Past members of the Wensleydale Chorus will give their conductor of more than 40 years a rousing send-off into retirement at the beginning of July.
Stan Roocroft MBE is hanging up his baton at the age of 87 and a special day of music has been arranged at St John’s Church in East Witton where former members of the chorus are being invited to join in and give Stan a last musical hurrah.
He will conduct the choir through several hours of rehearsals on July 5th before a performance later in the day.
Around 50 sopranos, altos, tenors and basses have so far signed up to Stan’s farewell performance along with four North of England-based soloists who have sung with Wensleydale Chorus in the past.
The accompanist will be Corinne Morris.
Chorus chairman Geoff Hirst. said: “The response has been better than anyone could have hoped. Stan has been central to music in the Dales for decades and it is only right that we mark his retirement from the Chorus in the best way we can.”
Stan, who lives in Gayle with his wife Barbara, has spent a lifetime in music.
As a young chorister from Lancashire, he sang in Westminster Abbey at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
He rose to become head of music in Sheffield, conducted choirs and brass bands in West Yorkshire, before moving to the Dales where for 16 years he was president of the acclaimed Wensleydale Tournament of Song.
It was in the dale in 1982 that he started Wensleydale Chorus.
For ten weeks each summer Stan would attract members of other choirs in the area to come together to rehearse classical concert pieces and then perform them at churches in Wensleydale. He didn’t ask people to audition or to read music expertly.
All he wanted from people was enthusiasm and a love of choral music.
“Stan is not just the conductor of Wensleydale Chorus, he IS Wensleydale Chorus”, said Geoff.
“When he announced his intention to retire to spend more time looking after Barbara we did consider we might carry on and find a new conductor.
“But it doesn’t feel right singing without Stan. So when we say goodbye to him on July 5, it will be our last concert too.”
The choir is inviting all those who have sung with Stan over the decades and would like to do so one last time to turn up at St John’s Church in East Witton at 10am on Saturday, July 5.
Bring your singing voice and a packed lunch.
For those wanting to attend just the concert it will start at 4pm to be followed by a bite to eat and a celebratory farewell drink to Stan in East Witton Parish Room at the end of the concert.
