THE Wessex Male Choir are returning to the stage next month with special concerts planned this year to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The men of The Wessex Male Choir are looking forward to resuming rehearsals in June.

The choir have still kept busy over the last year – it released at least four videos during lockdown; Consider Ourselves at Home, Life on Mars, Over the Rainbow (from the Chamber Group) and a Christmas message. A fifth video What would I Do Without My Music is out soon.

In April, the Wessex won the Wiltshire life Arts Culture and Music (groups) Award with another trophy to squeeze into the cabinet. It also compiled a Tracks of their Years playlist - two tracks each with brief reasons why they were chosen.

The choir’s chairman Andy Entwistle said: “We are honoured to win this award and it is testament to the choir’s commitment to performing at the very highest level and of the enormous effort the choristers have put in, singing together over the last few years – something they have missed so much over the last 18 months.”

The choir was founded in September 2001 making 2021 the choir’s 20th anniversary year and they have special concerts planned for Christmas 2021 as well as a spectacular summer concert for July 2022.

It will be headlining at the Open to the Skies event at Bowood House in July 2022 as part of a gala evening with a military band along with numerous other performers.

The choir plan to return to rehearsals in June, once they’ve had a couple of rehearsals to dust off their voices and get back into the swing. It will be holding an open evening for new members at 7:30 pm on July 13 at Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club.

The group would love to hear from any men out there who, during lockdown, may have decided that singing is what is missing from their lives. Find out more on the Wessex Male Choir Website or Facebook page.