CHOIR SETS EVENING ALIGHT 26th MARCH 2007

For their 21st Annual Celebrity concert Audley Male Voice Choir invited two special guets to join the celebrations:Soprano Susannah Glanville and Baritone Seung-Wook Seong together with accompanist Ingrid Surgenor.

As expected with this choir a full house attended the concert last night and they were certainly not disappointed.The opening choice of songs-Verdi's the Bandit's Chorus and Puccini's Humming Chorus and Nessun Dorma-truly set the evening alight displaying a confidence and unity that stems from the musical direction of Philip Broadhurst. Korean Baritone Seung Wook Seong was the first to grace the stage with three beautiful pieces which incliuded the Korean song Oh! Mountain giving a chance to flavour the music of the singer's own country.Following on Susannah Glanville delighted with arias from The Marriage of Figaro and La Boheme as well as a beautiful piece from Verdi's The Force of Destiny

A WONDERFUL EVENING WITH A CHOIR WHO ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO SATISFY.

First Nights

Review by Eric Snape. Reproduced with kind permission of Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers Ltd.  11/12/98

The Sentinel - Monday, March 29, 1999

   Jamaican bass-baritone Willard White demonstrated his remarkable vocal powers to great effect at the Victoria Hall last night.

He was guest singer at the 13th Annual Celebrity Concert of the Audley Male Voice Choir, and he treated the capacity audience to a perfectly structured programme.
There was the decorative music of Handel - "O ruddier than the cherry" and "Where e'er you walk"; three Mozart operatic items - "Non piu andrade" from Figaro, and "Madamina" and "Fin cha dal vino" from Don Giovanni; four humorous songs by Aaron Copland; and a selection of spirituals.  White's artistry is so accomplished that he made all sound superb.
And his rendering of "I'se a weary of waitin" with the choir was the most memorable experience of the evening.
Conducted by Philip Broadhurst, the choristers were in fine fettle.
Much of it was unusual, especially Lisa Lan.
Ingrid Surgenor accompanied Willard White at the piano with her customary expertise, and also played a solo - Liszt's breathtaking arrangement of the Liebestod from Wargner's opera Tristan and Isolda.

Audley Male Voice Choir continued their remarkable charity fundraising efforts with another spectacular gala concert at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, last night.

THE BLACK DYKE BAND 1999

All tickets had long been sold, and those who turned up hopefully at the box office were disappointed.
The choir weren't the only attraction, though their vocal quality always ensures big audiences. Last night they shared stage with the renowned Black Dyke Band, who quickly set about providing what top brass is all about.
Vast works such as Gilberts Vinters Triumphant Rhapsody, Wagner's Entry of the Gods into Valhalla and Ravel's Bolero were easy meat - and they were only among the performances of the regular band.
The heavyweight Black Dyke Band raised the roof in Skyliner, I Can't Get Started, and Two O'Clock Jump.
Soloists were splendid, too, especially young Michele Ibbotson on soprano cornet in the lovely Irish tune "The Lark in the Clear Air".
Resplendent in new blazers, the Audley men sang with style and skill through the entire spectrum of choral music. A transatlantic theme came over thrillingly in an American Trilogy, and a Barber's Shop version of "When the Saints".
James Watson directed the bands, and Philip Broadhurst the choir. Ian Riddle gave the usual splendid accompaniment on piano and organ, and Bill Humphreys made the announcements.

Yorksire Buliding Society Brass Band has won practically everything worth winning in England,Britain and Europe over the past ten years and last night they displayed their remarkable musicianship to a packed audience at the Victoria Hall Hanley.

The occasion was the the 13th Annual Gala Charity Concert of the Audley Male Voice Choir-an event always guaranteed to raise spirits as the autumn nights draw in.And last night was a toss-up as to who gave the most pleasure-band or choir

Under the direction of Richard Evans the band opened with the popular march "Imperial Echoes" and the proceeded to a wonderfully genuine performance of Weber's Oberon Overture Homs of Elfland and all.
Clearly this was a brass band of all the talents,not least in the solo department as Peter Roberts demonstrated on the cornet in "On with the Motley". And later trombonist Simon Cowen reinfored the view in the Londonderry Air.
Conductor Philip Broadhurst has tuned up the choristers to the top of their form and they sang songs from the shows,spirituals and operatic arias with equal ease and style.
Especially welcome were"Down by the Salley Gardens" which is becoming very popular with Male Voice Choirs: the ever popular Nessun Dorma; and an Audley speciality,"The Ghosts High Noon from Ruddigore.
Ian Riddle accompanied at piano and organ and Bill Humphreys was a genial compere