Audience and performers raise roof despite the snow
Monday, 20th December 2010.
Audience and performers at Haverhill's big Christmas music event braved the weather last night.
Haverhill Operatic Society were joined by members of Haverhill Choral Society to make a choir of around 50 for the traditional Carols For All combined concert with Haverhill Silver Band at the Old Independent Church.
It was the last of these concerts as conductor for Les Ager who has conducted either band, choir or both at all of them since they started in 1975.
At the beginning of the concert, presentations were made by the band and the operatic society to Mr Ager, 72, who was the conductor of both groups at the time the concerts were started.
His son Mark now conducts the band, and shared the platform with him for last night's concert, while his daughter Karen Chinery now conducts the operatic society's stage musicals, performed under the banner of Centre Stage Company.
The operatic society had had a special silver baton made and engraved by town jeweller Tony Strowger, to present to Mr Ager, and also made a presentation to his wife Jean, who has carried out much of the organisation of the concerts during the 35 years.
Mr Ager said he was delighted to see such a good-sized audience had braved the weather, and also that so many performers, many of whom travelled from some distance, had managed to get there through the snow.
He said he and Mark had considered cancelling or postponing the concert earlier yesterday, but decided to go ahead.
The concert was made up of the usual mix of Christmas music from band and choir, accompanied by Nigel Brown at the organ, interspersed with carols for the audience to join in. The finale saw band, choir and organ join in the Hallellujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.
Mr Ager's granddaughter Lauren Chinery sang Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, while bass player Paul Farr was soloist in the band's version of Frosty The Snowman.
Haverhill Operatic Society were joined by members of Haverhill Choral Society to make a choir of around 50 for the traditional Carols For All combined concert with Haverhill Silver Band at the Old Independent Church.
It was the last of these concerts as conductor for Les Ager who has conducted either band, choir or both at all of them since they started in 1975.
At the beginning of the concert, presentations were made by the band and the operatic society to Mr Ager, 72, who was the conductor of both groups at the time the concerts were started.
His son Mark now conducts the band, and shared the platform with him for last night's concert, while his daughter Karen Chinery now conducts the operatic society's stage musicals, performed under the banner of Centre Stage Company.
The operatic society had had a special silver baton made and engraved by town jeweller Tony Strowger, to present to Mr Ager, and also made a presentation to his wife Jean, who has carried out much of the organisation of the concerts during the 35 years.
Mr Ager said he was delighted to see such a good-sized audience had braved the weather, and also that so many performers, many of whom travelled from some distance, had managed to get there through the snow.
He said he and Mark had considered cancelling or postponing the concert earlier yesterday, but decided to go ahead.
The concert was made up of the usual mix of Christmas music from band and choir, accompanied by Nigel Brown at the organ, interspersed with carols for the audience to join in. The finale saw band, choir and organ join in the Hallellujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.
Mr Ager's granddaughter Lauren Chinery sang Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, while bass player Paul Farr was soloist in the band's version of Frosty The Snowman.
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