Summer Sernade 2025

The Walled Garden, Stoneleigh Abbey, 13th July 2025

Those hazy, lazy days of summer are on us again. How do we know that? Super hot weather and the arrival of the Stoneleigh Male Voice Choir Summer Serenade Concert in the Residents’ Walled Garden, Stoneleigh Abbey!   Around 250 people gathered on Sunday 13th of July to enjoy and celebrate the Choir's 24th Annual event.

The Choir this year was again joined by the Coventry City of Culture Orchestra Jazz Ensemble who caressed the audiences ears with delightful summary jazz themes such as “Just A Closer Walk with Thee (brought to the fore years ago by Monty Sunshine, amongst others), “The Bare {Bear} Necessities” from ‘Jungle Book’  a jolly version of “Londonderry Air” and the classic standard “In The Mood”.

Around these and other jazz notes were draped the impressive tones of SMVC adding new songs to their repertoire under the direction of the recently appointed Kevin Stannard following the retirement of long serving and dear friend of the Choir, Life President, Alan Biddle. Cinema buffs will have recognised the team tune to Barry Norman's Film Review, “I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel To Be Free”,  recorded in the late 1960s by Nina Simone and sticking with film themes the Boys [sic!!!] ran through “Moon River” from the Audrey Hepburn movie “Breakfast at Tiffany's” made famous, you may recall, by Danny Williams.  Introducing a touch of class, a lovely version of Mozart’s  “Ave Verum Corpus” followed by another newbie, “how Do You Keep The Music Playing?” composed by Michael Legrand.  These numbers were liberating interspersed by a few old favourites very warmly received {and not just because of the weather, although the glasses of fizz may have helped!}  by an appreciative and supportive audience.

The concept concluded with a rip-roaring selection of sea shanties in which the gathered throng, having found their sea legs, joined in robustly and,  in memory of those who didn't make it for VE day everyone sang together “White Cliffs of Dover”,  “We'll Meet Again” and the National Anthem.

The Choir, as usual, was kept in order by the inimitable Judy Hadfield who conducted throughout with enthusiasm and gusto {That’s nothing to do with home ordered meals by the way!!}.  Which reminds me to mention that the pre-concert and interval food was superb and provided by caterers “A Bit Of A Do” to whom the Choir are grateful for their help.

A wonderful afternoon. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, raffle proceeds and the gate money resulting in substantial donation to our chosen charities. These were “The Music Man Project (in memory of our friend Seb Farrell who was a great supporter of it) and “The Esther Project”

And finally once again the Choir are indebted to the Residents of Stoneleigh Abbey who have enthusiastically given us again the use of the Walled Garden for the weekend we couldn't do it at such an apposite venue without them.

Thanks to all who made this possible and generously supported our little show.

Written by Rod Owen.  Published in Stoneleigh & Ashow News September 2025