15th October 2022 – Wilmslow United Reformed Church

Our 50th year of celebrations continues on Saturday October 15th this year with a special concert at Wilmslow United Reformed Church when former members of the choir will join the present members to sing some items jointly.

The Laurence Singers were founded by our first conductor Laurence Whitaker in December 1971 so 2022 marks our 50th year of music making. During that period there have been almost 300 concerts at 117 different venues stretching from County Durham to south Shropshire but mainly in the greater Manchester area. However, there have been only two musical directors in that time. Laurence served for almost 30 years and the present one, Cliff Crewe has been there for over 20 years.

Membership grew from the original 8 in 1971 to 20 in 1980, 25 in 1990, 30 in 2000 and now 33 in 2022. There have been at least four changes in the dress for the ladies with some relatively minor changes for the men in that time. The choir has competed at more than 10 music festivals, but the main theme has always been concerts with an average of eight per year. We have sung a wide variety of repertoire including 22 major works (eg Mozart, Faure, Durufle Requiems) and modern pieces such as The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins. In earlier days we performed on radio, appeared at Chester and Manchester Cathedrals and sang at 48 weddings and several funerals.

Our concert on the 15th October will contain a wide variety as always including some of the more popular items of the last 50 years. The first half will have the Cantique de Jean Racine, the Benedictus from The Armed Man, the Hallelujah Chorus (acknowledging the many times the choir has sung The Messiah) as well as The Lord is My Shepherd from the Vicar of Dibley. The second half of lighter music will include Autumn Leaves, Mack the Knife, and Bridge over Troubled Water among other well known items.

All in all it should be a tremendous concert for everyone’s taste and with some former members coming back for the evening, it will be one of some nostalgia. Tickets are £10 with the usual wine and soft drinks refreshment included in the price. There is a good parking facility in the Health Centre car park next to the church on Chapel Lane. Tickets will be available in September from publicity@thelaurencesingers.org.uk or by calling 07790 363722