The the Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir and the Swift Singers combined to produce a splendid and varied concert. Both choirs' sets included numbers they had not previously performed in public.
The first half of the concert was opened by the LOMVC singing the hymn "Praise my Soul", which has been performed by the choir many times before including at Westminster Cathedral for the funeral of its former president David Amess. Then to the world of spirituals with "My Lord What a Morning". Next a recent introduction to the Choir's repertoire "Love Shine a Light" with each choir member holding up small electric candles at appropriate points in the lyrics.
A first performance of "The Way You Look Tonight" which went well, but no doubt will be further polished in the weeks to come. The set ended with "Unchained Melody".
It was now time for the LOMVC to vacate the stage in orderly fashion to make way for the Swift Singers with their director Tim Rhys-Morgan and accompanist Derrick Thompson.
The ladies sang "Let The River Run", "As Long as I Have Music", "We Grow Strong", "The Lily and the Rose", "Cover Me in Sunshine" and "Viva La Vida".
To end the first half of the concert the choirs to joined together under the direction of Tim to sing "You Raise me Up". The choirs sang a verse each and combined for the choruses. With singing coming from two sides of the hall the effect was very powerful and well received by the sizeable audience.
Following the interval the Swift Singers continued their performance. This second set included "Scarborough Fair", "Water of Tyne", "Morning Has Broken", "Only You" and "Why We Sing".
Its was then the ladies turn to make way and for the LOMVC to return to the stage.
The LOMVC's final set began with "Flying Free", followed by Freddie Mercury's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and concluded with a selection of songs from the 60's.
Once again the Choirs came together to sing "I Believe" under the joint direction of Tim and Janet Walker. This arrangement has the ladies singing "Ave Maria" whilst the men sing the lyrics of "I believe", which brought the concert to an impressive end.
