Music For A Summer's Evening

Celebrating 57 years singing with Sandbach Voices Mai Lewis accepted a retirement gift of a handcrafted silver brooch depicting the Choir's emblem at the Summer Concert at St. Mary’s Church Hall, Sandbach on Saturday night May 19 2007. The presentation was witnessed by the choir and audience which included the Rt. Hon. Ann Winterton MP, the deputy mayor of Congleton Borough Council Colin Burgess, Councillor Bill Scrag, Chairman of Sandbach Town Council and Elsie Alcock, President of Sandbach Voices.

Mai joined the choir as a young soprano before her 16th birthday and has worked tirelessly holding down many posts within the choir including Chairwoman. She has had many memorable and triumphant times over the years including sitting with Sir Bernard Lovell at Lord and Lady Barlow’s Golden Wedding. The choir has gone through a few name changes and was known as the Belmont Choir when Mai first began to sing with them. Soon after she joined the choir won the Buxton Shield at the Huddersfield Music Festival, a highly coveted trophy.

The once young girls choir now boasts a mix of sexes and a range of ages, the oldest member now being 94 year old Wilfred Holland and the youngest now being a 17 year old soprano.

Mai Lewis was delighted with the programme of music chosen for her farewell concert as it reminded her of the music she had sung as a young girl, quite different to the usual choral offerings that Sandbach Voices has become noted for under the musical direction of resident conductor Martin Cook.