Music finds new venue
A choir of more than 100 children from the junior sections of schools throughout the Newark area took part in Christmas Music on Friday.
There were broad smiles from the children from eight schools as they sang Christmas songs ranging from Rock Around The Shops, complete with actions, to Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.
They finished in style with When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney when they were joined by Mr Chris Grant from Newark Amateur Operatic Society, who made a wonderful compere for the event.
He said it was a unique performance because for the first time it had been held in the Magnus Church of England School, Newark.
The first Christmas Music was held on December 16, 1967 in Newark Parish Church and Mr Grant said that the cost of a programme for that event was 2s 6d — the equivalent of 121/2p. Friday’s programme cost £1.
He said that every Christmas Music since had featured a junior choir.
The schools that took part, were Bishop Alexander Primary, Newark; Barnby Road Primary, Newark; Coddington Primary; Dean Hole Primary, Caunton; Highfields School, Newark; St Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Farndon; Lover’s Lane Primary School, Newark; John Blow Primary School, Collingham.
They were conducted by music teacher Mrs Celia Smallwood and accompanied by another music teacher, Mrs Alison Wilson.
Readings were by Amber-Jayne Bollada, Joshua Buck and Bethany Hope all aged ten from Lover’s Lane Primary School and Andrew Parsons, Jack McGinley and Charlie Broomfield all aged ten from John Blow Primary School, Collingham.
The event also featured the Magnus Swing Band, directed by Mr Nic Entwistle, and a tap and theatre routine by dancers aged 13 and 14 from The Charlotte Hamilton School of Dance in Balderton.
The event raised £1,000 for Save The Children.
String
On Saturday the event was compered by another member of the Newark Amateur Operatic Society, Mr Tony Roberts.
It featured Newark Choral Society directed by Mr Roger Bryan; Newark Town Band conducted by Mr Peter Foottit; Newark String Ensemble directed by Rowan Cozens and Elizabeth Elliott, the Dean Skiba Dancers, the choir from Chuter Ede Primary School and entertainer Carolyn Drury.
The evening raised £500 for Beaumond House Community Hospice.
The covers of the programmes for both evenings were chosen from the entries of a competition run on the Advertiser’s Tiggy Trotter page.
The winners were Katie Liwoshko (9) of Coddington Primary School, whose design featured the three kings, and Emma Harris (10) from John Blow Primary School, who painted a snow scene and a red-nosed reindeer.
