One of the longest-running choirs in the island will mark a milestone anniversary with a reprise of their original concert this weekend.
The Manx Festival Chorus will celebrate their 50th anniversary with performance of Handel’s The Messiah, at St George’s Church, on Saturday, December 15, from 7pm.
The long-running choir first performed the oratorio together on December 18, 1968, with a showcase concert for the BBC, and has remained a much-loved and admired musical institution in the island ever since, regularly performing two concerts each year.
Remarkably, 50 years on, the choir still features some of the original line up, and is still led by the conductor and artistic director, John Bethell MBE.
Dylis Watson, the current chairman of the Manx Festival Chorus, believes that this is something that the members of the choir are justifiably proud of.
’In these 50 years, John has been our conductor all that time, which I think is a wonderful thing,’ said Dylis.
’People come and people go throughout most organisations like this, but to have John stay with it for all this time is a marvellous thing.
’Fenella Bazin, the well-known Manx musician, author, lecturer, told the choir that she had looked across the island and UK for choirs with the same Conductor for 50 years and the nearest she could find was 45 years. We feel that this is a record worth noting.’
John formed the Manx Festival Chorus when he was with the BBC, working as their music librarian and also with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
He was asked by the Isle of Man Arts Council to build a large-scale choir.
’In the first concert, which was held at the Villa Marina, there were 200 people singing together,’ said Dylis, who joined the Manx festival Chorus in 2005, having previously been a member of the Isle of Man Chorale Society.
’Nowadays we are not nearly as big as that any more. We have about 40 to 50 permanent choir members now, and we will be joined by some members of some of the other choirs on the night.
’I like to think of the Manx Festival Chorus as a very friendly choir, and a lot of us have been singing together for a very long time. There are even people here like Barbara Thorn, who have been singing for 50 years, since the choir formed.
’I think we have survived this long because we are friendly. There is a lot of stability and friendliness. Also because John has been here for such a long time,’ she said.
’John brings a quiet assurance to the running of the choir. Also he brings humour, and he also has that blind optimism of the conductor that it will be alright on the night.’
The Chorus will be joined by the Manx-born, international singer Adrienne Murray and Christopher Littlewood, a tenor who is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Other guests include some of the island’s best solo singers, including Cleveland medal winners Ruth Tickle and Graham Crowe, who will appear with trumpeter Matt Creer.
Music will be provided by the organist of St George’s Church, Nick Roberts.
Tickets are £10, available on the door.
by Mike Wade
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