Voice Bucks Youth Choir Celebrates First Anniversary at Waddesdon Manor

The contemporary elegance of the Reading Room at Waddesdon Manor’s Windmill Hill provided the setting for Voice Bucks Youth Choir’s summer choral extravaganza.

The twenty-four young talented singers who make up Buckinghamshire’s youth choir had only two and a half days of intensive tuition to prepare for the concert. This tuition was given by Fiona Firth and Tim Venvell, who conceived the idea of a youth choir for Buckinghamshire scarcely a year ago. Fiona is an experienced singer, who has had a successful operatic career, and Tim Venvell is Director of Music at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and an experienced choirmaster. Under their expert guidance the choir performed a varied programme of music ranging from the baroque era to the present day. In the first half, the audience were treated to beautiful harmonies in classical pieces such as Mozart’s “Luci Care, Luci Belle” which was accompanied by some of the choir, who demonstrated their versatility by providing a stylish accompaniment to the two songs on a trio of clarinets, led by the talented Ben Aldren, who also played a beautiful Schumann Romance.

In the second half of the programme, the choir performed more contemporary pieces, culminating in a rousing rendition of “The Mermaid”. The concert also included superb solo performances sung by Sopranos Susie Cook, Elysia Taylor-Hearn, Freya Firth-Robson and Matthew Hayden. As well as challenging themselves musically, the young people clearly enjoyed the experience. “It was the best course we have ever done, and that’s comparing it with all the Music Centre and County orchestra courses”, enthused one choir member. The evening’s entertainment ended in a beautiful encore of “Shenandoah”, which received rapturous applause. The choir received numerous compliments from the audience: “A wonderful concert and a wonderful venue!” and “Wonderful evening! We really enjoyed it, thank you so much”

The next course and concert will be this Christmas, venue to be confirmed.

For further information, contact office@voicebucksyouthchoir.com, see the Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter @VB_YouthChoir.