Choir Highlights

2012

18th December: WAGS End Of Year Xmas Concert, Garrison Church

The WAGS performed to a packed Garrison Church. We performed a two-part concert. The first half being a story of the year so far and the songs we had performed with the second half being all about Christmas, with some interesting moves added for ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ (you had to be there!!).

16th December: Royal Dragoon Guards Families Xmas Lunch, Alma Lines, Catterick

Some of our ladies sang for the Royal Dragoon Guards families Christmas lunch by way of a thank you for their help and support.

16th December: Garrison Carol Service, Garrison Church

The WAGS sang during the Garrison Carol Service at the Garrison Church as a thank you to the Garrison and the church for their support.

14th December: Live performance of ‘In The Bleak’ on The Wright Stuff, London

The Choir was represented by soloists Elizabeth Eglintine and Laura Griffith for a live performance of ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ alongside the Military Wives Choir of Warminster.

14th December: Garrison Commanders Big Breakfast, Richmond Centre, Catterick

A group of ladies performed at the Garrison Commanders annual Big Breakfast.

13th December: Live performance of ‘In the Bleak’ on This Morning, London

The WAGS again travelled to London to perform ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ this time on ITV’s This Morning but still managed to make it home in time for WAGS rehearsal that evening!

1st December: SSAFA Christmas Fair, Catterick Leisure Centre

The choir held a chocolate tombola and cake stall at the fair to raise funds for the choir and also performed a small set to fair goers.

22nd November: Recording of ‘In the Bleak’ for Queens speech and Bond Street Christmas light switch on, London

Sixteen of the WAGS headed for London on a secret mission. They were to perform ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ alongside representatives from other Military Wives Choirs at Buckingham Palace for HM The Queens Christmas Day Message. The ladies also found out on route to London that they would be switching on the Christmas lights of Bond street later that day.

11th November: Fest. Of Remembrance, Royal Albert Hall, London

We were very pleased to have a small group of our ladies represent the choir as part of the Military Wives Choir for a joint performance with Jonjo Kerr of ‘In My Dreams’, the title track of the first Military Wives album.

10th November: Fest. Of Remembrance, Durham Cathedral

The choir was incredibly proud to perform at the Festival Of Remembrance at Durham Cathedral. Organised by Maj (Retd) Eric Ingram chairman of ABF The Soldiers' Charity North East committee, the event was compered by Alasdair Hutton, voice of Edinburgh Tattoo.

28th October: Richmond Fest. Of Remembrance, Richmond School

The WAGS performed alongside the HC&C Band at the Richmond Festival of Remembrance. This was a particularly poignant performance as a lot of our ladies had husbands deployed to Afghanistan at the time.

19th October: Songs Of Praise Recording, St Albans Church, Bristol

The choir travelled to St Albans Church in Bristol to record ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ and ‘Eternal Father’ for the Christmas and Mothering Sunday editions of Songs Of Praise. Both songs were performed alongside members of the Chivenor and Warminster Military Wives Choirs.

11th October: Imperial War Museum North, Manchester

We travelled to Manchester to sing at the opening of a new exhibition at IWM North. The Saving Lives exhibition uses personal stories to examine all aspects of medical care on the front line, from the trenches of the First World War to present-day Afghanistan. We also had the great privilege to meet Corporal Andy Reid of the 3rd Battalion who was injured in Afghanistan.

10th October: SSAFA Big Brew, St Aidans Church, Catterick

A small group of ladies sang alongside the HC&C Band to help raise funds for SSAFA, a national Armed Forces charity which is close to our hearts.

7th October: Classical Brit Awards, London

A group of our ladies were chosen to represent the WAGS as part of the Military Wives Choir for a joint performance of ‘Sing’ with Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber, conducted by Gareth Malone.

22nd September: Salute Our Heroes Concert, The Sage, Gateshead

Our first concert at The Sage Gateshead, what an amazing venue! We performed at this concert alongside the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band under the watchful eye of Director Of Music – Sean Riley. This was the start of a wonderful friendship between the WAGS and the HC&C band, one that we hope will continue for a long time to come.

13th September: ‘Stronger Together’ Video Shoot, Wellington Barracks, London

The WAGS travelled to Wellington Barracks in London to take part in the video shoot for the title track of the new album. More than 600 Military Wives were in attendance, breaking the world record for the number of people appearing in a pop music video.

26th August: Bex and Tim's Wedding, Trinity College, Cambridge

A small group of ladies had the great honour of singing at fellow WAG, Rebecca’s (soloist on ‘Sing’) beautiful wedding to Tim at the stunning Trinity College, Cambridge.

16th July: Stronger Together Recording (2nd Military Wives Album), Garrison Church, Catterick

Recording day saw us meet up again with record producers Jon Cohen and Phil Da Costa for the recording of not one but 3 tracks for the new Military Wives album. We recorded our parts for the joint tracks ‘Stronger Together’ and ‘One Voice’ and for the WAGS own track ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’, featuring soloists Elizabeth Eglintine and Laura Griffith. The day was long and repetitive and those words ‘lets do it again’ and ‘it’s nearly there’ from Jon will haunt us forever, but the end result was just beautiful and we will be forever proud of our contribution to the album.

14th July: St Aidans Church Craft Fair, Catterick

The choir provided home baking and refreshments at the fair (it's not just singing we're good at!)

7th July: Wavell School Summer Fair, Catterick

Some of our ladies sang and ran a tombola stall at the Fair to raise funds for the choir.

5th July: ITC BBQ, Catterick

The ladies rushed straight from rehearsal to sing at the annual ITC (Infantry Training Centre) BBQ, who have supported the choir for a very long time.

30th June: Ripon Armed Forces Day (with Dishforth Choir)

The choir met up with the Dishforth Ladies again for another joint performance in aid of Armed Forces Day. The ladies again battled with the weather, this time wearing some very fetching ponchos!

28th June: Sodexo Stop Hunger Ball, Catterick

The choir was invited to sing at this event which was held in aid of Sodexo Stop Hunger, a worldwide initiative which aims to tackle hunger and malnutrition, promote healthy lifestyles and develop life skills like cooking in local communities.

24th June: North East Lincs Military Tattoo, Cleethorpes (with Dishforth Choir)

The choir travelled to Cleethorpes on yet another wet and windy day but it gave us the chance to sing with our counterparts from the Dishforth MWC and sport some very fetching pink umbrellas kindly donated by the organisers of the event.

23rd June: Stirling Military Tattoo

We performed on a very cold and windy day under cover of a tent with a bagpipe and harp accompaniment (not forgetting our Colin on the ivorys!) but as usual the weather didn’t dampen spirits and a fab time was had by all.

22nd June: Edinburgh Taster Session

Our ladies travelled to Redford Barracks to sing with some ladies there who were considering forming a Military Wives Choir. We also ‘borrowed’ a couple of pipers who played during our set at the Stirling Military Tattoo the following day. We are very happy to say that after our taster session, the ladies did indeed form a Military Wives Choir and are going from strength to strength.

22nd June: Pizza Hut Flashmob

The choir sang for their supper to a busy Pizza Hut in Edinburgh. The whole weekend was a busy one but it gave our ladies the chance to mix with members of other sections of the choir which is sometimes quite hard to do during rehearsals. Some strong bonds were made that weekend!

4th June: Diamond Jubilee Concert, Buckingham Palace, London

The choir joined forces with other Military Wives Choirs and formed part of Gary Barlows Commonwealth Band. The song ‘Sing’ was written by Gary Barlow and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber to mark the Diamond Jubilee of HM The Queen. Thirteen members of the WAGS Choir were honoured and privileged to have taken part in such an amazing event.