Serenata photos and other things....
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHAMBER CHOIRS IN WELWYN GARDEN CITY
The Tewin Wood Singers
(more to follow)
The Mimram Singers/Oh no, not Mrs Brisket
Mike Tomkins and David Robertson formed this in 1978
Phoenix
Out of the Mimram singers' ashes, formed by David Whitter in 1979....
The photos below were taken by Ian Sanders at St. Helen's, Wheathampstead on 11.1. 1981,
where we joined forces with Modi Gaudio (as far as I recall it's Hazel, Helen and Rozanne who are missing from the photos).
.....and it's final concert was at the Friends Meeting House 15 5 1981, when David Whitter felt he no longer had sufficient time to devote to it.
Serenata
Serenata was formed in the summer and autumn of 1981, following the return of Phoenix to the ashes. Nigel Stark and David Robertson got together and decided to form a group of eight versatile singers, with the aim of performing challenging music to as high a standard as possible, with the clarity and blend available to such small forces.
We've performed with many different groups who have contributed greatly to our concerts.
The first "concert" was at Wellfield Old Peoples Home in Hatfield 13.10.1981, with a rehearsal that was recorded the previous evening in St. John's Digswell. We then sort of consolidated, with the next - in fact the first "proper" concert - not until 2.7.1982 at Ayot St Lawrence.
(just in case you're confused, that's l to r, except Nigel and David R who are "transposed"!)
Then followed:
9.1.83 Christ the King, WGC (Jo Loysen replacing Teresa Sawyers)
26.3.83 St. Helen's, Wheathampstead (same line-up)
19.7.83 St. John's, Digswell, with the Mandeville Brass Quartet
4.12.83 Streatley, with the Mandeville Brass Quartet
28.1.84 Christ the King, WGC, with Dale Noble and Jessie Nickell (flutes) and Jane Rusch (cello). By this concert Wendy Bolson has replaced Marie Ormerod.
8.4.84 St. Francis, WGC
20.5.84 (Serenata males only) St. Francis Church Hall, WGC
17.11.84 St. Peter's, St. Albans, with Dale Noble and Jessie Nickell (flutes) and Jane Rusch (cello). With this concert Cynthia O'Donnell replaced Pat Herbert and Janet Ingamells replaced Wendy Bolson.
2.2.85 St. James, Friern Barnet
12.5.85 Christ the King, WGC (with unrecorded instrumentalists)
22.11.85 Balls Park, Hertford, with the Hertford Brass Quintet
9.2.86 Christ the King, WGC
9.3.86 All Saints, St. Pauls Walden, with Ann Cook and Ian Waller (violins), Bernice de Smet (cello). John Murray sang additionally as tenor.
20.4.86 St. John's, Lemsford. Tenors were John Murray and David Whitter.
8.6.86 St. Francis, WGC. Tenors were Peter Adderley and David Whitter.
29.6.86 St. John's, Harpenden.
7.10.86 Wellfield Old Peoples Home, Hatfield
13.11.86 Herts Police Headquarters, WGC
22.11.86 Balls Park, Hertford, with the Hertford Brass Ensemble. (Jane and Colin Eldred were in the audience)
21.2.87 St. Martin's, Knebworth. Jane Eldred replaced Jo Loysen.
13.3.87 Friends Meeting House, Hertford
26.9.87 All Saints, St. Pauls Walden, with Ann Cook (violin), Jane Eldred (viola), Bernice de Smet (cello). Jo Loysen sang in Jane's place for this concert.
16.4.88 St. Michael's, Bishops Stortford. Jane Eldred back singing 2nd soprano, with Barbara Stanley replacing Janet Ingamells.
21.5.88 St. Mary's, Ponsbourne. A cut down Serenata with Jessie, Peter, David W., Dave R. and Nigel singing solos and close harmony items.
11.6.88 Warren Way Metodist Church, Digswell
18.7.88 St. Mary's, Hertingfordbury. Colin Eldred replaced Peter Adderley
1.10.88 Holy Trinity, Little Amwell, with the Miremont String Quartet
22.10.88 St. Leonard's, Sandridge
12.11.88 Friends Meeting House, WGC. Peter Adderley was the only tenor.
28.1.89 St. Mary's, Hertingfordbury. Jane Eldred sang 1st soprano, replacing Jessie Nickell, Kathryn Beecroft sang 2nd soprano, with Colin Eldred and Peter Adderley singing tenor. Colin played the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with Hugh Bowman and Clare Lovegrove (violins), Jane Eldred (viola), David Smith (cello).
26.2.89 Friends Meeting House, WGC. Peter Adderley was the only tenor.
to be completed....
If anyone has photos I can scan in do let me know!
More up to date, the photo below is from the first concert with our current line-up, in Newgate Street, 27 11 2004, taken by Paul Minchinton.
Often difficult to organise taking pictures after a concert, we managed to get John King to take the photo below at St. Augustine’s, Broxbourne, 14 10 2006.
