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A
brief history
The
Yeoman Singers began in January 1991 when singers
from the four parishes of Bicton, Fitz, Montford and
Shrawardine, formed the first choir. They met weekly, on
Tuesday evenings in the dining room of Yeoman's Cottage,
Shrawardine, the home of Dr and Mrs Tipton. For five
years this continued, until the choir outgrew their
accommodation and moved to Montford Village Hall. The
choir always included four part choral works in their
repertoire even though many singers were not music
readers, giving opportunities for local people to find
and air their voices. The aims always were, to enjoy
singing sacred and secular music and whenever
appropriate to give the proceeds of public concerts to
various charities.
The first musical director was Dorothy Tipton, a music
teacher and lecturer from Kent. Dorothy directed the
choir from 1991 to 2002. Andrina Lowe accompanied The
Yeoman Singers for five years followed by Anne Jones for
a further six years. Each year the choir endeavoured to
increase their repertoire and sing a range of music
including anthems, songs from Gilbert and Sullivan
operettas, songs from stage musicals and Music Hall and
folk songs.
Many charities benefited from The Yeoman Singers public
concerts and these included, The Hospice, Multiple
Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, A.R.C., Hope House,
Home Start, Homes for all, the children's ward at the
Shrewsbury hospital, as well as all four Churches in the
Benefice. The choir were also privileged to sing at many
local weddings, the fees from which helped to provide
new music. Connections with local churches were strong
at this time and concerts included Festivals such as
Harvest, Christmas and Easter, Songs of Praise, 'Carols
round the Tree' and Carol Services as well as Olde Tyme
Music Halls, Folk evenings, Seasonal concerts, Flower
Festival concerts and a Medieval evening.
The Yeoman Singers have worked in partnership with other
music groups (including a choir from Derbyshire,
Shrewsbury Light Orchestra and members of the Shropshire
Sinfonia) and with soloists (from Kent and Shropshire)
according to the scale of the works under rehearsal. In
1999 the choir received a grant of £1000 for their
services to charity and this was used to buy an electric
piano which is used regularly in concerts.
Each year the choir meets to elect its officers and to
approve the rehearsal schedule and repertoire for the
new year. The choir looks forward to welcoming new
members to enable opportunities for part-work to
continue, and continues to rise to challenges as more
demanding works are included in the repertoire to
augment the miniatures which are popular in concert. In
recent years local instrumental soloists have shared the
concert programme with the Yeoman Singers providing the
audience with quality performances ranging from chamber
orchestra to flute, cello, bass and violin soloists. The
singers have been most appreciative of the skills and
support of Alison Stevens as accompanist for concerts.
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