FCMG London Children’s Choir -
50th Anniversary
To celebrate FCMG’s 50th Anniversary, the group planned a number of large-scale events involving FCMG members past and present. FCMG has a proud history of commissioning new works for children’s voices, and we marked our anniversary with a Senior Choir concert of commissioned choral works by the composers James Weeks and John Pickard. The new works were premiered at St. Pancras Church, Euston Road on July 5th and were so successful the choir performed them again in January 2009 at Kings Place, the recently opened concert hall and arts centre at Kings Cross.
Our Patron Malcolm Singer has written a children’s opera titled The Jailer’s Tale for FCMG. This is based on the structure of Britten’s Noyes Fludde, our founding work. Every FCMG member from Beginners’ Choir to Chamber Choir will be performing in the opera.
In December 2008 we held a reunion concert. The senior choir sang Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and we brought back ex-FCMG members from 1958 to our most recent leavers to perform Britten’s St Nicolas. The event ran as a long weekend of rehearsals (Fri – Sun) with the performance on Sunday 7th December 2008 at St. John’s Smith Square. The event was a great tribute to 50 years of musical enjoyment and success, and you can find quotes from some audience members below.
Please contact the FCMG office if you would like a copy or the October FCMG newsletter, to purchase a copy of our 50th Anniversary concert programme, or to find out more about our new opera, The Jailer’s Tale.
FCMG would like to thank the following benefactors who have supported our 50th Anniversary appeal:
- Alyson Jesica Elliman (Dembovitz)
- Peter and Nina Hamburger on behalf of Esther Salaman
- Chandrika Angadi
- Prairie Trust
- Helen Sheldon
- Lord and Lady Jenkin of Roding
- Dominic Pinto
- Dr Brian Derek Rossiter
- Marcus and Mandy Rolle
- The Isaacs Family
- Dr Gianetta Rands
- Anonymous donation in loving memory of John & Pol Andrewes
- Michelle Schofield
- Sarah, Hannah and Marilyn Lee
- Elena Mumford
- Damian and Catherine Selina
- Joanna Cox
- Elizabeth Shanson
- Marie Therese Pinder
- Carolyn and Bob Clarke
- The Simons Family
- Catherine and Nick Findley
- the Downer-Wills Family
- Cristina and Richard Davis
- Elaine Unterhalter
- The Mumford Family
- The Selina Family
- Jason Fordham
- Seb Kafetz
If you are an ex FCMG member, please email the FCMG office and send us your current contact details, so we can provide you with information about future concerts. If you are still in touch with FCMG colleagues please pass on this information.
Senior Choir at the 50th Anniversary Reunion Concert
Reunion Choir at the 50th Anniversary Reunion Concert
Some quotes from e-mails we received after the FCMG December reunion concert.
“It did capture the spirit and sounds of both FCMG and Benjamin Britten. There were so many compliments from invited guests, audience members and parents after the concert – I think it has shown how important FCMG has been to so many people over the years to the present day. The Andrewes family were very happy indeed to hear the choir with that same Finchley sound, and lots of returning singers were clearly delighted to be meeting up to sing again.”
“Altogether it was a remarkable occasion for which you and so many others have been labouring away - and that's on the organisation and communication and co-ordination, and several other '-ation' side of activities - to make the entire weekend happen. Of course, the singers, older and not so old, the children and young people, the instrumentalists, and the conductors, were essential ingredients, without which the (extremely well-performed) concert couldn't have happened, but I guess that if you ever felt like writing up the history of how it all came together, you might amaze yourself as to the complexity of it all.”
“This is just to congratulate you on a fantastic concert last Sunday - two beautiful performances! Both the singing and playing were superb and the group was obviously seen at its best.”
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