Our Committee

David Parry

Committee Chairman & Safeguarding Lead.

Joined in 1989 and currently sings Top Tenor.

Why did you join the choir?

“I was encouraged to join by my Father-in-Law Denis Anderton and Danny Quinn-one of our former accompanists, who both knew me from the local Amateur Dramatics Society. I have also sung in my local church choir. I originally sang with the Baritone Section before being moved to the Second and then finally, the Top Tenors. Learning to learn new pieces and the conductor’s interpretation of the pieces is a challenging process to master, which is truly rewarded with the ‘buzz’ of a piece performed to a high standard and well received by the audience makes it truly worthwhile.

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“Winning the Isle of Man Festival twice is up there; but it has to be performing in the choir’s Centenary Celebrations in 2023.”

 

 

Graham Melling

Honorary Secretary

Joined in 1974 and currently sings Bass.

Why did you join the choir?

“Prior to becoming the Secretary I have served on the choirs committee for many years , but that’s not how I started , which was some 45 years ago when I was persuaded to join the choir by a neighbour . Little did I know what a wonderful journey I would have . In my first year the choir entered the Llangollen International festival and came 4th , the highest placed British choir , a huge achievement for us . From that we were invited to tour Germany the following year . Over the next thirty years we made tours of Germany , America and France . Made numerous records, CD’S and appeared on both radio and television. We also entered many competitions all over the UK , with many successes.  Throughout this time the choir has strived to do their best but it’s always with a smile on our faces and more than anything to enjoy it . I have made many friends over years with Haydock and that will never change . You have to enjoy it to love it.”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“Many people , from family, friends and audiences have asked me , my most memorable moment in the choir.  Difficult question , there are so many . Our recent success at the Isle of Man festival when we won the best choir at the festival is hard to beat, especially when you take into account one of the other choirs was a gospel choir who came 3rd in the BBC choir of the year . However personally our first success at the Northern Male Voice Choir , still stands out . We sang against many other choirs who had an excellent history of winning competition titles . We sang well and retained the title the next year . Proud moments but more than that proud to be a member of Haydock.”

David Blackburne

Honorary Treasurer

Joined in 2009 and currently sings Baritone.

Why did you join the choir?

“I used to sing in a church choir as a boy and a young man but stopped as family commitments took over.  In 2009 I changed jobs and started to work from home and increasingly missed the social aspect of a working environment. After seeing an advert for the choir in a local magazine I turned up at a Haydock rehearsal and was immediately made to feel very welcome. Singing in the middle of a choir again felt like coming home.  Soon after joining the choir I got the opportunity to sing as part of a massed choir in aid of Cancer Research UK at the Royal Albert Hall. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would ever sing on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall, but being part of the Choir gave me that chance.”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“My favourite memory in recent years is the weekend the choir had in the Isle of Man in 2019 to take part in their Festival of Choirs. As well as being rewarded for all our hard work by winning the Male Voice Choir section on the Saturday, we were also victorious in the competition against other sections on the Sunday, being named Choir of the Festival. The atmosphere and the camaraderie as well as the craic were truly amazing and it’s an occasion that I’ll never forget.”

Ian Lewis

Librarian

Joined in 2012 and currently sings First Tenor.

Why did you join the choir?

“I had recently taken early retirement and was looking for something new to do and saw and advert for the choir in a local supermarket and thought, “I can do this!”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“On my first trip to the Isle of Man Festival we were all asked to perform something on the Friday night. We hit them with Psalm 126 and it was so obvious from the reaction to this that we would win our section, and so it proved.”

 

 

Neil Shephetd

Welfare Officer

Joined in 2018 and currently sings Second Tenor.

Why did you join the choir?

“I had recently started singing with my Church Choir, and this was when I was first introduced to Frank Dennett. Frank was already a long serving member of Haydock Male Voice Choir, and he invited me along to the Tuesday rehearsal at the Haydock Conservative Club. The first rehearsal that I attended, I was blown away by the quality of singing, it was something that I had never experienced before.  I was made to feel very welcome by the other Choir members, and the comradery is second to none. I have made life long friendships in the Choir, and I am so proud to be part of the Haydock Family.”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“The highlight of my time with Haydock is without doubt the trip to the Isle of Man in 2019, where we won the Male Voice Category section, then went on to be named Choir of the Festival.”

Peter Russell

Committee Member

Joined in 2017 and currently sings Baritone. 

Why did you join the choir?

“I came to a recruitment night after receiving an invitation from a choir member who I knew from another choir. I found the members to be friendly and welcoming and was assigned a mentor for the night who guided me through the music during the evening. I enjoyed the repertoire that we sang and the evening ended with a drink at the bar.
I continued to come to further rehearsals because the repertoire was varied and covered a number of genres. The MD is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and generates a good atmosphere during the rehearsals. After a few weeks ‘honeymoon’ period I decided to join the choir permanently, continuing to learn enough of the concert program to be able to take part in the next concert. I was slightly apprehensive because I am disabled and have to use crutches to walk but was put completely at ease by the MD and other choir members when they said any problems would be solved one way or another (It’ll be alright on the night & The Show will go on, etc.).”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“This would have to be the moment when we were awarded the ‘Choir of the Festival’ in the IOM Competition. It rounded off a fantastic weekend (the food, the weather, the hotel and the company) and rewarded us all for the hard work we had done in preparation for the contest.”

Phil Thornton

Committee Member

Joined in 2017 and currently sings Second Tenor. 

Why did you join the choir?

“At the end of 2016 we were fortunate enough to hire the choir to perform at our wedding, and after the service a number of the men were trying to persuade me to join them.  It took me ten months to pluck up the courage, and I joined in October 2017, and I immediately felt at home amongst such a wonderful and welcoming group of men, and I wish I’d done it years earlier!”

What is your most memorable moment since joining the choir?

“An extremely easy question to answer, hands down this has to be the Isle of Man Festival of Choirs in October 2019.  I’d heard many tales of the competition in previous years from the men, but to experience the Festival myself was an incredible experience, and the overwhelming emotion of us winning Choir of the Festival is a feeling I will remember for the rest of my life!”