Major Oak Chorus has a wonderful history.
We've come a long way in a short time,and our journey has many interesting highlights.
In time we will post a full history , but initially, here are our competition results, which show a remarkable growth over the past 5 years.
Our first National Competition was in 2005, in Brighton, only a few months from the chorus's inception. There were only 18 singers in the chorus. We came 26th out of 28, with a score of 49%. At the time, the chorus was very happy it didn't come last!
Harrogate followed in 2006 with an increase in numbers to 28, and a massive leap in the rankings to 19th out of 23, and a score of 54.3%
2007 Saw us in Scarborough with 25 singers, but we still managed to climb 1 place to 18th out of 32, and a score of 56.6%
The competition was held at Cheltenham racecourse in 2007, where with 34 singers, we took a massive leap to 12th position out of a field of 38 competing choruses , with a very satisfying score of 64.3%
The 2009 competition is being held in Llandudno, North Wales, and we hope to field a chorus of 34 singers again. Our target? - the top 10!
Sitting at home one October night when Linda came home from rehearsal with The Lace City Singers,
Kettles on I said, I'll make the tea whilst you shower. Then came the question "how do you feel about singing barbershop Bill" Glenn want's to start a male barbershop chorus, are you up for it.
So the next Wednesday me and 5 other blokes all strangers to me but all who had partners in the L C S met at the
Green Dragon Pub in Oxton. It was a cold night, the welcoming fire burned up the fire back in the public bar
The Landlords old dirty and decrepit looking dog hung around looking for the odd tit bit,we introduced ourselves
Met Glenn and then went up stairs to start our very first rehearsal.
The noise that was generated from the six was so fantastic that even the od'e dog was impressed, but we soldiered on regardless of his howls of delight, little did I know this was to be the start of something BIG.
Now, here I am, five and a half years on, Wardrobe Mistress, and Bass singer with what is now The Major Oak Chorus.
The best fun you can have with you clothes on ( sorry to use your lines Glenn ) many thanks to you Glenn for being our Director,driving force, and waving your arms about in front.
Long may The Major Oak Chorus live on to give more and more members all that singing has given me.
Bill
Why did I join the Major Oak Chorus? I knew that I couldn’t sing because my teacher at school told me so 70 years ago – in fact he said that I should learn all the words of the hymns so that it would look as if I was singing but I was to promise not to utter a sound – how about that for confidence building?
I had taken a keen interest in my wife’s hobby of barbershop singing after she joined the Lace City Singers in 1993 and had become a real groupie as well as part time photographer and movie maker for them. I had seen them go from strength to strength - from miserable visions to a hundred or more magnificent magical smiling faces - from near bottom place in Convention to UK champions - from the early days in Derby to Detroit, Calgary and this year Nashville. So why did I join the Oakies?
Well, every Wednesday night my wife left me, smiling, saying she was off to barbershop rehearsal and every Wednesday night , 3 hours later she would come back, still smiling…..and I believed her!
The Major Oak Chorus was formed in 2004 and I knew quite a few of the Lace City husbands who were involved with the Major Oak from the start. Whilst many of them tried to entice me to join, as I knew I could not sing, there was no way I was going to join!
January 1st 2005 came and went and after a lot of pressure from my wife, I decided to go along to one rehearsal and see what this Major Oak was all about. After a few words from Glenn Chaney (Director of both Lace City and Major Oak) and a very brief audition (in private), I was warming up with the Chorus. I ‘quite’ liked the atmosphere and camaraderie and thought I would give it a try for a few weeks. The Chorus was getting ready for their 1st Convention in Brighton in May and I booked my hotel room intending to be a supporter.
Many weeks & rehearsals later, in April I was told that I would be needed on stage at Convention and so in May, there I was with 14 other Oakies, singing at The Brighton Arena - what had happened to my life?
Well what I can tell you is that every Tuesday night ( for the last 4 years) I leave my wife , with a smile on my face saying that I am off to barbershop rehearsal and every Tuesday night , 3 hours later I come back, still smiling…..and she believes me!
Ronald
Sadly, on Tuesday 23rd June 2009, Glenn resigned as director of the Chorus to devote more time to the Lace City Ladies Chorus. We wish Glenn all the best and hope that the LCS do well in Nashville later this year.
