Choir on fire in Holland

Croydon Male Voice Choir returned tired but happy from its first ever Dutch tour over the weekend of April 9-11.   The choir performed two concerts, at Callantsoog (see picture) and Anna Pawlona.

Musical Director Richard Hoyle (in white jacket, above)  praised the choir for a “truly outstanding concert”, performed before 400 people, on April 10.  “The choir was on fire.”

The choir left Croydon early on Friday April 9, travelling by coach through France, Belgium and the length of Holland and arriving at the North Sea coastal resort of Callantsoog at 5.30pm.  The choir sang that evening at the local church, the oldest building in Callantsoog.

The select but appreciative audience particularly enjoyed the choir’s Dutch Medley, composed for the tour by Richard Hoyle.

Following a day’s sightseeing in Amsterdam on April 10, the choir sang to a 400-strong audience at the church of Anna Paulowna, 15 miles from Callantsoog.  The Dutch medley was again especially well received.   The choir’s assistant musical director, Darren Wilkins, performed solos on flute and piccolo at both concerts.

The concert’s host, Hans Kapiteijn, thanked the choir warmly, praising it for making the long journey to  West Friesland.  He said that the concert was "absolutely wonderful, a perfect performance" and was "thoroughly enjoyed by the audience".   He shook hands with tour organiser John Ward Turner, a long-standing friend whom he had known for 40 years.

Lana receives her wedding prezzie from Kim Ormond

The choir made the return journey on April 11.  During a late lunch near Calais, CMVC chair Kim Ormond made a presentation to choir pianist Lana Bode in anticipation of her wedding in the US the following week (photo above).

Summing up the tour, Richard Hoyle said: “Once again a tour to distant parts brought out the best in the choir – togetherness and a real sense of mission.  Despite a long and tiring journey our first concert was hugely enjoyed. Twenty four hours later, after rest and recreation, the choir produced one of its best performances for a long time.  It was a truly outstanding concert when the choir was ‘on fire’, as it is from time to time.”

The choir at Anna Paulowna, where 400 people saw a "perfect" performance