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| Here are some excerpts from the latest HCS Newsletter Number 90 (April 2006) : Chairman's message As I write this, I have only a small idea of how our recent concert went. I have read the review in the Mercury, but as yet not talked to any members. By the time we meet I will have rectified the situation. But the review was good…….was it a positive experience for you all? Did all that hard work pay off? Did all those markings prove to be timely reminders? At the end of the concert did you think ‘that was OK’ or was it ‘Wow, we have been part of something special!’
align="left">Our audience will appreciate
it; we owe it to the music and we will enjoy the whole performance
more. Oh yes……and Derek will probably feel happier
if he has 150 pairs of eyes looking at him more often! At the risk of repeating the oft-repeated message, do please try to sell some tickets. The Abbey will need filling and as you, the membership, is our best selling team we look to you to enthuse friends, neighbours, colleagues, hairdressers, milkmen…. whoever; get those tickets sold. Please! The AGM is the time when thanks are usually proffered to those who serve the choir but as our next concert will not be in All Saints I would like to take the opportunity now to pass on this message. To all those members who helped to stage and decorate (those flowers were something else! - ed) the church for our last 3 concerts at All Saints….. a huge thank you. Thank you to those who always sign up, your regular committment is greatly appreciated. Thank you to those early birds who volunteer for the early slot we all appreciate you. A thank you to those members who have helped for the first time. Your willingness to volunteer is heart- warming. My best wishes to you all. I hope you all enjoy our next term of singing together. Jane Turner The picture above is a graffito
of St Alban and the miraculous spring, to be seen on a wall
in St Albans Abbey. Alban was born in Verulam in the third century.
He served abroad as a Roman soldier but converted to Christianity
on his return to Britain. In 304 AD, because he refused to worship
Roman deities, he was tortured and led up a hill to be executed.
Here began the miracles of the martyrdom of Alban. When he prayed
for water to quench his thirst, a spring gushed forth from the
top of the hill. According to legend, the executioner’s
eyeballs fell out. St Albans Abbey now stands on this hill.
Dates for your diary All rehearsals at Sele School unless marked otherwise. The 75% attendance expected means that members should attend at least 10 rehearsals for the concert on 15 July.
Tues 25 April 06 rehearsal
Other dates QC Chamber
Choir Braughing
Music Society Haileybury Madrigals Harlow Chorus Hertford Symphony Orchestra Hertford Music Club Hertford Voices Hoddesdon Music Club Soundbites Ware Choral Society
Cleone at 80 Cleone wasn’t invited to the Queen’s 80th birthday party having been born 18 days too early but, instead, celebrated her 80th birthday on 2nd April this year at Fanham’s Hall with 23 members of her family. Born on 3rd April 1926, she and her sister, Joyce, and mother, Grace Adams were three of the original 12 people of the Hertford Choir which first met in September 1938 at the Parents’ National Educational Union School at 4 Bengeo Street. Cleone was 12 years old and has been a member of the choir, now called the Hertford Choral Society, for most of the years since, with several years gap from 1944 until her return in the early 1960s when Hilaire Kelynack was conductor. In the meantime, Cleone had trained as a nurse, met and married Ken and given birth to four children; David, Richard, Rosalind and Jocelyn. Cleone now has nine grandchildren; eight boys and one girl, who is the mother of the one great grandson, Kai, five years old this year. Husband and fellow choir member, Ken, sadly died, suddenly, 11 years ago during a meeting of the parish council of Holy Trinity Church, Bengeo. The choir is an important part of Cleone’s life. She is still lighting up the scores for Derek and Peter at rehearsals and always does various duties, involving parking cones, on concert day morning. Asked for her favourite oratorio in the choir’s extensive repertoire, Cleone said that she didn’t have a favourite but most memorable was the performance of Britten’s War Requiem in the RAH because her two sons had sung it there under Britten’s baton when they were still in short trousers and attending Highgate School. The performance in Ely last year (Child of our Time and The Armed Man) was also memorable as the previous time she had been there was on 5 June 1993 (Ken’s birthday) when she was presented with her Open University B.A. degree at the age of 67 years. Cleone lives life to the full. Croquet champion of the local U3A, she is current holder of the Silver Cup. She regularly conducts non-religious funeral ‘celebrations of a life’ and has officiated at 211 funerals over the last seven years. At her birthday party she was given a big plate decorated with a rose and with the first names of her children, grandchildren and great grandchild written in their own hands around the plate. Congratulations Cleone. Long may you have the strength and energy to continue to do what you enjoy. Footnote: Jessie Hopkins holds the record for continuous membership of the choir – 63 years! Maisie is not far short.. The Playtex Moonwalk 2006 Last
year I had the privilege of walking through London overnight as
part of the Playtex Moonwalk. The Playtex Moonwalk is an unique
event where thousands of women and a few brave men will not only
power walk a marathon through the night but do it wearing a decorated
bra to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and
cancer care. This year I have been lucky enough to be able to
take part again, and it will be even more meaningful as a dear
friend of mine is undergoing her own personal battle against breast
cancer. The walk takes place on May 20th. We will begin at Hyde
Park at 11.00pm and hopefully finish six hours and 26 miles later!
There will be over 15,000 of us taking part and we aim to raise
£6 million. Many of you were kind enough to support me last year.
If you would like to do so again I would be delighted to accept
your sponsorship…it really does help knowing that so many
people have done so, especially when the going gets tough! I will
leave a sponsor form out most nights at choir but if you are unable
to fill that in, cheques can be sent to me. The cheque needs to
be made out to Walk the Walk Worldwide. Just to remind you…….. Whether you are new to HCS
or have been singing with the choir since it began, there are
a few things which seem to cause confusion. Please forgive us
for mentioning them again: Ask Auntie Di Gladys How does Peter, our
accomplished accompanist, do that? From newsletter no 67, 13 April 1999 ‘Asked for his Desert Island Disc selection, Peter named …… Mahler’s 8th, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Britten’s War Requiem, Belshazzar’s Feast, some trad jazz, Abba, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.’ But the disc he most wanted to take to the island was – The Kingdom. ‘Louder – The Kingdom. Did you hear that Derek?’ Well, obviously he did. Which just goes to prove that Derek does listen and welcomes suggestions for programmes. It may take some time to surface but it’s well worth a try. From the HCS book of Limericks – what? You didn’t
know there was one? Time for an update plus new additions. Send
or give your Limericks to the editor. Prizes! Closing date 18
July 06. Editor June Crew (back row alto)
assisted by Victor Crew. Coaches might be provided for option A and option D (this to include any audience requirements). We shall need to know if they are required and have firm commitment and payment very early; by the end of May. Please sign up for any of these transport options on the St Albans notice board (at choir, Tuesdays) We are trying to arrange rooms for changing and recuperation (with coffee provision) in the Abbey School between the rehearsal and the concert. Personnel Past Newsletters |
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is a Registered Charity, number 276220 |