SWINDON'S award winning Wessex Male Choir stepped onto the pitch of Wembley Stadium on Sunday to perform at the NFL International Series game between The Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Redskins.
The event also coincided with the launch the Royal British Legion 2016 Poppy Appeal.
Led by the renowned Welsh conductor and musical arranger Dr Haydn James and accompanied by the US Army Europe Band they performed Dr John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’ – a poignant song of remembrance.
The audience which was made up of around 84,000 people were also treated to a performance from a troupe of dancers holding giant poppies aloft.
For a dozen new choir members, this was one of the events from the choir’s ‘Real Men Sing’ project started in September to encourage men to go along and sing with the Wessex.
In the coming weeks they will go on to feature on the radio and sing with the choir in their upcoming Christmas concerts.
One long standing chorister, Jeff Hannath, was joined on the pitch by his son Andy who has recently joined the choir.
For them it was a dream come true as Jeff returned to the stadium he worked on in the 1960s and from where he watched the legendary ’66 world cup, perched high up in the structure of the original Stadium.
Jeff said: "To return to Wembley and sing on that pitch sent shivers down my spine and to do so with my son was a very special moment."
The choir will now start rehearsing their Christmas programmes for concerts in December.
Anyone who would like to catch them can do so on Saturday, November, 19 at St Lawrence Church, Lechlade 7.30pm – for tickets call Phil Tubbs 01367 253762 and from Lechlade post office
On Saturday, December 3 the choir will be at St John's Church, Long Street, Devizes 7pm – for tickets visit www.friendsoferlestokeprison.com
On Friday, December 9catch up with them at Holy Rood Church, Groundwell Road, Swindon at 7:30pm – for tickets call 01285 869955 or visit tickets@wessexmalechoir.co.uk
And on Friday, December 16 the choir will be performing at St Mary’s Church Longcot (near Faringdon) 7.pm – for tickets visit www.eventbrite.co.uk
There are still openings for men to join the choir. Anyone who would like to go along to one of the rehearsals and try singing along should contact Nick Brown on 01367 253256 or 07956 270354
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