Generations of singers will come together at the Victoria Hall for the annual Midsummer Sounds concert to present an evening of gospel and choral songs, writes Liz Rowley

SUMMER just wouldn't be the same without the sound of a male voice choir ringing out across the city.

Next week, the men of Stoke-on-Trent will be in full force as they present their annual Midsummer Sounds concert at Hanley's Victoria Hall.

As always, special guests are on the programme and this year fellow choristers from Biddulph Male Voice Choir will help provide the music, as well as the City Youth Brass Band, City Youth Choir and City Youth Training Choir.

Music teacher Tony O'Rourke, who has been with the City Music and Performing Arts Service for over 12 years, will be leading the Training Choir as it performs an array of songs sure to highlight the voices of our young people.

"We have a great relationship with the Stoke-on-Trent Male Voice Choir and they like to involve the two youth choirs when they perform their summer concert," he says.

"They also like to work with other male voice choirs so it's always a feast of choral music. Last year they sang with the Wetley Rocks and Stone Male Voice Choirs and this time they will be singing with Biddulph."

With 30 youngsters aged 11 to 19 in the Youth Choir and 45 eight to 11-year-olds in the Training Choir, the stage looks set to be flooded with cheerful voices.

The evening will include a number of set works the city choirs will be performing on their own, as well as several massed items they will be singing with the male voice choirs.

"The Training Choir will be singing a beautiful song called The Lily And The Rose by Bob Chilcott, as well as Listen To The River and a lively football piece called Saturday Afternoon," Tony adds.

"This is written by Alan Simmons and will be sung by the boys."

Massed items include Speed Your Journey from Verdi's opera Nabucco, Oh When The Saints Go Marching In, and a gospel piece called I'm Goin' Up A Yonder.

"The youth choirs have had great fun learning these pieces," says Tony.

"They have really got into the male voice spirit. Concerts like this give them an aim and allows them to celebrate the hard work they have put in over the academic term.

"Like everything with children, you never quite know what's going to happen next, but they always come up trumps on the night."

Midsummer Sounds can be seen at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, on Wednesday at 6.45pm. Call the box office on 0844 871 7627.