress and move.
The Mass in E minor by Bruckner will give
the choir the fullest opportunity to shine.
The work was commissioned for a service
in 1866 in Linz Cathedral in Austria (where
Bruckner was organist), although he sub'
stantially revised the work in 1882 and yet again in
"%,
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performed in Guildford.
Mahler composed his Second Symphony during the
summers of 1893 and 1894 (aged 33/34) in Steinbach
am Attersee, Austria, at a time when he
was absorbed with the Knaben Wunderhorn sets of folk-like poetry. His view of a
symphony was that it should be like the
world, containing everything; and everything is what we have in this work. There is
1896, the year of his death — it is this latter version
that we shall perform. The Mass uses wind and brass
only and the choir are the “stars” throughout the work,
Bruckner using no soloists on this occasion. Bruckner
was at the time of composition becoming increagj‘pgly
influenced by Wagner, although his influence is not
evident in this Mass, which employs the contrapuntal
style of Palestrina as well as other more homophonic
textures, giving the choir the chance to show itself off
TM
example:
for
scoring,
orchestral
the
infinite variety in
despite the massive forces, Mahler often uses a minimal number of instruments to produce effects of extreme delicacy. And in the structure of the symphony
there is a spiritual journey of endless fascination to be
at its very best.
Mahler's Second is one of the great symphonies of the
classical repertoire and, although the chorus sings for
only the last 12 of its 80 minutes, it remains a vastly
popular work for choirs, including as it does some of
the finest moments in all the choral repertoire. It would
undoubtedly accompany me to my Desert Island!
Because of the scale of the work - the Forest
o
made.
The first movement is a re-working of a funeral march
that Mahler composed a couple of years earlier. The
second and third are lighter in mood, more dance-like,
the third being a Landler (a typical Austrian dance)
which uses material from one of his Des Knaben
Wunderhorn songs “St Anthony preaches to the
iy
fishes”. The fourth movement is a solo song for mezzo
soprano (to be performed by Jeanette Ager, whom
many of you will remember for her fine portrayal of the
Angel in The Dream of Gerontius in March 1998) and
uses a text from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, telling of
the hope of blissful, everlasting life in heaven. The
exquisite peace of the ending of this song is
interrupted by the ferocity of the opening of the fifth
movement. This marks the final stage of the journey
through the symphony, culminating in the triumphant
choral setting, with soprano and alto solos, of
becomes gradually more terrible. Our senses
desert us; all consciousness dies as the Eternal
Judge approaches. The trumpets of the
Apocalypse ring out. Finally, after all have left their
empty graves and the earth lies silent and
Klopstock’s Resurrection Ode Auferstehen, (first heard
by Mahler at the funeral, in 1894, of the great
conductor Hans von Biilow). Mahler's own description
of the last movement is fascinating:
Once more we must confront terrifying questions.
The movement starts with the same dreadful
scream of anguish that ended the Scherzo. The
voice of the Caller is heard. The end of every
living thing has come, the last judgement is at
hand, and the horror of the day of days has come
upon us. The earth trembles; the last trump
sounds; the graves burst open; all the creatures
struggle out of the ground, moaning and trembling.
Now they march in a mighty procession: rich and
2!_!
poor, peasants and kings, the whole church with
bishops and popes. All have the same fear, all cry
and tremble alike because, in the eyes of God,
there are no just men. The cry for mercy and
forgiveness sounds fearful in our ears. The wailing
deserted, there comes only the long-drawn note of
the bird of death. Even it finally dies.
What happens now is far from expected: Everything has ceased to exist. The gentle sound of a
chorus of saints and heavenly hosts is then heard.
Soft and simple, the words gently swell up: ‘Rise
again, yes, rise again thou wilt!’ Then the glory of
God comes into sight. A wondrous light strikes us
to the heart. All is quiet and blissful. Lo and behold: There is no judgement, no sinners, no just
men, no great and no small; there is no punishment and no reward. A feeling of overwhelming
love fills us with blissful knowledge and illuminates
our existence.
CHASE: our concert on 29th May 1999 — Hilary Trigg
Our concert on 29" May '99 in the
us, and they will be delighted
to help us support CHASE,
Cathedralis being held to support
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providing their orchestra free of charge The concert
of French music includes the orchestra and our very
= own Jeremy Filsell playing Poulenc's
a local charlty that you might not be aware of CHASE. It was set up in 1994 to help those children
who are not expected to reach their 19" birthday.
Organ Concerto. Please get your
:
CHASE aims to helpin three main ways
friends and family to put the date in
their diaries - they'll be supporting us
. and a very deserving local cause. °
by offering practical and emotional counselling
with a community team living & working in Surrey,
Sussex & SW London on 24-hour call
with a small, purpose-built home-from-home,
respite, palliative and terminal care centre called
CHASE will be publicising the concert as well as us,
and are also trying to find a sponsor. It would be
lovely if we could have something along the lines of
a Champagne Reception after the concert. Does
anyone have any contacts, for instance on the
“Christopher's”.
Christopher's is to be built on land given by the
More-Molyneux family at Artington Manor Farm, part
of the Loseley estate. The target opening date is
Research Park, who would be willing to sponsor a
reception on behalf of CHASE?
2000!
We've asked the Surrey Mozart Players to play for
Fund-raising -- Introduction by Jackie Alderton
The choir’s changing relationship with
the Borough has meant that fund-raising
has become essential. It is vital that we all try to
make a profit. If (when!) we sell all 5,000 (over a long
term, of course), the choir could raise about £900. The
cards will be on sale at all future rehearsals, so please
multi-purpose cards now on sale.
If anyone has other fund-raising ideas, please pass
them to me, or to any other Committee member.
support efforts to raise money wherever possible, be it
special events or as ongoing projects, such as the
These are initially selling well. To recoup our capital
outlay we shall need to sell 2,750 before we start to
.
.... keep on buying!
Car-boot sale in Guildford College Car Park - 16TM October ’98 — MD
sale, and to Jackie, Charlotte and Mary, who braved
the cold to run the sale. Apologies to Maralyn who
could not be contacted and went to the wrong venue!
The boot of Jackie Alderton’s car was
completely loaded with goods to sell
the College, the turnout of cars and
vans selling goods was poor, with at
most only 16 vendors. However,
there was a steady trickle of
customers throughout the morning.
Despite the low number of cars and
We intend to continue our trips to car-boot sales in the
New Year -- the next expedltlon will be on 6" February,
weather permitting. So if you’re turning out your cup-
boards and have things that you don’t want, please
bring them along to rehearsal one Monday evening.
We'll take them off your hands and sell them for the
customers, we made £175.
choir funds.
A big “thank you” to everyone who donated items for
Quiz Nightin St Nicholas’ Church Hall - 14" November '98— MD Q\\\W////
v After a slow start to ticket sales, Choir
Many thanks go to —
members rallied, with 60 attending on
the night. They were not disappointed. It was a most
enjoyable evening, even though our grey cells were put
to the test. The supper was excellent, with a tasty
choice of fillings to go in hot jacket potatoes, and
plenty of fresh salad items. The pleasant surroundings
of the Hall added to the enjoyment of the proceedings,
and the profit for the evening was £225.
\
¢
Jackie Alderton, who did a magnificent job of organising the event and
e
The Question Master, Geoff Bourne, who kept
things running smoothly and efficiently,
\§
devising the questions;
The cooks, for a splendid meal,
Everyone who supported us by buying tickets
and coming along.
Calling all gardeners — Hilary Trigg
or June, so please remember us when
you're dividing or sowing seeds!
My euphorbia, house leek and pampas grass are
thriving; thank you to everyone who provided plants
for last May's sale. We plan to hold another in May
100 Club — Noreen Ayton
Here are the winners and their ticket numbers for 1998:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
53
19
51
84
30
21
JULY
85
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER | 29
18
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER | 91
DECEMBER
£20
£15
£10
Mrs V. Wilkins
Adrian Buxton
Jacqueline Alderton
Robin Onslow
Amanda Clayton
15
71
9
95
65
Susan Ranft
Tony Macklow-Smith
Margaret Tingley
Michael Dawe
Bob Field
43
46
6
60
14
Michael Dawe
Gillian Rix
Roger Penny
C.Jameson
Enid Weston
June Windle
Hilary Trigg
Max New
Kathy Stickland
Noreen Ayton
5
16
70
48
4
Beatrice Wood
Maggie van Koetsveld
Joanna Andrews
Andrew Reid
Peter Herbert
75
81
80
21
13
Judith Lewy
Jean Munro
Maralyn Wong
June Windle
Iris Ball
*** £400 prize: ticket 89 — Constance Spivey ***
=+ £100 prize: ticket 31— Susan Norton ***
are special, as you can see! A few numbers are still
available at the time of writing for sale pro rata, to be
entered monthly until March 1999. Please talk to me at a
rehearsal, or phone 01932-221918 if you're interested.
You've a far higher chance of winning a prize in this Club
The 100 Club is open to all past and present members
of the Guildford Philharmonic Choir and the Philharmonic Society. Numbers are renewed annually for £12,
payable on 1* April, and profits go to Choir funds. New
shareholders are welcome, as we’d like to sell all 100
numbers for the whole season. A draw is made at the
first rehearsal of each month. June and July each year
than in the National Lottery!
b
Petrol card loyalty schemes — Rod Cuff
Until recently, | bought much of my petrol from a
funds will entitle you to be a Patron and get
Fina filling station. | accumulated points (one for
your name listed as such into our printed
programmes this year.
every £6 of petrol purchased) on the free “loyalty
card” that the company makes available, and
IN
\
eventually decided to check out the gift catalogue to
find something useless to acquire.
Instead, | was pleased to see you can exchange points
for a voucher that you can give to any charity of your
choice — including Guildford Philharmonic Choir! 30
points can be traded for a £5 voucher. This is a very
easy way of contributing to choir funds without digging
further into your pocket. Just hand your completed
voucher to Chris Robinson and watch the smile spread
over his face ... And don't forget £10 donated to choir
.P!me glve this
Y/
her 1o you chasen t ity
who will eedmmn van!umn back
| imagine some other petrol companies facilitate
charitable contributions too — dig out that catalogue
from your glove pocket and take a look.
r
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Members and personalities
Who else should take pride of place in our first issue but our Chorus Director?!
Jeremy Backhouse, Chorus Director
Jeremy was appointed GPC Chorus Director in
January 1995, succeeding Neville Creed (now Chorus
Master of the London Philharmonic Choir). Since coming to
Guildford, Jeremy has worked
closely with conductors such as
Jonathan Willcocks, En Shao and
Vernon Handley, as well as conducting concerts with choir and
orchestra alike. In November 1996
he conducted a performance of
Howells' Hymnus Paradisi and Szymanowski's Stabat
Mater as part of the Guildford Philharmonic's subscription series. 1995 and 1996 saw him conducting
the Guildford Philharmonic in the highly popular
outdoor Summer Festival concerts in Shalford Park,
complete with firework display, and in 1997 he helped
set up a competition to find the GPC's Young Choirboy and Choirgirl of the Year.
Jeremy is also the conductor of the Vasari Singers,
widely acknowledged as one of the finest chamber
choirs in the country. Since winning the prestigious
Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition in 1988, they
have performed regularly at London concerts - on the
South Bank, at St John's, Smith Square, at the
Barbican Centre and at the Wigmore Hall - as well as
in the cathedrals of Canterbury, Chichester,
Winchester, Hereford, Ely and Peterborough. Each
year on Christmas Eve, the choir sings Midnight Mass
at Westminster Abbey.
Jeremy and the Vasari Singers have broadcast frequently on BBC Radios 3 and 4, and have made a
number of recordings on the EMI Eminence, United
- and Guild labels. Their
N recording of Howells' Requiem
and Frank Martin's Mass was
nominated for a Gramophone
Award in 1995.
In April 1995, Jeremy worked
for the first time with the BBC
Singers - the country's leading
professional choir - in a programme of works by
Lennox Berkeley broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and has
since conducted them in broadcast programmes of
Holst, Rubbra, Massenet and Delibes. Subsequent
He began his musical career in Canterbury Cathedral
where he was Head Chorister, and later studied music
at Liverpool University. He spent five years as Music
Editor at the RNIB, where he was responsible for the
transcription of print music into Braille. In 1986 he
joined EMI Records as a Literary Editor, and since
April 1990 he has combined his work as a Consultant
Editor for EMI Classics with his career as a freelance
conductor and record producer.
work with the BBC Singers has included a programme
of music by Phyllis Tate and Arnold Bax.
From 1991 to 1995, he was Music Director of Streatham Choral Society and the BBC Club Choir, working
closely with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra, the
Amoeba Orchestra and the Surrey Sinfonietta.
In 1996 he also established a close rapport directing
the Kent Youth Choir and Kent Youth Chamber Choir,
with whom he toured Italy that summer, conducting the
group in moving performances in the Duomo and
T
Wooburn Singers, only the third conductor in the
distinguished 30-year history of the choir, following
Richard Hickox and Stephen Jackson.
Santa Croce in Florence and in St Mark's, Venice.
Most recently he has been working with the Brighton
Festival Chorus as an assistant conductor; and in
September 1998 became the Music Director of the
And now %Z&W to new & returning members!
Richard Austin, Bass |
Richard has been in Guildford for over three years,
studying music at the University. Previously he sang
with the University choir and school choirs in SE
London. At present he is working at Guildford YMCA Gillian Rix, who also works there, encouraged him to
join GPC. When not at work, he likes to go go-karting,
and helps at the Discovery Centre (which provides
facilities for 5- to 16-year-old children).
He likes most kinds of music, though early music is his
favourite. He plays recorder and flute, and at one time
played in a jazz band. Richard enjoys being a member
of GPC and hopes to bring more people along.
Bob Bromham, Tenor |l
Following his retirement, Bob has returned to the GPC
after an absence of seven years. While he was away,
he kept in touch with the choir through friends, and is
“delighted and honoured” to be able to come back. He
'
enjoys music of many kinds.
Pat McCully, Soprano li
Pat originally came from the Wirral, but has lived in
West Horsley for five years. She discovered GPC
through a newspaper ad, and, after visiting other local
choirs, decided we were the most relaxed and friendly.
She has two young children, and has a part-time job
as personnel officer at a College of Further Education.
Despite not having sung in a choir since being at
school 20 years ago, Pat passed her audition and was
grateful for the positive advice given by Jeremy in his
assessment. She finds GPC to be well-organised but
approachable, rehearsing in an excellent venue.
the audition requirements and printed them off, clearly
to good effect! His feelings about the GPC? “In my
honest opinion, it's a really friendly bunch of people.”
Sue O’Connell, Alto Il
Sue’s favourite music is by Mahler, so she’s
particularly looking forward to the March concert.
Before she had her children, Sue used to sing with the
Leeds Festival Choir and the BBC. Now she works for
the SCC Music Department with the Surrey Youth
Orchestras and Choirs. Sue says that the SCC Music
Department is aware of problems and lack of finance
facing Surrey choirs. They are supportive of all music
in the county, but unfortunately lack the funds to give
financial assistance.
Since joining GPC, Sue says she has felt at home in
the friendly atmosphere.
Kate Plackett, Alto |
Kate has recently returned to GPC after a five-year
break, during which she was busy having two children.
Previously she sang with choirs in Cambridge and
Loughborough and at London University. She has a
variety of interests including guitar, painting, writing
and running, as well as looking after her family. She
says “It's nice to be back after five years away; it's a
surprise to see so many familiar faces!”
Vicki Steele, Soprano Il
Vicki joined the GPC in October. She lives in
Wokingham and teaches at a primary school in
Bookham. Her previous choral experience was in the
choirs of Cardiff and Cambridge Universities, and her
favourite music is by Bach. Vicki enjoys playing tennis
and badminton.
Chris Newbury, Bass |
In June Chris will finish his training to be a jewellery
designer and maker. He is currently studying at the Sir
John Cass School of Jewellery in London. He and his
wife moved into the Guildford area about a year ago.
Before joining the GPC he sang in church (and in the
bath!). His favourite music is by Fleetwood Mac, but he
did particularly enjoy The Rio Grande.
Shortly before auditioning for the GPC, Chris was in
Devon, but wanted to practice in advance for what
might be required. He used the GPC Web site to find
Clair Strudley, Soprano |
Claire is working as a physiotherapist and living in
Chichester. As a girl she was in the Kent Youth Choirs,
and at that time Jeremy Backhouse was their conductor. Recently she discovered through the Internet that
Jeremy was conducting our choir and decided she
would like to join us. Twentieth-century choral music is
her favourite, but Claire also enjoys chamber music
and madrigals.
o =
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Choir history: Delving into the past - Anne Philps
Street and Woodbridge Road. During this time, the
smaller, more “select” Philharmonic Choir was in ex-
My earliest recollection of hearing the “Festival Choir”,
as it was then called, was in December 1952. They
sang Handel's Messiah at the Technical College,
istence.
Stoke Park, accompanied by the Guildford Municipal
Philharmonic Orchestra, leader Tate Gilder, under the
baton of Crossley Clitheroe - programme price 6d!
1962 brought about changes, with
the arrival of Vernon (Tod) Handley, who was appointed Musical
Director after the sad death of
During the next few years | went regularly to their
performances: sometimes to the Orchestra and the
Bice Bellairs Ballet in the Tech, and other times to the
Odeon Theatre at the top of the High Street for a
programme by the Orchestra and Crossley Clitheroe.
Crossley Clitheroe.
The Festival Choir was renamed the Philharmonic
Choir and gradually incorporated the small choir; and
the orchestra became Guildford Philharmonic
Orchestra, with leader William Arnon. The new Civic
Hall was completed and became the venue for our
concerts. Our choir ventured into lesser-known works
under Tod Handley’s baton, and some recordings were
made. | always found the rehearsals great fun,
In 1958 | happened to come into conversation with Mr
Clitheroe, who lived in our village. Kindly man as he
was, he asked the question, “Do you sing? Why don't
you come along to my choir?”. Before long | found
myself going along on a Monday evening at 7.15 pm to
the old Methodist Church at the junction of North
although it was hard work.
¢
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News of members
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&
! |
Congratulations to Krystyna and Jona-
brother for Mark, who is nearly three years old.
Antony on 11" October 1998 James
Krystyna sings in the Alto |l section of the choir, and
than Marsden on the birth of James
hopes to be back with us again soon.
weighed in at 8lb 100z and is a little
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General items
Our Internet Web site — Rod Cuff
I've had e-mail from as far away as Australia, New
GPC was one of the first UK choirs to have an Internet
Web site. When | first built it over three years ago, |
decided to start a sister site to contain links to all the
other Web sites of British choirs that | could find — 20
or so — and declared it with
cheerful arrogance as the definitive list. Rather to my surprise, the idea caught on; and
British Choirs on the Net now
has links to nearly 300 sites,
Zealand, Hong Kong and Colombia, and made several
good “e-friends” in the USA through it. We've gained
audience members through it, and (more importantly!)
some new choir members too.
-
During each rehearsal | leave a binder on the front
window-sill with a colour printout of much of the
content of these sites. Currently it has the history of
the choir, full details of this year's programme, audition
requirements, biographies of The Two Jeremies, a list
of our sponsors and corporate members, and an
illustrated set of links to other music-related sites.
If you're on the Internet yourself, you can also lose .
many hours of productive time by following the many
links that pepper the descriptive text— for instance, to
sites discussing most of the composers whose works
while a further 60+ choirs can be contacted by e-mail.
More come in almost literally every day, and several
correspondents have told me that they've found a new
choir to sing with by working through BCN.
This has given GPC's site (whose Internet address is
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/
rodcuff/gpc.htm) a lot of visibility. Thousands of
“visits” to it have been made from all over the world.
we perform.
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Soloists’ bouquets — Hilary Trigg
| managed to persuade Secrett's Flower Shop to
provide bouquets for our Gerontius concert. Does
anyone think they could find a donor for the
Bruckner/Mahler concert? It's the first concert of the
International Music Festival, and we'll give them
publicity in return.
WANTED!! New officers for the Choir Committee
Under the GPC's present Constitution, our Chairman,
John Trigg, will be ineligible for re-election at the 1999
AGM, as he will have served his full term of office.
Given the problems and changes currently faced by
the Choir, the Committee has decided to make a
special review of the Constitution. It will be proposing
to the AGM an amendment that would allow John to
continue his good work as our Chairman for a further
two years.
o, O
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The Committee are
urgently looking for a
Choir member who
would be willing to join
them as Vicechairman, to be a
potential successor to John in 2001.
At the 1999 AGM we shall also be looking for a new
Treasurer. Christopher Robinson, the present incumbent, will be leaving the Committee. He intends to stay
on as a singing member; but, having been Treasurer
for five years and Auditor for three years before that,
now wishes to reduce his commitments.
It is likely that we shall also be looking for a new
Secretary to replace Michael Dawe. Michael may be
moving permanently to another part of the country in
the not-too-distant future.
Any volunteers? If you might be interested in any of
these opportunities to serve the Choir, please have a
word with John, Chris or Michael about what would be
involved, without commitment on either side.
A
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Letters to the Editor
Here’s the ideal chance for you to have your say! We'd like to hear your views on anything related to the Choir’s
activities or music - send or give your letters to the Editor.