Joined in 1974 and currently sings Bass.
Why did you join the choir?
“Prior to becoming the Secretary I have served on the choirs committee for many years , but that’s not how I started , which was nearly 50 years ago when I was persuaded to join the choir by a neighbour . Little did I know what a wonderful journey I would have . In my first year the choir entered the Llangollen International festival and came 4th , the highest placed British choir , a huge achievement for us . From that we were invited to tour Germany the following year . Over the next thirty years we made tours of Germany , America and France . Made numerous records, CD’S and appeared on both radio and television. We also entered many competitions all over the UK , with many successes. Throughout this time the choir has striven to do their best but it’s always with a smile on our faces and more than anything to enjoy it . I have made many friends over years with Haydock and that will never change . You have to enjoy it to love it.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“Many people , from family, friends and audiences have asked me , my most memorable moment in the choir. Difficult question , there are so many . Our recent success at the Isle of Man festival when we won the best choir at the festival is hard to beat, especially when you take into account one of the other choirs was a gospel choir who came 3rd in the BBC choir of the year . However personally our first success at the Northern Male Voice Choir , still stands out . We sang against many other choirs who had an excellent history of winning competition titles . We sang well and retained the title the next year . Proud moments but more than that proud to be a member of Haydock.”
Joined in 2012 and currently sings First Tenor.
Why did you join the choir?
“I had recently taken early retirement and was looking for something new to do and saw and advert for the choir in a local supermarket and thought, “I can do this!”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“On my first trip to the Isle of Man Festival we were all asked to perform something on the Friday night. We hit them with Psalm 126 and it was so obvious from the reaction to this that we would win our section, and so it proved.”
Joined in 2009 and currently sings Baritone.
Why did you join the choir?
“I used to sing in a church choir as a boy and a young man but stopped as family commitments took over. In 2009 I changed jobs and started to work from home and increasingly missed the social aspect of a working environment. After seeing an advert for the choir in a local magazine I turned up at a Haydock rehearsal and was immediately made to feel very welcome. Singing in the middle of a choir again felt like coming home. Soon after joining the choir I got the opportunity to sing as part of a massed choir in aid of Cancer Research UK at the Royal Albert Hall. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would ever sing on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall, but being part of the Choir gave me that chance.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“My favourite memory in recent years is the weekend the choir had in the Isle of Man in 2019 to take part in their Festival of Choirs. As well as being rewarded for all our hard work by winning the Male Voice Choir section on the Saturday, we were also victorious in the competition against other sections on the Sunday, being named Choir of the Festival. The atmosphere and the camaraderie as well as the craic were truly amazing and it’s an occasion that I’ll never forget.”
Joined in 1988 and currently sings Second Tenor.
Why did you join the choir?
“I originally joined the choir in 1988, left in 1997 due to work commitments, and rejoined in 2014.Why join?A close friend, Derek Fordham, who sadly is no longer with us, is the reason I joined. Derek was already an established member of the choir when, at a Christmas party, he successfully encouraged a number of the men present to join him in a singing session which he himself conducted. Following Derek’s encouragement I went along to a rehearsal and, as they say, the rest is history!”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“During my first period of involvement with the choir I had two wonderful times when the choir took part in the National Male Voice Choir Championships at Huddersfield, finishing second and third. However the undoubted greatest memory is that Sunday in the Isle of Man when we were crowned ‘Choir of the Festival’ in 2019. This was a rich reward for the weeks and months of hard work that the choir, Dan and Ruth had put in to prepare. The whole week-end from the boat journey to the island, winning our individual section on the Saturday, socialising with family and friends in the evenings to achieving our ultimate goal on the Sunday, this was a weekend to live in the memory forever.”
Joined in 2022 and currently sings Baritone.
Why did you join the choir?
“I joined HMVC in April 2022, in the first singing course. I joined because of Dave Blackburne’s persuasive nature, for my mental health and a new challenge.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“My most memorable moment is my first concert performance, the joint concert with Newport at the URC at the end of May 2022.”
Joined in 2009 and currently sings Baritone.
Why did you join the choir?
“I have been singing in choirs for 55 years since the age of ten. Originally in my local church choir for 32 years , I also sang in my school choir , where I took part in a concert at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall , a performance of Carmina Burana composed by Karl Orff. In later years whilst still in the church choir a Vocal Harmony Group consisting of several members of said choir was formed where we performed with several well known TV acts in local concerts. I joined Haydock MVC in September 2009 following the amicable break up of the vocal harmony group. As you can tell singing is in my blood and after trying unsuccessfully to find a local choir that would suit my search for 4 part harmony, a good friend of mine who used to sing in the same church choir told me about Haydock MVC and that he had recently joined them himself. The rest as they say is history.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“My most memorable moment has got to be winning Choir of the festival at the Isle of Man in 2019. The sheer unadulterated joy ,emotion and exhilaration on hearing the announcement that we had won will linger long in the memory. Scenes of grown men with tears of joy in their eyes jumping up and down was a sight to behold and one I will never forget.
For sheer pomp and occasion as well as a substantial audience I would have to also give a mention to the Festival of Choirs held at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012. To be given the opportunity to sing at such a prestigious location and event would never had occurred were it not for being a member of Haydock MVC. For that I am eternally grateful.”
Joined in 2022 and currently sings First Tenor.
Why did you join the choir?
“When I moved to the area in 2018 I had not sung in a choir since childhood. My wife, who had been in a choir near our previous abode, persuaded me to join a local Community choir. I enjoyed this very much and developed a love of singing. In 2022 at the local Town Show I was passed a leaflet inviting me to give the Haydock MVC a go. I went along and was so impressed with the glorious sound they made that I joined up immediately.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“In the 2 years since I joined I have sung at many concerts and at one competition. My fondest memory is from after the competition when, in the hotel that evening after dinner, an impromptu singing competition broke out with another choir staying at the hotel. We had a wonderful evening full of song and ‘bon homie’.”
Joined in 2023 and currently sings Baritone.
Why did you join the choir?
“I was in a wellbeing choir at work but when the pandemic struck I started working from home full time. I missed the workplace choir and so I was keen to find a local alternative.
An existing member of HMVC, who also happens to be a neighbour of mine, told me about a singing course the choir was running so I thought I’d give it a try, not really knowing if I would end up joining the choir or not. I really enjoyed the singing course and when I heard the choir during a rehearsal I was so impressed that I immediately decided I’d like to be a part of it.”
What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?
“Probably running a stall at the Newton Show to recruit new members. It was a great day, we spoke to lots of people and the sun even shone!”