The season has started now that DMVC have sung for Christmas (From Gazette Series)

Review: Dursley Male Voice Choir Christmas Concert

2:36pm Monday 19th December 2011 in Leisure By Katie Jarvis

SIMON Cowell, what are you thinking of? Don’t bother touring the country looking for the X Factor. It’s here in Dursley! Well, that’s certainly the view of the joyful audience who packed the Lister Hall at the weekend. For they know that Christmas never starts properly until Dursley Male Voice Choir have sung their hearts out at their spirit-lifting, foot-tapping, laughter-filled and even (occasionally) tear-jerking December concert. They’re men who are ordinary in the nicest of senses – men you probably wouldn’t look at twice in the street. But put them on stage, add Robert Burgess on piano and Barrie Cooper on podium (or, indeed, assistant musical director Brian Parslow), and the ordinary becomes very special indeed.

Their Christmas programme wasn’t just entertaining, with all its different paces; it also showed to the full their sheer versatility. From the exquisite Siyahamba, ekukhanyeni kwenko (We are marching in the light of God (but you don’t have to understand the lyrics to love this rousing Zulu hymn) to the traditional Away in a Manger and Let There Be Peace on Earth; from the Joplin-inspired Rudloph Rag to the hilarious Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer ("There were hoofmarks on her forehead and incriminatin’ Claus marks on her back"); this concert was about the beauty of male voices in harmony, and the cleverness of in-house arrangements (many by the aforementioned Barrie, their musical director). In fact, the rousing melodies – including audience participation – were an affirmation of the fullness of life itself, never more manifest than at Christmas.

The choir’s choice of The Six as their guest performers (if you haven’t heard them, then Youtube them) was simply inspired. The girls, who met at Redland High School in Bristol, provided the sweetest of contrasts. Their pitch-perfect rendition of Silent Night in German and Mister Sandman (a cappella) delighted the audience. Perhaps the highlight came when the two choirs joined in O Holy Night – truly enchanting.

It’s not just the musicality of these concerts; it’s the sheer good humour. MC Terry Pascoe’s jokes can even be forgiven (including Good King Wenceslas ordering a pizza: deep pan, crisp and even), thanks to his excellent compering. Can there be more good news? Actually, yes: don’t forget these chaps raise thousands for charity. Good Christian Men – Rejoice!

For more information, visit www.dursleymalechoir.org.uk