Wessex Male Choir
The Wessex Male Choir ('The Wessex') is men's amateur choir based in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.
The choir takes its name from the ancient kingdom of Wessex, an area of land approximating to that of the modern English counties of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset. This is reflected in the Choir’s logo which features a Wyvern - the 2-legged dragon used in the flag of Wessex.
The Choir was founded in September 2001 by Robert T. Elliott, and currently has around 50 members, mostly from the Swindon, Wiltshire area.
The choir typically performs seven or eight concerts each year, two of these being "home" concerts in Swindon at Christmas and in the summer, the others being in other venues around the country. In 2019 for example, it performed with Barry Male Voice choir in the Llandaff cathedral in South Wales and with the Brize Norton Military Wives Choir at their Christmas concert in Carterton Oxfordshire. The choir has sung pre-match at six Nations and other Rugby and NFL matches on the pitch at both Twickenham and Wembley to audiences of up to 80,000 people.
The Wessex also occasionally places in regional and international choral competitions. Some examples are
- In 2011, the choir won first place in the Male Choir competition at the prestigious Llangollen International Eisteddfod beating choirs from Wales, England, and the USA. In the same year, the Chamber choir took third place.
- In 2008, 2013, and 2016, the Wessex won the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival for best choir in all competitions.
- In June 2019, the Wessex won two classes (including the Male Choir competition) at the Krakow International Choir Festival, Poland in 2019, beating choirs from across Europe.
Wessex Camerata is a chamber group composed of about 16 experienced singers who perform mainly a cappella pieces which supplement the main choir’s repertoire.
The Wessex has had associations with a variety of other choirs – Men's Choirs, Ladies' Choirs, University Glee clubs etc, both from UK and Internationally, including performing joint concerts with them, often on a reciprocal basis.
The choir has released four CD recordings. [1]
Discography[edit]
- Men in Black (2005)
- Shades of Wessex (2008)
- It's Christmas (2011)
- Memory (2018)
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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