Concert Reviews

What audiences and reviewers have said.

48 reviews since 2010. Reviews are reproduced with kind permission of The Cumberland News.

Most recent

10 Dec 2023 · Holme Cultram Abbey

Uplifting Christmas Concert with the Gala Trio

Holme Cultram Abbey provided the setting for an uplifting Christmas concert given by Dalston Male Voice Choir, with guests The Gala Trio. Under the expert baton of Michael Deakin and with sensitive…

Review by Avril Tisdall Read the review →

8 Oct 2023 · Wigton Rd Methodist Church, Carlisle

A Haven of Harmonious Voices

The audience thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon celebrating Male Voice Choir singing. Dalston Male Voice Choir has previously presented a number of excellent concerts at the church and this was no…

Review by Susan Kydd Read the review →

6 Nov 2022 · Christ Church, Silloth

Songs by the Sea

Sunday afternoon’s concert was a real treat for the sell-out audience. Dalston Male Voice Choir, conducted by professional musician Mike Deakin and ably accompanied on the piano by Lorraine Gash…

Review by Carolyn Fyfe Read the review →

Review archive

2019

1 Nov Joint Concert with Dunvant MVC Wigton Rd Methodist Church, Carlisle · Susan Kydd The audience at Wigton Road Methodist Church in Carlisle was treated to a real celebration of Male Voice Choir singing. Dalston Male Voice Choir was joined by… 9 Jun It’s Love That Makes the World Go Round Wigton Road Methodist Church, Carlisle · Gordon and Susan Kydd Once again an audience at Wigton Road Methodist Church in Carlisle enjoyed an excellent concert presented by The Dalston Male Voice Choir. On the afternoon of… 12 May Hilary's Boys - a Celebration St Michael's, Dalston · Juliet Rowcroft In Dalston Hilary's Boys means one thing: Dalston Male Voice Choir, founded in 1985 and also directed, for its first 27 years, by Hilary Hodgson who died in… 9 Mar An International Musical Journey St Aidan's, Carlisle · Jean Hill From New Zealand to the USA, from France to the Waters of Tyne, the Dalston Male Voice Choir took us on an international musical journey, displaying…

2018

15 Dec Chestnuts Roasting St Michael's Church, Dalston · J.C I have been to the Christmas Concerts of this choir ever since my wife and I moved locally. It had always been a treat but recently, with the addition of the… 27 Oct A Grand Night for Singing (2) Masonic Hall, Aspatria · Jeff Daniels This was much more than a "grand night for singing", as the opening chorus remarked. Here we had a well-balanced concert of tuneful melodies and… 29 Sep A Grand Night for Singing (1) St. Barnabas Church Carlisle · Michael Hancock It was a Grand Night for Singing at St. Barnabas in Carlisle last Saturday. That was the opening number and it set the tone for a richly varied and beautifully… 9 Jun With the Helm Wind Quartet Holme Cultram Abbey · M. H This is a choir that loves to sing and under the direction of Musical Director Michael Deakin they performed an eclectic selection of music. Choir member Ray… 13 May Sunny Songs St Michael's Church, Dalston · Ian Turnbull On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Dalston Male Voice Choir, treated a relaxed audience to its Sunny Songs concert in St Michael’s Church, Dalston, and joining it…

2017

16 Dec Let It Snow St Michael's Church, Dalston · Derek Smith I have been attending these concerts now for several years but never have I enjoyed the afternoon so much. For one thing the choir was on top form; that cannot… 8 Dec Christmas Concert for Hospice at Home St Andrew's Church, Penrith Dalston Male Voice Choir sang their hearts out at the Christmas Concert held in St Andrew’s Church, Penrith under the musical direction of Michael Deakin. The… 3 Nov Excellent Balance with Complicated Harmonies St Kentigern's Church, Irthington Following last year’s concert from Dalston’s Ladies Choir, Irthington was the willing host for a return concert, this time from the locally renowned Male Voice… 1 Oct A Feast of Splendid Music-Making Wigton Road Methodist Church, Carlisle · Avril Tisdall The opening song of Dalston and Chepstow Male Voice Choirs combined concert was ‘There could be Trouble Ahead’: nothing could have been further from the truth… 24 Jun An Excellent Evening's Entertainment St Michael's Church, Dalston · Avril Tisdall There was an excellent turn-out for Dalston Male Voice Choir’s annual summer concert in St. Michael’s Church, Dalston. The audience was treated to some fine… 24 May Grand Night for Singing St John's, Upperby · Rita Yeowart On a lovely summer’s evening, with the sun streaming into the beautiful backdrop that was St. John The Baptist Church, Upperby, Dalston Male Voice Choir opened… 6 May Music in the "Bullring" Hope's Auction Mart, Wigton · Parker Wilkinson Last Saturday evening the 6th May, it was my particular pleasure – along with almost 200 other patrons, to go along to witness 26 very brave “Stout-Hearted… 22 Mar Expressive and Entertaining Singing St Patrick's Church, Patterdale · Mike Town The opening concert of the new musical season in St. Patrick’s Church, Patterdale, was given on the eve of the Patronal Festival by Dalston MVC, who…

2016

10 Dec Te Laudamus St Michael's Church, Dalston · Helen Banks If ever there was a concert which was designed to give praise, as in the Latin title of this programme, it had to be this one. Praise also must also be offered… 18 Jun Rich and Confident Harmonies Holme Cultram Abbey The 18th of June at Holme Cultram Abbey saw a beautiful summers’ evening enhanced by the return after a two year absence of Dalston Male Voice choir, with the…

2015

6 Dec The World in Union St Michael's Church, Dalston · Jennifer Sowerby Dalston Male Voice Choir entertained a warm and large audience at St. Michael Church, Dalston for their annual Christmas Concert. The first half celebrated… 14 Nov An Excellent Musical Evening Cleator Moor · Keith Beattie I found myself wondering what on earth I was doing going out on, what was probably, the worst night of the year. It was very wet, very windy and flood warnings… 16 May Thirty Years of Harmony in a Concert to Remember Victory Hall, Dalston · Donald Ashbury This was indeed a concert to remember. I have seen the Dalston Male Voice Choir in performance several times during the past few years but this concert, to… 25 Apr All in the April Evening Wigton Methodist Church, Dalston · Isobel Robson The Dalston Male Voice Choir made a recent return visit to Wigton Road Methodist Church and were welcomed by the minister, Rev. David Firth. Under the… 13 Mar A Superb Evening of Music and Entertainment Methodist Church, Kirkoswald · Jacquie Kidd A large, appreciative audience helped to bring the best out of Dalston Male Voice choir in an evening of song recently at Kirkoswald Methodist Church. The 27…

2014

8 Nov A Musical Fantasia Masonic Hall, Aspatria · N P The Dalston Male Voice Choir, presented a delightful and imaginative programme of vocal music at Aspatria Masonic Hall, which ranged from folk songs to Grand… 18 Oct A Varied Repertoire, Well Delivered Holme Cultrum Abbey, Abbey Town · Ian Turnbull It is often forgotten that the character of the environment in which a choir sings affects how it feels within it, and how it is heard. Dalston Male Voice… 14 Oct Lunchtime Live Carlisle Cathedral · Liz Armstrong The Lunchtime Live performance at Carlisle Cathedral hosted the poplar Dalston Male Voice Choir, directed by Michael Deakin and accompanied by Lorraine Gash… 10 May A Song in Their Hearts Plumpton Church · K.E.W The Dalston Male Voice Choir paid their 6th visit in 13 years to Plumpton Church on Saturday May 10th and an appreciative audience of about 60 people much… 4 Apr It's Now Or Never St John's Church, Newton Reigny · Juliet Rowcroft 'It's now or never!' It was tempting to smile and think 'well, yes...' about the opening number at the concert in aid of church funds, sung by 30 men among…

2013

1 Dec Gloria St Michael's Church, Dalston · Juliet Rowcroft Advent opened in Dalston with its Male Voice Choir’s Christmas concert, Gloria. Directed by Michael Deakin and accompanied by Lorraine Gash, the choir… 9 Nov For Chrysalis Wigton Methodist Church, Penrith · Daryll Hall The Dalston Male Voice Choir under the direction of their recently appointed conductor Michael Deakin gave a concert in aid of Chrysalis in Wigton Methodist… 15 Jun On Wings of Song Christ Church, Penrith The Dalston Male Voice Choir, gave a concert "On the Wings of Song" to an appreciative audience at Christ Church in Penrith on 15th June 2013. The choir, under…

2012

16 Dec Mediaeval to Modern St. Michael's Church, Dalston · Avril Tisdall Dalston Male Voice Choir was once more in fine voice when they presented a well-balanced, festive programme at St. Michael’s Church, Dalston on Sunday 16th… 27 Oct Music for the Soul The Masonic Hall, Aspatria · Keith Beattie The Orthodox Church will tell you that there’s no finer instrument than the human voice, which is why you don’t find musical instruments in their Churches… 20 Oct The Last Night of the Proms Morton Community Centre · B.W.F A concert presented by Carlisle St Stephen's Silver Band and their guests the Dalston Male Voice Choir was held in Morton Manor on Saturday 20th October 2012… 26 Feb Thirty Five Chaps Resplendent in Red St. Michael's Church, Bowness on Solway · Arthur C Williams ''Thirty five chaps'' – who sing. Better known as the Dalston Male Voice Choir, the attribution ''like a family'' – is from their recently retired musical…

2011

4 Dec Softly As She Leaves Them St. Michael's Church, Dalston · Juliet Rowcroft Tears were very close, and possibly even an emotional wobble from the tenor voices, as Dalston Male Voice Choir concluded their last concert under the… 23 Sep A Musical Treat Plumpton Parish Church · K.E.W Dalston Male Voice Choir gave one of their justly celebrated concerts in Plumpton Parish Church and a full church responded enthusiastically to a splendid… 21 May Choir's Variety Shows Its Flexibility and Sensitivity Low Moor Church, Wigton · Daryll Hall A large audience attended the concert given by the Dalston Male Voice Choir at Lowmoor Road Church, Wigton in aid of the Cumbria Container Challenge. Roger… 8 Apr A Superb Evening's Entertainment St. Giles' Church, Great Orton · Maurice Williams St. Giles' Church, Great Orton, hosted a superb evening's entertainment with the ever popular Dalston Male Voice Choir and special guest Andrew Johnston. The…

2010

5 Dec Yuletide Harmony St. Michael's Church, Dalston · Alice Armstrong Dalston Male Voice Choir gave a seasonal concert in St Michael's church Dalston on Sunday 5th December 2010. Aptly entitled 'Yuletide Harmony,' it was a… 1 Oct A Programme for All Tastes Cotehill Village Hall · Tessa White Dalston Male Voice Choir performed at Cotehill Village Hall last Friday, as part of the 140 th Anniversary Celebrations of St Johns Church, Cotehill with… 13 Jun A Dalston Choir Performance for the Ages St. Michael's Church, Dalston · Avril Tisdall A fanfare flourish heralded the beginning of Dalston Male Voice Choir’s Silver Jubilee Concert. From its inception as a small group of unison singers has… 14 May Witty Variety of All Ages Church of St. Cuthbert, Greenhead, Brampton · Christine Heyes The Dalston Male Voice Choir gave a rousing concert in the lovely rural church of St Cuthbert’s, Greenhead. Under the baton of their energetic and gifted… 12 Mar Old and New Talent Provide Inspiration St. Barnabas Church, Carlisle · Michael Hancock Under their wonderfully-inspiring charismatic conductor Hilary Hodgson, Dalston Male Voice Choir gave a truly moving and magical concert in the beautiful…