The Choir AGM was held in the Pastoral Centre on 28 February 2023.
The new committee was elected as follows:
Eamonn Sheridan (Chairman)
Gerry Higgins (Secretary)
Michael Lynn (Treasurer)
Iain Lennox (1st Tenor Line Leader)
Ray Breen (2nd Tenor Line Leader)
Ross Roberts (1st Bass Line Leader)
Truls Christiansen (2nd Bass Line Leader)
The Wicklow Male Voice Choir Bursary Competition final was held on Saturday 19 November 2022.
The audience in The Pastoral Centre, Wicklow Town were treated to a wonderful afternoon of music. The prize of €3,000 was generously sponsored by Sheridan Colohan, Insurance Brokers, Wicklow Town, whose Principal, Eamonn Sheridan, is a long standing highly respected member of the Choir.
The Music Bursary Competition in pre Covid times was confined to contestants living in or originally from Co. Wicklow but this year the Choir decided to accept entries from anyone over 18 years of age who was born or who currently resides in the island of Ireland.
Over 60 musical institutions around the country were contacted and after an initial independent adjudication of Entries, the Competition was reduced to 10 finalists (six voice, three pianist and one flautist).
The adjudicators were Ivan Fitzpatrick (Music Composer and Producer), Lesley Bishop(Choral Administrator, National Concert Hall Choirs) and Fiona Arnold ( Qualified Concert Harpist and Vocalist). In his summing up, Mr Fitzpatrick pointed out that the adjudication was very difficult as the standard was so high. He told those in attendance that the judges agreed that all finalists could look forward to a very successful musical careers. He added that it was the unanimous decision of the judges that the winner was Leah Redmond, a Soprano from Drogheda, Co Louth. Leah has just graduated with Distinction as a full Scholar from the Masters Programme at the Royal College of Music, London. She was also named Young Outstanding Female artist of the year at the Wexford Festival opera 2022. Timmy Doyle, Chairman of Wicklow Male Voice Choir, in his address, thanked all entrants and especially the 10 finalists who gave such wonderful performances. He also thanked Sheridan Colohan for their generosity, Tony Norton (the Choir’s Musical Director) and the subcommittee of the Choir who were tasked with promoting and organising the competition
Choir Rehersals will resume at on Tuesday 23 August
Rehersals will be in the pastoral centre 8pm – 10pm every Tuesday
We will be preparing some new material and revisiting some old favourites.
This year’s Wicklow MVC Golf Classic for the Jackie Byrne Trophy will be held on Saturday 16th July 2022
After the wonderful trip to Montigny, France last April, the choir is delighted to announce that Montigny Chorale Quatre Vents (C4V) have graciously accepted our invitation to come to Wicklow.
C4V, a mixed male and female choir, will be arriving on Friday 31st May and we have a very busy and fun weekend planned for the choir to enjoy. The highlight and centre piece will be a joint concert in Fatima Hall in Domican Convent, Wicklow under the auspices of the Wicklow Lions club on the evening of Saturday 1st June. Moneys raised will go to Wicklow Cancer Support. WMVC and C4V are delighted to be able to help this worthwhile cause and we would invite you to lend your support in attending what promises to be an excellent concert.
Other events for the weekend will include a Welcome Dinner hosted by WMVC, a trip to Glendalough and Kilmacurragh Botanic Gardens, an historic tour of Wicklow Town and Jail and an “Irish Night” of music, song and dance on the Sunday evening. You can be sure the craic will be mighty!!.
We expect another joint (free) public performance …….. keep an eye on this page.
We are delighted to share that WMVC competed recently in the Arklow Choral festival. The choir competed in two event – the Male TTB Naughter Cup and Male TTBB Paddy Fitzgerald Memorial Trophy. The choir sang “Locus Iste” and “Softly as I leave You” in the TTB competition, and “Oft In The Stilly Night” and “Soldiers Chorus” in the TTBB competition. It was the choir’s first public performance of “Locus Iste” and unfortunately we didn’t perform it to our usual high standards and deservedly were pipped by Ballinteer MVC to first prize in the Naughter Cup.
Despite the setback, the choir rose to the challenge in the next competition. The roles were reversed with Wicklow MVC coming in first and Ballinteer MVC coming in a close second.
Subsequently, we were pleasantly surpised to learn that we had won the overall Male competition, The Jimmy Fitzmaurice Award, as we had won the TTBB competition – which is regarded as the more prestigious event.
Well done to all who practiced so hard and performed in the events and special thanks to our Musical Director, Anthony Norton and accompanist, Yvonne Collier.
Our main fundraising event of the year is the annual golf classic. This year 29 teams played on a beautiful day on 21st July 2018 and, as always, it was a most enjoyable event. All choir members either entered a team or sponsored on the day and the Committee is very pleased with the great interest and effort made by everyone. A special word of thanks goes to Larry Carey who once again did so much work.
Wicklow Male Voice Choir recently travelled to twin town Montigny, in France to represent the choir, Wicklow Town and County Wicklow during the Montigny spring Festival. This follows in a long WMVC representative tradition as the choir has already represented Wicklow Town in Eichenzell in Germany and Portmadog in Wales, and has also represented Arklow during twinning celebrations in Chateaux Dunn in France. The choir strives to be the best ambassadors possible for county Wicklow.
This tour was no exception and the choir performed to enthusiastic audiences in no less that four separate performances! The choir was delighted to participate in an informal welcome evening with the Montigny Twinning committee and the local French Chorale IV Vents mixed choir. Both choirs performed in a fun and light atmosphere and after enjoying the excellent Montigny hospitality both choirs joined for a fun “sing off” that everybody enjoyed. Noel Geraghty, Pat Sherlock, Joe McGettigan and MD Tony Norton led the way for Wicklow.
WMVC were honoured guests at the opening of the Montigny “Prairiale” spring fair where the official ceremonies were concluded with performances of the WMVC and The Chorale IV Vents.
The main event of the tour was the Saturday evening concert in aid of the local Guide Dogs For The Blind association. Again, the choir performed with The Chorale IV Vents in concert to over 500 delighted audience members. Both choirs performed separately but also performed together for rousing renditions of the Congolese “Banaha” and Russian “Kalinka”. After official presentations, the concert was closed off with the national anthems. The events of the evening continued however with a large number of the Montigny Twinning committee and The Chorale IV Vents joining the members of the WMVC for an unofficial concert in a local pub. A great time was had by all with promises to visit and return made throughout the evening.
WMVC was invited to help celebrate Mass in the beautiful Church of St Martin on Sunday morning and despite some lack of sleep, the members again represented Wicklow superbly with excellent performances of very contrasting pieces in “The Lord Bless You And Keep You”, “Jesu Joy Of Man’s Desiring”, “Ag Críost An Síol” and “Goin Up A Yonder”.
The tour finished off with WMVC being guests of Montigny Twinning committee on a tour of Paris taking in the sights of the Eiffel Tour, Arc De Triomphe, The Champs Elysee and much more. The highlight was a “bateau Mouche”, flying boat tour of Paris from the Seine finishing off with a trip to Notre Dame. A fabulous finish to a fabulous weekend.
Wicklow Male Voice Choir is on the move again!! After our most recent win in Castlebar, the choir is participating in the Sligo International Choral Festival on the weekend of 17/11/2017 to 19/11/2017.
This is a new departure for the choir because, for the first time ever, the choir will participate in two competitions – mixed voice and male voice. These will be tough competitions and we know in advance that we will be up against 16 other choirs so to the competition will be stiff. However, the choir has worked hard over recent months and we head to Sligo with enthusiasm and confidence.
Whatever the outcome, the trip will be massive fun as usual and we expect to participate fully in the “fringe” events!
On Sunday 19/11/2017, the choir will participate in 1:00pm mass in St Mel’s Cathedral Longford.