Registered Charity
No.1008434
Member of the National Association of Choirs
Shelfield Male Voice Choir have been entertaining audiences for over forty years, and membership has increased from a handful to a current figure of around seventy. Practices are still held in the same Methodist Church where those few pioneers first met under the leadership of its founder and present Musical Director, Harvey Boucher. The repertoire now extends to many kinds of music including opera, sacred music and spirituals as well as modern popular songs and songs from the musical shows.
Many concerts are still played to small local audiences, raising large sums for charity each year; however the Choir has made itself known at all points between North Yorkshire and South Devon, and frequently in Wales; the Choir has performed twice in France and have given two short impromptu recitals in Austria. In November 1998 the Choir took part in the Malta International Choir Festival with choirs from eleven countries.
Shelfield has competed successfully against other choirs at festivals including Blackpool, Rhyl and Cheltenham, but has also gladly accepted invitations to join forces with other male choirs, twice at the World Choir in Cardiff, six times at the Royal Albert Hall in London and at the National Exhibition Centre and the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. In 1991 the choir took part in a concert for the International Olympic Committee at the Birmingham International Conference Centre before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Amongst its busy programme in 2000, the choir gave a Concert in Scarborough and performed in Barcelona Cathedral, Montserrat Abbey and Calella Church in Spain in addition to a very busy local programme. 2002 saw the choir singing in Mannenkoor Beeker Liedertafel in Valkenburg in October during their visit to The Netherlands. 2002 also saw our return to the Royal Albert Hall as invited singers alongside the London Welsh Centenary Choirs. In 2004 the choir had two engagements in Rüdesheim on their successful Rhine tour.
In 2007 the choir competed successfully at Blackpool Music Festival coming home with 5 pieces of silverware.
During 2008, the choir celebrated its fortieth year with their annual concert in Walsall Town Hall with the Tremoloes performing alongside them and with its Birthday Party concert in November in the Central Hall, Walsall.
In October 2010, the choir was once again invited to sing with many choirs including the London Welsh Male Voice Choir at the Royal Albert Hall. The concert was a roaring success with an almost sell out audience.
Our annual concert at Walsall Town Hall in May was very well supported, as are most of our concerts. Our guests were the Bachelors and all enjoyed a great evening of song.
Our Charity for 2010 was Help for Heroes for which we did a special concert at the new Walsall College. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors and individuals for their hard work in particular one member of the choir but we wont mention his name. Thanks to the money raised from that evening and concerts throughout the year, the choir were able to present Help for Heroes with a cheque for £9000 which is an amazing amount.
The choir’s Annual Concert in 2011 will be at Walsall Town Hall on 21st May. Guest artists to be advised.
The concert diary for 2011 is starting to fill up. We are now taking bookings for 2011/12 so please make early contact if you would like to book the choir.
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