Article published in Manchester Evening News 9 September 2016

SINGING in choirs is getting more popular all the time, and some of our region’s well established choral societies have discovered the trick of engaging people who thought they couldn’t manage it and bringing them to a point where they can do justice to some of the great classical works.

One of those is 100-strong Altrincham Choral Society, and their open-to-all ‘Come and Sing’ day is on September 17. It’s called The Magic Of Mozart, and the music to be shared ranges from his Ave Verum Corpus motet to the choruses of his late masterpiece, the Requiem.

Conductor is Manchester-born Steven Roberts, ACS musical director and one of the most experienced trainers of amateur singers in the north of England. The society, founded in 1945, performs regularly at the Royal Northern College of Music and has appeared at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Bridgewater Hall and in Prague, Venice and Florence.

The ‘Come and Sing’ day is at St Mary’s Church, Bowdon, starting at 10am and running through to a free-entry performance in the early evening. Participants pay a small fee and register in advance.

“We pick music that’s achievable in a day,” says Steven Roberts. “Obviously this is not to concert standard, but people come with an open mind and a tremendous work ethic. We start with warm-ups, and then we get on with learning. And it helps to have breaks for tea and coffee!

“People visit us from other choirs, and some come who aren’t in choirs at all. It’s a stress-free day and a lot of fun.”

Steven was from a brass banding background, but studied choral music and conducting at university. He’s had charge of a male voice choir and conducted amateur musicals and operatic societies.

“Because I’ve conducted brass and wind bands and orchestras, I’m not uncomfortable with instrumental ensembles, which join us at Altrincham Choral for some of our concerts, too.”

In 1992 he won the British Federation of Young Choirs conducting competition – in front of judges including legends like Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Stephen Cleobury and Philip Ledger. He was himself a singer with the Huddersfield Choral Society at this point, and its musical director, Brian Kay, invited him to do chorusmaster work with them.

Two years later he answered an advertisement by Altrincham Choral for a conductor … and 22 years further on, as he says, “We’re still having a great time!”