Three local choirs combined forces and provided a marvellous evening's entertainment which raised a magnificent £2652 for Friends of the Belarussian Children's Hospice (UK). The concert was held at Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

Chess Valley Male Voice Choir, Germains Male Voice Choir and Dr Challoner's Grammar School Junior Choir generously gave their time and talents to delight a packed house of music lovers and all the proceeds from the evening were donated to Friends. The varied programme ranged from grand opera to songs from the shows to spirituals to traditional Russian folk songs. Each choir sang separately, Chess Valley MVC and Germains MVC sang several numbers together and for a grand finale the three choirs, 82 voices altogether, joined together to lift the roof with a glorious rendition of 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' from Les Misérables.

 
The 35 strong Chess Valley MVC gave a very accomplished performance. The choir's versatility and range and use of tone, texture and dynamics were much admired especially in Kalinka. The Chess Valley MVC, augmented by Germains MVC, opened the concert with the joyous 'The Chiltern Hills of England' - their very own tribute to this part of Buckinghamshire written by a choir member and arranged by the choir's conductor. They then took us on a musical journey from Chattanooga to the River Volga via the Welsh Valleys. The choir was conducted by David Cooke and accompanied by Helen Cooke.

 
Although much smaller, the Germains MVC gave an engaging performance of foot-tapping numbers. The original choir was formed in 1947 at Germains Secondary Modern School in Chesham by an inspirational Welsh music master by the name of Mr Glyn Davis. Thirty-six years later Mr Davis met a former pupil and choir member and they organised a reunion. Shortly afterwards, the men who were choristers as boys began to sing together again and the choir is now in its fifteenth season. They perform for pleasure, for charity and at local residential homes, churches and community groups. Their conductor was Adam Balkwill and their accompanist Gwen Woodstock.

The Dr Challoner's Grammar School Junior Choir consists of 30 boys aged 11 to 13 years with a treble or alto voice. They sang three spirituals with feeling and later brought the house down with their lively performance of Swinging Samson by Michael Hurd. They regularly perform with other school choirs and sang Bach's St Matthew Passion with a local choral society. The choir was directed from the piano by Genevieve Harrison.

The chairman of Friends, Daryl Ann Hardman, thanked everyone for their support and spoke about the work of the hospice.

The Festival for Three Choirs was a splendid occasion - the choirs enjoyed performing, the audience had a most entertaining evening and the children and families cared for by the Belarussian Children's Hospice have benefited. Many thanks to all those who participated and made this such a successful event.

 
 
A rousing performance of 'The Battle-Hymn of the Republic' sung by both Male Voice Choirs

David Cooke and the audience anticipate the opening bars of the moving 'Speed Your Journey' from Verdi's opera Nabucco.