Mark Mcgrath
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Forewor d by Brian Kenwell Chairman, Police Male Voice Choir (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Male Voice Choir) T IS MY PLEASURE as Chairman of the Police In this special anniversary year we are also delighted to welcome Male Voice Choir to welcome you to this our annual the return to our concert of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Iconcert which, in this special year, marks the ninetieth Ladies Choir, and pipers from the Pipes and Drums of the Police anniversary of the formation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Service of Northern Ireland. We are grateful they have been able to include our concert in their very busy schedules of events. We are indebted to the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation for their input to our concert. The Foundation and the In May 2011 the Male Voice Choir accepted an invitation to many groups affiliated to it have planned a series of events to perform in concert in Nottingham. During the trip we visited the mark the anniversary, details of which can be found on page 5, National Memorial Arboretum, a stunning facility where the and I know they will welcome anyone wishing to join with them Royal Ulster Constabulary GC garden exists alongside many in marking the anniversary. You will also find information about hundreds of memorial gardens. It is situated near Lichfield in the Foundation on page 5. Staffordshire and I would highly commend a visit to anyone who is in the vicinity. At our concert last year we were privileged to have with us the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Concert Band. We are We are indebted to the Principal and Board of Governors of the delighted they have agreed to join us again under their Director Royal Belfast Academical Institution for allowing us the use of of Music, Martin Wall, and I know you will enjoy their input. their excellent facilities for tonight’s concert. I hope you will enjoy the varied programme which we have for you tonight. 3 The royal ulster constabulary george cross foundatio N HE FOUNDATION was created by virtue of Section 70 of the Police (NI) Act, 2000, for the purpose of ‘marking the sacrifices and honouring the achievements Tof the Royal Ulster Constabulary’. It is privileged to have as its Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales. A principal function of the Foundation is the management of the RUC GC Garden at Police HQs, Knock Rd, Belfast, which can be visited any day by arrangement. Volunteer Guides are available to conduct the tours. To mark the formation of the RUC on 1st June 1922, a Service of Thanksgiving is held each year in a different location in the Province. This year, being HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Service will be held on 27th May in St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. The creation of an Oral History which records the stories and experiences of former RUC GC officers and their families is now well advanced. A bursary scheme to develop innovations in and is extremely appreciative of the efforts of all those involved policing has also been operated for some years past. in producing and delivering the Concert to-night. The Foundation undertakes a variety of memorial and ceremonial The Foundation can be contacted as follows: initiatives, together with various Associations and Groups within 65 Knock Road, Belfast BT5 6LE the policing family, in pursuance of its overall purpose. It is very T: 02890-700116 privileged to be co-ordinating a number of events to mark the 90th E: [email protected] anniversary of the formation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary W: www.rucgcfoundation.org Forthcoming event s to mark the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Friday 25th May Saturday 16th June Gala Dinner – Newforge Country Club at 7.00pm. Service at National Memorial Arboretum. Tickets £20.00, via RUC GC Foundation, from 15th March. Contact Co. Armagh RUC GC Association, asap, on e-mail: [email protected] Sunday 27th May RUC GC Foundation, 65 Knock Rd, Belfast. BT5 6LE Service in St. Anne’s Cathedral at 3.30pm. T: 02890-700116. E: [email protected] Tickets, via RUC GC Foundation, from 1st April. Other events will be publicised as and when they are finalised. 5 PoLICE MALE VOICE CHOI R (Incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Male Voice Choir) HE MALE VOICE CHOIR was formed in 1973 and In May 2011 we travelled to Nottingham by invitation to throughout the years since has travelled to all parts of perform both in concert and at a church service. While there we Northern Ireland to perform both in concert and at took the opportunity to visit the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Treligious services. We do so both from a love of music and to Memorial Garden at the National Arboretum which is located enable organisations to raise funds for their chosen purpose. We close to Nottingham. For many of the members this was both a have also taken part in music festivals both throughout the rewarding and emotional experience. Details of how to join the United Kingdom and abroad having travelled to Germany, choir can be found on page 15. Sweden, Canada and the Czech Republic. Requests for the choir to perform are welcome and should be The past twelve months have seen the demand for the choir’s addressed to: The Secretary, Police Male Voice Choir, c/o services continue at a high level throughout our season from Newforge Country Club, Newforge Lane, Belfast. BT9 5NW September to May. The Police Federation for Northern Ireland 77 Garnerville Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim Telephone (028) 9076 4200 Would like to wish the Police Male Voice Choir every success for their concert 6 MArk M cGrat H ARK WAS BORN in Belfast in 1982, and showed a keen interest in music from an early age, taking piano lessons with Donal McCrisken from the age of six. He was educated at Belfast Royal Academy and then at Methodist College Belfast where he held the Kerr MHenderson Organ Scholarship, playing for services, concerts and broadcasts. In 2001 he was appointed Assistant Organist at St George's Belfast where he studied the organ with Charles Harrison, and in that year went with the choristers to represent the UK at the Basel International Choral Festival. Mark moved to London in 2002 to take up an organ scholarship at St Martin-in-the-Fields, accompanying the choirs as well as giving recitals and playing for broadcasts. He is currently the Director of Music in St Finnian’s Church Cregagh, in Belfast. In 2007 Mark toured India with a company called Toccata, performing with musicians and singers from Northern Ireland and London in Bangalore and Chennai, and went with the company in 2008 as State guests of Zambia, performing in the country’s Parliament Buildings for large audiences to raise money for local charities. For several years Mark has worked with Roma Tomelty and Centre Stage Theatre Company as Musical Director, working with professional actors and teaching music and drama to young people, and touring Ireland with Christmas shows aimed at children. He composed and performed an original score when the company presented Louis Macneice’s “The Dark Tower” as part of the celebrations of the poet’s centenary year. He also composed and arranged music for a performance of the 18th century “Dialogues from the Portugese” and accompanying recording in the Archbishop Robinson Library in Armagh. Mark is currently the conductor of Spark Opera company, recently set up to commission young Northern Irish composers to write contemporary opera, and last year conducted Spark’s first performance, four short, specially-commissioned chamber operas, with a company made up largely of students and young singers. The company is hoping to go to London in the summer with a show of three new chamber operas aimed at children. Mark also works as a piano teacher and accompanist, and recorded an album with the band Seven Summits in 2008, which was recently played on radio 1. In September 2010 he joined the Police Male Voice Choir as conductor where his enthusiasm and professionalism are much appreciated. Stella graha M RETIRED primary school teacher and music teacher Stella studied piano with Harry Grindle and Elizabeth Bicker. She has accompanied school choirs, adult choirs and soloists, both vocal and instrumental Aduring her career. In 1999 Stella joined the Police Male Voice Choir as accompanist and has travelled to venues across Northern Ireland and further afield and has made an invaluable contribution to the choir’s success. 7 The pipes and drums of the police service of northern irelan D HE PIPES AND DRUMS of the Police Service of We thank the Police Male Voice Choir for their kind invitation to Northern Ireland were formed in March 2003 from play at this years concert which marks the 90th Anniversary of T the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. the formation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Today’s band makes appearances under three distinct roles. Please show us your support on the Competition Circuit this Firstly we perform at the police graduation ceremonies of our season, or for anyone in the North Down area, the band will be student officers at Garnerville. Secondly the band competes performing at the Police Service of Northern Ireland Freedom of within the RSPBA competition circuit at Grade 3A level. This the Borough Parade which takes place in Bangor on 24 March. re-emergence came about after an absence from the competition scene for several years, since the demise of the RUC pipe band.