Club News - 2005

Christmas Singouts at Fairlawns

For the third year Anvil Chorus have supplied quartet entertainment to the partygoers at Fairlawns Hotel in the run-up to Christmas. Over the complete run of 21 nights between 2nd and 23rd December, seven singers were involved, the four here are (left to right) Lacy Kyle, Henry Foster, John Brough and Steve Mobsby, with George Badland, Victor Wong and Peter Riley also contributing on other nights. Quartet L to R: Lacy Kyle, Henry Foster, John Brough, Steve Mobsby

Henry:
We were performing in two party rooms and the main dining room so we sang for 1+3/4 hours to over 200 people at very close quarters. I calculated that there were seven different quartet combinations by the time we had finished. We'd sung for dozens of birthdays; several wedding anniversaries; and to two former Barbershoppers, one from Anvil - Frank Mason - and one who sang with Taunton over ten years ago.

John Brough:
One lady, who had tasted a little too much wine, insisted on us singing Jazz, and her jaw dropped an awful long way when we hammered out Mood Indigo with a few added slides and twiddly bits.
Our standard closing number was "Twelve Day of Christmas" and after Five Gold Rings we'd just count and let them get on with it, many offering impromptu choreography accompaniment too!

Thanks to Lacy for supplying the photo and John and Henry for the words
Rod Butcher, John Brough, Arthur Palfrey, Lacy Kyle, Henry Foster

Club Quartet Competition

On 29th November 2005 the club held a quartet competition.

“Here is a picture of the winning quartet 'Twickenham Streak' - a play on words as we are the REAL Pitch Invasion, more akin to the famous Erica Roe!!!

I have long held the song 'Let The Rest of The World Go By' with much fondness, but having the opportunity to sing it with Rod, Lacy and Henry was an experience which one wants to repeat over and over again. I certainly enjoyed the experience of singing together and look forward to defending our title in 2006”

John Brough

(Pictured in the centre of the quartet is special guest Arthur Palfrey, who was a member of Anvil Chorus in the 1980s and now lives in the USA)

photo supplied by John brough
Chris Chiu receives his BABS certificate from John Brough


New member - Chris Chiu

Chris Chiu received his BABS membership certificate at the club AGM on 6th September. He was presented with his certificate by John Brough, the chairman of Anvil Chorus.


Mike Hendrickson receives his BABS membership certificate from chairman John Brough

New Members

Mike Hendrickson (left photo) and Ken Hill (right photo) receive their BABS membership certificates from chairman John Brough on 26th July


Photos by John Eardley
Ken Hill receives his BABS membership certificate from chairman John Brough
John Ellis receives his BABS 25 Year pin from chairman John Brough

25 Year Pin

Left: John Ellis receives (again) his BABS 25 Year pin.



Special Educators Fund

Right: Ken Carter (treasurer) receives a cheque from John Brough, towards the Special Educators Fund


Photos by John Eardley
Ken Carter (treasurer) receives a cheque towards the special educators fund
In the mailbox on "Mad about music" day


Mad About Music

The chorus again took part in "Mad About Music" day, 2nd May 2005. Here they are entertaining Bernie Short and Anna from Radio West Midlands "Ed Doolan show"

Photo by Tony Ashford
Victor receives the cup for first place

Dudley Festival of Music

Anvil Chorus entered the Barbershop Chorus class in the Dudley Festival of Music on 12th March 2005 and won first prize. Victor is seen here receiving the trophy, the 'Marguerite Hodson Cup'.


For four new members, Mike Hendrickson, Ken Hill, Geoff Reader and Tony Curtin, this was their first singout with the chorus. These singers joined as a result of taking part in the 'singing for pleasure' twelve week course, run from Sept - Dec last year.




The new guys, left to right: Mike Hendrickson, Ken Hill, Geoff Reader and Tony Curtin

Photos by John Edlin
Ken Carter (L)presents the Sides Trophy to John Eardley

Annual Dinner 2005

The Tally Ho! Sports and Conference Centre, Edgbaston was again the venue for the Anvil annual dinner, held on Saturday 15th January 2005.

Here we see John Eardley (right) receiving The Sides Family trophy for barbershopper of the year (voted by the membership) from Ken Carter, the winner in 2004.

Photo by John Edlin
John Brough (R) presents the Riseborough Rosebowl to George Badland



George Badland (left) was awarded The Joe Riseborough rose-bowl by the management committee for the outstanding work he has done in organising the Singing For Pleasure course.

John Brough, the club chairman, presented the trophy because last years winner, Rod Butcher, was not at the event (due to BABS organising a judging seminar on the same night)


Photo by John Edlin

Click here for more pictures of the dinner

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