MKCC joined with Melody Makers Choir from Bristol for the first-ever 'Choir smash'. We met at Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, which is almost half way between each choir's hometown, where the parish church, St Lawrence's provided a wonderful acoustic and a beautiful location. Led by the MDs for each choir, we enjoyed a day of singing songs we had learnt in the weeks beforehand together with some new pieces. The day was rounded off with a public performance featuring over 100 voices of the combined choirs plus some pieces sung separately by each choir. Photos from the day taken by Stephanie Ballantine can be viewed on the photos page of this website. |
Birthday congratulations to one of MKCC's founder members, Fiona Trinder. Fiona brought this wonderful cake to choir night for us all to share and there was the added fun trying to identify the inspiration for the cake decorations! |
MK Community Choir raised £537.93 for the Turkish and Syrian Earthquake appeal on Saturday 27th February by doing a 2-hour impromptu performance in the Xscape building in Milton Keynes City centre. Thanks to choir member Claire Groves for supplying the photo. |
MKCC had a busy weekend at the beginning of December singing carols at the Wolverton Lantern Parade on Saturday 3rd and at 'Angels at the Abbey' at Bradwell Abbey on the following day. At the Bradwell Abbey event we joined several other choirs from local schools to sing 'You are not alone' by Cathal Smyth. The song was live streamed across the UK and internationally and Willie Robb will be making a documentary and music video of the song and the ‘You’re not alone project’ which will be on the MK City Discovery Centre's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVoVsAlv4ftKMNaMXXYctjg |
The choir was invited to sing the specially commissioned Milton Keynes anthem for the Women's Euros on match day, 27th July when Germany played France at Stadium MK. The choir did two performances of the anthem at the Fan Party in Station Square CMK and were joined by the MK Youth Choir and pupils from Coldharbour School for the first performance and accompanied by MK Brass and members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. |
For the second year running, MKCC hosted the MK Community Choirs' Festival on July 6th in Campbell Park Amphitheatre. This year MKCC were joined by six other local choirs: MK Women's Choir; Musica Charity Choir; TGI Choir; MK Chorale; MK Youth Choir; Lenborough Singers plus guests, the As One Choir from Hitchin. |
Jonathan Kingston will be joining us as Guest Choral Leader at the beginning of the Summer term, whilst Craig is away leading Young Voices. Jonathan enjoys a portfolio freelance career as a performing musician, musical director, teacher, examiner and musical consultant. With his background as a choral director, he has served three Cathedrals from where he broadcast as a conductor as well as an organist. While a full-time teacher, he spent twelve years as a Director of Music in two leading schools building large and inclusive departments and touring the choirs internationally. Jonathan thoroughly enjoys working with both amateur and professional choirs and believes music should be accessible to all-comers. He is musical director at the Parish Church in Stony Stratford as well as the part-time Choral Director at Stowe School. He is thoroughly looking forward to working with members of the MKCC once again! |
MKCC retained the top spot at this year's Milton Keynes Festival of the Arts for Dance, Music and Drama by winning first place in their section despite stiff competition from Dagnall Community Choir and the Arts 1 Adult Choir. Singing 'Lovely on the Water' (a traditional folk song) and 'Dig Deep' by Pete Churchill, the choir was awarded the first prize of a cup, medal and certificate for the second year running. In the adjudicator's words, the choir 'brought magic into the room'! Choir members were thrilled to be returning to singing on stage together once again after the restraints of Covid have prevented us from doing this since our last appearance on stage at the MK Community Choirs' Festival in Campbell Park in July 2021. |
At last night's AGM (1st March), the choir agreed to donate all the funds available in the choir's Charity budget to the Red Cross's 'Ukraine Crisis Appeal' so today a donation for £250 was made to the appeal. Julia Critchley who runs the 50/50 charity fund via a weekly raffle will re-start the raffle at next week's choir rehearsal so the fund will start to build up once again, particularly if most members buy a ticket (or two)! | |
For more information, see: | https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal?c_name=UK%20Solidarity%20Fund&c_source=Facebook&c_medium=Social%20Ad&c_creative=Donate%20Landing_Image_Situation%20Update%20Image_Lo |
We raised £432 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA) from donations made alongside ticket purchases for the Christmas recording. An additional £98 was collected at the carol singing in the Hub in Central Milton Keynes. £327 of the these funds raised were gift-aided so when this is taken into account, the choir has raised about £612 for TVAA this Christmas. |