About Village Voices – from playgroup to singing group
Co-founder of the choir, Pam Knight recalls how it all started…
During the summer of 1992, a Dutch friend Betty Youngman living in Hannington and I met taking our daughters to play school in Walgrave, and we hatched the idea of starting up a choir. Coincidentally, Ian Clarke brought his daughters, Lucy and Amy, too and we approached him about directing us in a Christmas concert that year, to which he kindly agreed.
The first tentative concert was put on at the Church in Walgrave in December 1992 and was quite a hit; Ian’s arm was firmly twisted into carrying on as musical director of the choir and the name 'Village Voices' emerged.
It was decided from the start that the choir would be open to everyone who wanted to come along and sing, and there wouldn’t be overly stringent audition requirements.
The first official concert as Village Voices took place on Good Friday in 1993 at St Peter's Church in Walgrave and we sang Stainer's Crucifixion with five audience participation hymns between movements. It was so well received that Village Voices has been performing at least two concerts annually ever since. Betty moved back to Holland just a few years after formation of the choir but, by then, it had gained some momentum.
We have also introduced a very successful series of one-day summer workshops which are open to the public and not just choir members; singers have the opportunity to rehearse and perform a major work in just one day, and enjoy a convivial supper afterwards.
Celebrating our silver anniversary in 2017, Village Voices is now a well established entity in Northamptonshire and choir members come from quite a distance to participate. Past members join us for some concert performances, together with invited guest soloists.
Co-founder of the choir, Pam Knight recalls how it all started…
During the summer of 1992, a Dutch friend Betty Youngman living in Hannington and I met taking our daughters to play school in Walgrave, and we hatched the idea of starting up a choir. Coincidentally, Ian Clarke brought his daughters, Lucy and Amy, too and we approached him about directing us in a Christmas concert that year, to which he kindly agreed.
The first tentative concert was put on at the Church in Walgrave in December 1992 and was quite a hit; Ian’s arm was firmly twisted into carrying on as musical director of the choir and the name 'Village Voices' emerged.
It was decided from the start that the choir would be open to everyone who wanted to come along and sing, and there wouldn’t be overly stringent audition requirements.
The first official concert as Village Voices took place on Good Friday in 1993 at St Peter's Church in Walgrave and we sang Stainer's Crucifixion with five audience participation hymns between movements. It was so well received that Village Voices has been performing at least two concerts annually ever since. Betty moved back to Holland just a few years after formation of the choir but, by then, it had gained some momentum.
We have also introduced a very successful series of one-day summer workshops which are open to the public and not just choir members; singers have the opportunity to rehearse and perform a major work in just one day, and enjoy a convivial supper afterwards.
Celebrating our silver anniversary in 2017, Village Voices is now a well established entity in Northamptonshire and choir members come from quite a distance to participate. Past members join us for some concert performances, together with invited guest soloists.