SWEET MUSIC AT MOORSIDE FOR CHARITY
Moorland Voices, Rode Hall Silver band and Shelley Ann Rivers have been asked by Sue Wardle, Chairman of Leek and Moorlands NSPCC to perform in a concert at Moorside High School, Cellarhead on July 11 to raise funds for Carole House, the local NSPCC children's centre. Sue Wardle is enthusiastic about this concert. “It will be the biggest concert we will have organised for the NSPCC – Moorland Voices (with whom I sing) will be joined by the wonderful Rode Hall Silver Band and a talented young soprano Shelley-Ann Rivers, also a local girl. It should be a great night for music lovers and we are hoping to sell over 200 tickets for this event.” Tickets will cost £8 (£5 for concessions) and will include light refreshment. The programme will begin at 7.30. More details from Sue on 01782 550258 or checkleysue@aol.com
MOORLAND VOICES
After recently celebrating 12 months of singing together, Moorland Voices has a busy schedule of concerts for 2015. This co-operative choir of 26 singers has no overall musical director but uses talent from within its ranks to choose music, conduct and inspire. They sing a huge variety from classical to Beatles and rely on close harmonies in a largely a capella style.
The choir includes members based in Leek and Cheadle but attracts singers from all over Staffordshire. Don Taylor, chairman of the choir, stated, “We have worked very hard to improve our overall sound and blend of voices. Apparently we are the choir to watch and in this second year we want to seriously impress our audiences, so we have been working on new and exciting pieces for our upcoming concerts.”
SHELLEY-ANN RIVERS
Shelley Anne Rivers is a classically trained singer and actress. She studied musical theatre at Laine Theatre Arts and continued to train in Opera at The Royal Northern College of Music.
Her theatre credits include, Tuptim in the 'King & I', Maggie in 'A Chorus Line', Mrs Anderson in 'A Little Night Music', Pitti Sing in 'The Mikado', Phyllis in 'Iolanthe' for the Buxton G&S Festival, Tchaikovsky's Opera 'Eugene Onegin' and Janácek's 'The Cunning Little Vixen'. She performed in the UK tour of 'The Pirates of Penzance' alongside Rosemary Ashe and Paul Nicholas and she has also performed in the Chichester Festival Theatre's production of 'Iolanthe'.
Shelley's concert and corporate work has taken her all over the world. She regularly appears with comedian Kev Orkian, dueting with him in a comedy opera routine that Kev previously performed with global opera star Katherine Jenkins. Shelley recently performed in Bobby Davros' "Gala Spectacular" alongside Joe Pasquale, Gary Wilmot and Gareth Gates. Through 2014, Shelley appeared as a guest singer abroad with her own classical show for TED UK.
RODE HALL SILVER BAND
Rode Hall Silver Band was formed in 1837 as a fife and drum band, changing to its current brass band format in 1886. It is believed that the Band was originally formed to lead the local people to services at Astbury Church before Rode Church was built.The Band today plays at many events throughout South Cheshire and Staffordshire. The Band is also planning to participate in a number of contests that will challenge the players and develop the sound of the Band.
The band recently achieved a 4th place finish at Brass at the Guild 2015 and followed this up with a 6th place at the hotly contested 2015 North West Regional Championships. The band is forward-thinking, and aims to progress further and further up the results table in the years to come. The band's president is Lady Baker Wilbraham of Rode Hall
