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Spring Concert 2001

We were very pleased to see an audience of some 450 for our performance of this major work.

With the choir at just over 100 persons and an orchestra of 40 players, we hoped to do Mendelssohn proud!!

In writing the brief synopses of our various events for this history becomes a balance of pride, modesty and good taste, but having had the pleasure of performing this concert I have to get the better of my modesty and express the feeling of the choir, conductor and many knowledgeable members of our audience. "Didn't we do well"

One particular comment for the Director of a sister Society was most pleasing. He summed up the evening by saying "That was some of the best singing I have heard in Kent!"

Of course the continuing efforts throughout the year of our conductor Ray Jones, assisted by our accompanist Michael Burleigh, contribute largely to our success.

The truly professional touch provided by our soloists always adds something to the evening and this was no exception. Splendid performances were turned in by Tania Williams (Mezzo Soprano), Maria Vassiliou (Soprano), Andrew Kennedy (Tenor) and Christopher Dixon (Bass) - they are pictured above, right to left. John Mann (our treble soloist for the evening was, at the time of the performance, a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral. All of these young musicians who supported us so well will all go far.

As always, the Swallows Leisure Centre proved to be a "hot" venue. We are committed to performing in the Sittingbourne area to be sure that we can attract a local audience who can reach our concerts reasonably easily. The sports hall at the Swallows offers us the largest accommodation for our events. The hall, being connected to the swimming pool, and the fact that we assemble right next to the water, ensures we all start pretty "hot and wet". By the end of the evening we can ensure that local dry cleaners are inundated with work!!

Paul Warren
May 2001