A Brief History of the Choir
What a different place Tideswell was in the late 1940s! No television, few bathrooms, many outside toilets, 11 pubs, 5 butchers' shops, few cars, and quarryman Arthur Furness in demand as a writer of letters for those who lacked the skill. Most people attended Church or Chapel and had a deep love of religious choral music; they talked a rich Derbyshire vernacular and the men shared a culture and a humour which bonded them closely; it's a great strength of the choir to this day. Arthur Furness, whose son Les would much later become the choir's President, had a love of singing which inspired a dedicated bunch to meet and sing regularly in one another's parlours. Their enthusiasm was infectious and the village loved to listen to them; in fact, the Tideswell men found they had become a choir.
It has been the choir's good fortune that whenever the way forward has seemed in doubt, someone has appeared whose enthusiasm has generated the energy to move on. After some years at the helm Arthur Furness found that the growing demands of life and children (including young Les, of course!) meant he could no longer lead the choir. A couple of uncertain years followed before Raymond Hibbert, a Quarryman‐turned‐railwayman with extraordinary musical gifts and a wealth of hilarious Derbyshire stories, brought together an expanded group and rekindled the spirit of the choir. Recruitment was given a real boost by village postman Roy Claye, who used his post round to urge likely lads to come and have some fun in the choir. One of their early engagements was at a farmers' Cow Club Supper. Raymond noticed that scant attention was being paid to the choir. "What shall we do, lads?" "Tell 'em some of your stories, Ray," suggested the choir. These apparently changed the tone of the evening.
Chris Senior was the first professional Choirmaster employed by the Choir, in 1984; he worked them extremely hard, to the point where their self-confidence began to build: a group of wives was convened; uniforms were designed and made. Chris laid the foundations of discipline, musicianship and concentration that led to major national and international success. Awards followed at various music festivals including Buxton, Morecambe, Hazel Grove, Blackpool, Ferrers, Newcastle-Under-Lyne and Selston, establishing the choir as the leading Male Voice Choir in Derbyshire. International successes were added: the Malta International Choir Festival marked a supreme achievement for the choir when it won the Male Voice section and was awarded the Silver trophy; in 2003 they sang a very successful series of concerts in Slovenia under the baton of Suzie Winter.
Just as Tideswell has changed enormously in half a century, so, naturally, have the personnel of the choir. No longer are the men predominantly from the village; the present choir is drawn from the region, from Stockport to Sheffield, and the profession most represented is no longer quarrymen but, extraordinarily enough, accountants and financial advisers! The times, they are a-changing!
Michael Coe, a highly accomplished musician who had worked with the BBC, became MD early in 2004 and held the position for about a year before the arrival of the present MD, Dennis Kay, in 2005. With Dennis's appointment the choir has acquired a new purpose and vigour, epitomised by the launch of the choir's first CD, New Horizons. We urge you to buy a copy or two and become a part of Tideswell's exciting future!
With Dennis Kay's appointment the choir has acquired a new purpose and vigour, epitomised by the launch of the choir's first CD, New Horizons. His inspired leadership has led to a major sponsorship deal with M. Markovitz Ltd, a prominent local company, which has given the choir new uniforms, new staging for concerts and strong local support. Dennis has forged a link with the University of Derby at its Buxton campus, where the choir sang at the graduation ceremony in 2009.
The choir has expanded its reach into the local community. A successful application to the Awards for All organisation resulted in a grant to run workshops in the area to encourage young men to take up singing. The choir has taken part in local music festivals, winning first prize in two competitions. Its participation in the Buxton Festival Fringe for the last three years has been very warmly received.
Major concerts in the Buxton Opera House, with top-class performers including Aled Jones and the world-famous girls' choir Cantamus, have established the choir as a professional-standard producer of high-quality, spectacular entertainment. Both these concerts were sold out.
The choir takes particularly seriously the contribution it makes to local charities. Each Christmas the choir organises and performs at a Christmas Spectacular from which the proceeds go to the choir's chosen charity of the year. Over £11,000 was raised by the last two years' Christmas Spectaculars for the benefit of two local hospices. A concert in aid of the victims of the Haiti earthquake raised £1,200.
We are proud to have been asked to take part in this year's Grand Charity Concert in aid of Help the Heroes.
Updated 6 March 2010.