There was a Bromsgrove Musical Club before 1939 that organised concerts and gave a performance of Hiawatha in Routh Hall in March 1939. This club ceased to function during the War, but in July 1947 the Bromsgrove Society of Arts was formed with Mr I. Burnell as President. The choral section started to rehearse and gave their first performance on 7th April 1949, conducted by Mr George Merriman. In 1951 Mr David Milton took over the choir and concerts were given 2 or 3 times a year. There seems to have been difficulty in getting members, especially tenors. Finance was a problem as audiences never paid enough to cover the expenses of the soloists or orchestras. This caused strife with the other sections of the Society of Arts, and in 1955 the choral section became a separate society. By this time Mr Eric Holt had become conductor, and under the presidency of Mr Ernest Kyte the society became an evening class of the Bromsgrove College of Further Education. In 1971 Mrs Boyer was elected President when Mr Kyte retired, and she held that office until 1987 when she retired, having been inexhaustible in her efforts on behalf of the society. In 1975 Eric Holt retired and Lyn Davies became the conductor, to be joined 2 years later by Joyce Messenger as accompanist. Under their guidance and tuition the standard of the society rose considerably, and the number of members increased to over 100. In 1978 the society ceased to be an evening class and became an individual charitable society, so the members were responsible for all expenses of running the society and engaging soloists and orchestras. This was possible only because of the considerable support given by a charitable trust and grants from the County and District Councils. The 50th Anniversary concert was held on Sat 5th December 1998, conducted by Lyn Davies, who was celebrating almost 25 years as Music Director. After a splendid opening with Weber`s Jubilee Overture and Cantata, the Choir gave an acclaimed performance of Mozart's Requiem. |
