The Milton
Glee Club are a Portsmouth based Choir, founded 52 years ago by the late
Stanley Mortimore who
conducted the choir for its first 37 years and was instrumental in starting its
link with the
Bolinger
Mannergesangverein. It began with a small group of singers drawn mainly
from St. James Church, Milton in Portsmouth, England and has grown to its
present membership of 130 drawn from the greater Portsmouth area.
They have
performed regularly with Royal Marine Bands and Orchestras at many concert
venues including Portsmouth Guildhall, The Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival
Hall in London. Both its Patron and its President are former Directors of the
Royal Marine Band Service and several of its Vice-Presidents are former
Directors of Music to H.M. Yacht, Britannia.
Under the
Guidance of their current Musical
Director Brian North, the choir gives four concerts annually in Portsmouth
Guildhall to capacity audiences of 2,000 people performing a range of music from
Part Song to Grand Opera; Oratorio to Songs from West End and Broadway
Musicals. In addition to this, they give regular concerts at smaller locations
for many charities such as Multiple Sclerosis raising many thousands of pounds.
Also, each Easter, they perform a Sacred work such as Vivaldi's 'Gloria', and
Brahms 'Requiem'. They have recently performed Handel's 'Messiah' in celebration
of its 250th Anniversary and given a Portsmouth Premiere of William Lloyd
Webber’s ‘Divine Compassion’.
The choir is
proud of its friendship link with the Bölinger Männergesangverein which has
continued and developed since its first visit to the Rhineland in 1978. Indeed,
not only is there a strong choral link but many strong, lasting friendships have
grown between the people of the Rhineland and those from Portsmouth, England.
The Milton
Glee Club, whilst an Amateur choir, aim for the highest professional standard
and sing purely for pleasure, to give pleasure to others.