On Saturday January 17th., Crescendo hosted a concert at the Teatro Cortez in Almoradi. Their guests were the Banda Joven de Almoradi, a very talented group of young musicians led by their musical director Luis Ramon Rodriguez. The concert was organized by choir members Sonja and Don, who live in Almoradi, with help from Irene Gil and Valerie Saunders.The concert started with a wide selection of music sung by the choir. This included two numbers in Latin and one in Spanish….the famous habanera “Huellas en la arena”(Footsteps in the sand) also included was an up-beat version of “In the Mood” and several other pieces. There was a short break while the band moved their instruments and chairs onto the stage. A few minutes tuning up and then the audience were spellbound by the music from this young local band. First they played 1492 by Vangelis, next came Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddie Mercury and then the well known Pink Panther theme by Henry Mancini. The lasting applause gave plenty of time for Crescendo to come back on stage for the band to join them for “Sin Ti” (Without You”) When the applause died down and Chas Smith the choir’s Musical Director had thanked everyone involved for their help, translated into Spanish by choir member Jennifer Morton, he said that all monies from the evening were going to the band towards new instruments. The door money amounted to 639 euro, then Chas asked people to dig deep in their pockets for a little more to help these youngsters and another 132 euro was collected. Choir members and audience all agreed that it was one of the best concerts they had been to and look forward to Crescendo and the junior band getting together again.
On Saturday January 31st, members of CRESCENDO INTERNATIONAL CHOIR held their New Year dinner-dance at “Downtown Quesada”. When everyone had enjoyed a beautiful turkey dinner with all the trimmings, chairman Lawrence Gee said what a successful year it had been for the choir. A magnificent total of 8,500 euro had been raised during 2008 for various charities including AECC, Altzheimer’s, APANEE and local music schools. Some of this was from door money, some from bucket collections and the rest from donations. Lawrence then asked for a show of appreciation for the Musical Director Chas Smith who gives his time and energies to the choir free of charge. Chas was then presented with a cheque, money given by all choir members to buy himself a treat as a “thank you” for his hard work.
On Tues February 24th, Crescendo International Mixed Voice Choir were the guests of Cantabile ladies choir at the Teatro Virgen del Carmen in Torrevieja. The concert was to raise money for the PAUL CUNNINGHAM nurses. Jennifer Cunningham went on stage to explain how the charity began and had been named for her son Paul.
Cantabile took the stage first, then came Crescendo wearing their new “uniforms”
The ladies now have red sequined jackets worn over black trousers and blouses, the men have black trousers and shirts with a red bow tie. These new outfits have been made possible by a generous donation from MEDSEA properties.
Cantabile wore their distinctive turquoise jackets for the first half and their colourful Spanish shawls for their second appearance.
Four of the ladies did not have time to catch their breath as they belong to both choirs; these were Phyl, Henny, Maura, and Denise. Phyl was also one of the soloists giving us a lovely version of “We’ll gather lilacs” by Ivor Novello.
As Crescendo circled the theatre to sing their “Blessing of Aaron”, four beautiful bouquets were brought on stage. These were presented to Jennifer Cunningham, Jennifer Morton (MD of Cantabile) and the two pianists, Sue Trick and Larissa Yvonne. Not to be left out, Chas Smith was presented with a very mysterious bottle-shaped bag! .
Altogether a very glittering evening with a large amount of money being raised for a very worthwhile cause.
The Music School Theatre in Los Montesinos was packed to capacity on Sunday March 8th when Crescendo joined with Agrupación Musical Montesinos for a concert to raise money for the restoration of images (paintings and statues) in the old church of ERMITA la MARQUESA. As people filled the theatre, there was a slide show of the images to be restored giving approximate costs for the work ranging from 200 to 800 euros.
The evening started with Crescendo wearing their new very smart, eye-catching uniforms of red sequined jackets over black trousers and blouses for the ladies, and black shirts and trousers with red bow ties for the men . They sang a programme of eight pieces ranging from “Locus Iste” to “In the Mood”.
Next the sixty strong band took the stage with the second movement of
Shostakovichs’ 10th symphony followed by La Canción del Olvido by J Serrano and finally a selection from West Side Story.
After a little reshuffling of the timpani section, Crescendo came onto the back of the stage to join the band for “Sin Ti” by Pepe Guizah then a selection from “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff, with the children’s choir of the music school joining in for “Chramer, gip die varwe mir” There was a standing ovation at the end with both musical directors taking their bows; D.Sixto Manuel Herrero Rodes of the Montesinos band and Chas Smith of Crescendo,and also accompanist Sue Trick of Crescendo. The choir were each given a plaque commemorating 25 years of the band.
Money raised by the concert amounted to 905 euro, a good amount to get the restoration started.
The Teatro Capital in Rojales was the venue for a very colourful concert on Sunday March 22nd, “colourful” in both the musical and visual. Hosts and organizers were JUST BRASS and their guests were CRESCENDO International Choir in a concert for the RAFA “wings” appeal.
Just Brass took the stage wearing their burgundy shirts and with brass instruments shining. Led by their musical director; himself, a very talented Tenor horn player who has appeared all over the world including the Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, the band played a wide variety of music. They moved from the opening RAF march to “Oliver” then blues, Indian summer, then a piece featuring their drummer Lou Schmid followed by a selection of Old Time Music Hall favourites.
The choir came on stage next, in their eye-catching new uniforms of red and black led by musical director Chas Smith with Sue Trick at the piano. They sang a selection of pieces ranging from “The Lord’s Prayer” to a boogie setting of “In the mood”. A short interval followed then the choir took the stage again with “Joshua” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and several more numbers.
Just Brass came back to play a selection of Broadway hits followed by “All I ask of you” from ‘Phantom’ with solos by Cornet, Ian Gibson and Euphonium, Ian Vine.
Highlight of the evening though was former RAF Trombonist Joe Wallace with his own very talented and comic version of “The acrobat”
The band finished with Bach’s Toccata then were joined on stage by Crescendo for the final number “Sentimental Journey”, a very fitting finish as many of the pieces brought back memories for members of the audience.
Sunday 26th April, the International Choir Crescendo gave their fourth Spring concert at the church in la Zenia. As usual, the choir was conducted by Chas Smith and accompanied on the keyboard by Sue Trick.
The concert started with a new piece in the choir’s repertoire, the ‘Triumphal March’ from Aida. This was followed by ‘Any dream will do’ and ‘Joshua’.
The quartet within the choir, “Soave” made up of soprano Aly, contralto Viv, tenor Laurence, and bass Trent, then sang ‘Panis Angelicus’ filling the church with their beautifully balanced voices.
The choir took the stage again with ‘Unchained melody’ and ‘Locus Iste’, and next it was the turn of trained contralto Margaret Jennings who left her wheelchair to stand by the alter and sing ‘Tristesse’ in Italian ( better known in English as ‘How deep is the night’)
A couple more songs by the choir, then Sue Trick played a piano solo ‘Andalucia’ with her usual flair … suitably wearing a red Spanish shawl embroidered with black to match the new choir uniforms…. followed by the choir singing ‘Let it be’ composed by the Beatles and ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. Soprano Pat Yardley then sang a pretty little Spanish song entitled ‘La cancion del Olvida’.
The final section was started with ‘Sentimental Journey’, a favourite with the choir, that had been specially requested by a member of the audience. We finished the concert with ‘What a wonderful world’ and ‘Rhythm of life’.
Each item in the programme was introduced by Mary Priddle in English, and Jennifer Morton in Spanish. Parish Priest Don Joaquin Carlos thanked the choir and everyone in the audience. The Evening was closed by Crescendo circling the church to sing their own beautiful version of ‘The Blessing of Aaron’
As always there was a mouth-watering buffet laid on downstairs served by Maggi Bray and her ladies.
Don’t miss Crescendo’s next concert in Torrevieja Church with ‘Cantabile’ and ‘Soave’ on Sunday May10th at approx 20.45 after evening mass. This is a free concert they a bucket collection afterwards for the church organ fund.
For all info about the choir please visit the web-site www.crescendo-choir.com
Next came Soave with “Panis Angelicus” followed by a selection of music from Cantabile conducted by Jennifer Morton. Soave then sang “A nightingale sang in Berkley Square”and Crescendo finished the evening with another selection, as always conducted by their musical director Chas Smith and accompanied on the keyboard by Sue Trick. To finish, all three groups joined together for “The Blessing of Aaron”. At the end of the evening each group was presented with a special plaque commemorating the fact that they had sung for “Europe Day 2009”. There was no charge for the concert but helpers were at the church door with buckets collecting money for the much needed restoration of the church organ. Over €350 was raised
Pete first heard of ALPE, a school for physically & mentally handicapped children in Torrevieja through a friend who’s daughter was a pupil. The school was founded in 1982 and moved to its present site in 1998. They cater for 75 children aged five to twenty-one and also a number of adults who attend to take part in occupational therapy. The pupils are picked up every day in buses which have been bought from generous sponsorship over the last few years.
When Pete and Crescendo chairman Lawrence Gee went to the school to hand over the cheque they were shown around by President Josefa Fructuoso and Director Maria Jose Ortiz. Several groups of adults were busy in the light airy rooms, ready to smile & and wave as the visitors looked in, and there were tables of beautifully made models on display in the corridors. Outside is a well laid out vegetable garden tended by the pupils and a greenhouse with plants on shelves for those in wheelchairs to look after. Lawrence thanked Josefa and Maria Jose for showing him around and said that he hopes the choir can help the school more in the future.
The choir sang a selection of seven songs, mostly old favourites but with the addition of an arrangement of “I Believe” sung by the men, with the ladies singing the Bach/Gounod “Ave Maria” softly in the background. This number was greeted by a huge round of applause and looks like becoming one of the choir’s favourites. Earlier in the week, the choir met for an end of season lunch at the Quesada Country Club. Rehearsals begin again on Sept 2nd at the Oasis bar in
Torretta 3.
For three of Crescendo’s members, Dolores is their village; so it was a home from home when the choir sang in the local church of “Nuestra Senora de los Dolores” on Saturday evening after mass. The concert was suggested by Marie Sills a mezzo soprano in the Crescendo choir as it is the church attended every week by her and her husband Steve. The concert on 24th October, 2009, got off to a rousing start with ‘Gloria’ in Latin, followed by several standards like ‘Wonderful World’, and ‘Unchained Melody’. Highlights from the choir were ‘I Believe/Ave Maria’ (The men sing I believe while the ladies sing Ave Maria) and ‘Sin Ti’ (without you) Both of these received standing ovations from the full church. Other pieces sung included ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and ‘Locus Iste’ Favourite with the local people though was Marie Sills’ beautiful singing of ‘Panis Angelicus’. George Bright sang a lovely version of’ ‘O del Mio Amato Ben’ in his rich tenor voice and there were tears on many faces as Sue Trick the choirs’ pianist played Schubert’s Serenade. Last song of the evening was ‘Swinging with the Saints’ which had everyone clapping and joining in. Parish priest Don Augustin Perez Nacher thanked the choir in Spanish and English then choir MD Chas Smith asked everyone there to dig deep into their pockets for the church restoration fund, which they did, raising 230 euros. The choir finished the evening by circling the audience and singing ‘The Blessing of Aaron’. Already people in Dolores are asking when the choir will come again as they so much enjoyed the evening.
Crescendo started the evening on Saturday 31st October 2009, with “Gloria” and four other pieces including a new one “Walking Down that Glory Road”. Next came the quartet called “Q4”, all members of the Harmonisers. They had the audience in stitches when three of them appeared in bright yellow oilskins and the fourth wearing flippers, goggles, armbands and rubber ring. They can be serious though, and sang the very poignant “In my Room”. While they rushed off to change into their barbershop uniforms, Sue Trick played two piano solos with her usual expertise. The Harmonisers started off with “Come to the Cabaret”, three other numbers then “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” from The Lion King featuring their counter tenor Ray Prentice.
Eve Suffield, a new member of Crescendo sang an aria from “The Marriage of Figaro” in Italian; an outstanding performance from a beautiful voice.
Time again for Crescendo with another mix of religious and modern songs. Then, you’ve guessed it, Q4 again, this time in bright coloured T-shirts and baseball caps asking everyone to clap and whistle.
Sue Trick played two more pieces and you could hear a pin drop while the music filled the church. The harmonisers finished the evening with a varied mix of songs ending with “Bring Him Home” and “Do You Hear the People Sing” from Les Miserables after which they stayed on stage while Crescendo stood in the aisles to sing the “Blessing of Aaron” together.
Crescendo International Choir gave their annual Christmas concert at the church of Santa Maria del Mar in La Zenia on Sunday evening, Dec 13th 2009. Musical Director Chas Smith started the evening by asking everyone to shake hands with their neighbour and wish them “Happy Christmas” which broke the ice and made everyone smile. Traditional carols were alternated with pieces by the choir and Bible readings, both audience and choir lifting their voices to fill the church.
Sue Trick, the choir’s accompanist, teaches music at a local school and recently brought along three of her “A” level students to practice with the choir. Two of them came along to join in on Sunday and were introduced to the audience who gave them a warm reception.
A new piece for the choir was “Name that tune” a medley of well known classical snippets sung in the manner of the “Swingle Singers” (Do you remember them?), with the audience asked to count how many they could recognize…current amount stands at 19. The concert as always finished with the choir circling the church to sing “The Blessing of Aaron” then audience and choir went downstairs to sample the lovely buffet prepared by Maggi Bray and her ladies. There was a raffle with many super prizes which raised more than 200 euros. This, with the ticket money from the concert will go towards the new multi-denominational church being built.
CRESCENDO and Q4 hit the high notes
After their successful concert at Christmas at the Torrevieja Christian Fellowship, Crescendo were invited back to give a concert in May. Musical Director Chas Smith asked barbershop quartet Q4 to join them as guests.
Crescendo started the evening with a rousing “Gloria” followed by “My love is like a red, red rose” a new arrangement by Chas’ younger brother. A couple more numbers by the choir then it was the turn of Q4 who came on stage dressed in yellow oilskins to sing “Shine on me”. A quick change and they were ready for their next piece. Each number needed a change of hat, the boys fooling around as they each found their own.
Next Chas asked the audience to join in with “Wonderful World”…no excuse for not knowing the words as they were projected on the wall above the stage!
The choir then sang “The Lamb”, (a poem by William Blake set to music by John Tavener) unaccompanied in four-part harmony, a first for them as Sue Trick the accompanist asked if she could join the contraltos because it is a favourite piece of hers. Carol Durman and Lawrence Gee sang an operatic duet, then everyone joined in with “Spanish eyes”.
Q4 took the stage again with a varied selection including “The lion sleeps tonight” and finishing with “Fat bottomed girls”
A new piece for the choir was Cohen’s “Hallelujah” telling the story of Sampson and Delilah. This was followed by the Easter hymn from Cavalleria Rusticana, the solo soprano part beautifully sung by Carol Durman. “Name that tune!” had everyone trying to count the snippets of classics (we think that there are around 20) then everyone joining in for that favourite “Unchained melody”. Before the choir filled the aisles to sing their “Blessing of Aaron”, Chas called the children from APANEE on stage. They stood on his conducing podium and each announced their name to the audience, then took their places by the door with collecting buckets. When these were counted they had a fantastic 715 euros.
Ticket money of 5 euros per head went to the TCF itself and amounted to over
950 euros. People leaving were heard asking when the next concert like this will be!
On Saturday May 29th, Crescendo presented an evening of music and song at Quesada Casa de Cultura. Entry was free but there was a bucket collection at the end for the charity “CARITAS”.
As always, the choir sang a very varied programme ranging from “Gloria” in Latin to swing numbers like “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and “String of Pearls”. Highlight of the concert was their beautiful “I Believe/ Ave Maria”.
Soloists for the concert were Eve Suffield singing “You’ll never walk alone”, Pat Yardley singing “Stranger in Paradise” and a duo of Gilbert and Sullivan favourites from Judith O’Neil (Ruth’s song from Pirates of Penzance) and Norman Shelley (Pish Tush’s song from Mikado, joined by the men of the choir).
As usual there was a piano solo, but for the first time Sue Trick, the choirs’ accompanist yielded the piano stool to choir tenor John Dunkin who played “To the Spring” by Grieg. At 60+ John said that he is hoping to become the choirs’ “child prodigy”!! The concert finished with the “Blessing of Aaron” as the choir was joined by several past members who were in the audience.
Crescendo’s last concert before the summer break will be at the Casa de Cultura in Pilar de la Horredada on Wednesday June 23rd where they will be guests of the Torrevieja Barbershop Harmonisers and Spangles, the ladies barbershop group.CRESCENDO’S AUTUMN CONCERTS START WITH A CRASH OF CYMBALS
Crescendo’s autumn programme started with the backing of a large band, namely the AGRUPACION MUSICAL MONTESINOS. After their successful and well received concert with the band last year Crescendo International Choir were asked back to Los Montesinos to take part in their fiestas. The concert took place in the Music and Cultural School on Friday October 8th2010.
Choir members in their distinctive red and black outfits lined up outside the school, as the band marched through the town with the Fiesta Queens, and were then the first to take the stage with ‘Name that tune’ and ‘My love is like a red, red, rose’ followed by the old Glen Miller favourite ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’. Led as always by their Musical Director Chas Smith, they next sang ‘Hallelujah’ by Cohen, the Spiritual ‘Rocka my soul’ and then the audience’s favourite ‘I believe/Ave Maria’.
There was a short break whilst the band took their positions, then this very talented band, whose members range from ten years old upward, played a Pasadoble, written by the bandleader SIXTO HERRERO, next came a selection from the musical “Chess”. The choir then joined them on stage to sing a selection from “West Side Story”.
After playing for the choir in the first part of the concert, accompanist Sue Trick said how lovely it was to sit at the back of the auditorium and listen to the choir and band together!
Momentos were exchanged between Chas and Sixto to much applause, and Crescendo were asked to come back again next year.
