Two First Prizes at the Cheltenham Festival for Performing Arts News

There’s no doubting the competition was tough, so hopes were not  high, but we gave it our all and were over the moon to collect not one, but two first prizes…..

In its 99th year this was our first foray into the appearing at the annual week-long Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts. The festival, that features music, drama and dance, culminated on its final day in Choirs participating from across the UK. Entered into three music categories, Sacred Music, Songs from the Shows and Male Voice Choirs, we were delighted to come out top in the latter two categories and to see our Chairman and Musical Director take to the stage to receive the two cups. The Competition adjudicator, Bryan Husband, in particular praised the choir’s rendition of ‘The Prayer of the Children’ by Kurt Bestor,  a performance which he said rendered the audience totally silent in appreciation of the singing and the sentiments in the piece.

 In addition, RMVC came a close second, by one point, to the winners of the Gold Cup for the best choir of the day presented to an all female choir, The Chanterelles.

RMVC President Keith Lawrenson said the choir’s success was a tribute to the hard work of choristers and the expertise of the Choir’s Musical Director Marion Maxey. He added “I have never felt more proud of our Choir, and this achievement, against such strong and excellent competition, has come in the year when RMVC will also be celebrating its 30th Anniversary at a special concert to be held in Romsey Abbey on 11 October 2025”

Note: sadly no photographs could be taken during the competition, but you can tell how pleased they are in the after event picture  outside the venue, Cheltenham Town Hall.