Male vocal group will sing for their cuppa!
A MALE vocal group plan to hit the road to sing for their cuppa.
Peers of Harmony will perform free to raise cash for good causes – provided they get a reviving brew at the end!
It is the only ‘payment’ they expect as they bid to help South Tyneside charities and needy causes.
The East Boldon-based barbershop chorus will perform free compact 45 minutes slots as a headline or back-up act.
They hope their involvement will boost attendences at fund-raising events within 20 miles of home.
Chairman Bill Troupe, 48, a former South Tyneside councillor, said: “We like to get a cup of tea at the end of a show. A scone or something similar would be nice, too.
“Our idea is to sing for free in the hope it will encourage more people to attend whichever event we are at.
“In hard times like these, when some charities are struggling, we are happy to try to help all we can.”
Mr Troupe, an aerospace maintenance technician, said: “This music is wonderful to hear when it is done properly, which is how we do it.
“However, you don’t have to be a great singer to take part, you just have to enjoy singing.”
The group was formed four years ago from an earlier award-winning incarnation dating back about 40 years.
It specialises in acapella four-part close harmony singing of lead, bass, baritone and top tenor. The repertoire includes ballads, exciting up-tempo songs, and tunes from the 1800s.
A recruitment drive in October saw its membership swell by eight to about 35.
Baritone Tom Laws, 83, is its oldest member, while A-level student Tom Potts, 18, is at the other end of the scale.
On April 15, they will take part in celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of Jarrow’s St Clare’s Hospice.
Last year, they sang to the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, the mayors of all the local boroughs and their consorts at a civic reception and dinner in Gateshead.
They also performed their first major show, which was held at the Pier Pavilion Theatre, South Shields.
And on April 15 they will take part in celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of Jarrow’s St Clare’s Hospice.
The club is a member the British Association of Barbershop Singers charity which has more than 60 registered clubs and 2,200 members.
The group, whose musical director is Susan Jones, meets at 7.30pm, on Tuesdays, at East Boldon Methodist Hall, in Front Street.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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