Shrewsbury Carols in the Square 20/12

[drew]

From [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2006/09/20/search_for_a_soloist_comp_2006_feature.shtml[/url]BBC Shropshire:[/url]

Congratulations Charlotte!

BBC Radio Shropshire's Search for a Soloist competition Has now closed. After counting the hundreds of public votes and the judges' scores, our winner is Charlotte Edwards from Oswestry. Well done Charlotte and all our other finalists!

Voting has now closed
Six finalists were selected by our judges in our Search for a Soloist competition. On Saturday 2 December those boys and girls appeared in the square in Shrewsbury to sing unaccompanied in front of Saturday's shoppers.

You voted in your hundreds by email, text and phone. Those votes were compiled and added to our two judges' scores and we've now got a winner!

15 year-old Oswestry girl Charlotte Edwards will take centre-stage at Carols in the Square on Wednesday 20 December. Charlotte will sing the first verse of Once in Royal David's City, unaccompanied, in front of thousands of people and live on-air on BBC Radio Shropshire.

Don't forget to come and join us on Wednesday 20 December. Wrap up warm and enjoy Carols in the Square, one of Shropshire's most popular Christmas events.

On the same evening Old Prestfeldian Melanie Nakhla and the other "All Angels" singers will be performing at the same event.

www.prestfelde.org.uk/

[drew]

Hundreds of visitors to Shrewsbury were taken back in time as the smell of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine filled the air at a traditional Victorian Christmas market.

The county town’s Square resembled a Dickensian scene yesterday as crowds flocked to the themed celebration of county foods and crafts. A host of stalls sold festive goods ranging from pheasant and wine to handmade gifts.

Stallholders were all dressed up in Victorian winter wear at the event, which was organised by Shropshire Enterprise Partnership (EP) and The Shropshire Star.

Late night shoppers enjoyed the market until 9pm. Entertainment was provided by street magicians and jugglers from Shrewsbury Street Theatre Club. Christmas carols rang through the air, provided by Severn FM.

A Christmas recipe for Shrewsbury Biscuits was also launched at the event.

The Shrewsbury Christmas Bite proved a big hit with shoppers. Organisers also invited cooks to submit their own recipes for other seasonal variations on the renowned biscuits, including Easter, summer, Valentines and Mothers Day.

Maggie Love, an executive of Arts Access, which organised the street entertainment, said: “The market was very well supported.

“People seemed to enjoy seeing everything there was, from pheasants hanging to Christmas pudding.”

The festive spirit will continue in the town at the annual Carols in the Square event, which hundreds of people are expected to attend.

Classical girl group All Angels, who include 17-year-old Melanie Nakhla of Shrewsbury, will lead the singing on December 20.

Starting at 5.30pm, the town will come alive with festive merriment, music and songs for all the family to enjoy.

At 6pm Eric Smith, of BBC Radio Shropshire, will be broadcasting the event live and for people who don’t know the words, carol sheets will be provided.

www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/12/festive-delights-of-the-past/

[richnorri]

From the Shropshire Star: www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/12/square-to-host-festive-singing/

Square to host festive singing

Organisers expect more than 7,000 people to pack into Shrewsbury’s Square tonight to celebrate in festive style.

Late night shoppers can sing all their favourite carols, with the highlight of the show being a performance by Shrewsbury teenager Melanie Nakhla and her classical group All Angels.

They will sing songs from their new album and perform their cover version of Robbie Williams’ Angels, which they hope will land them the Christmas number one record spot.

Carols in the Square will start at 5.10pm with the Belvidere School Band, who will march from the Music Hall to the High Street.

Read the full story in the Shropshire Star

This entry was made on Wednesday, December 20th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
and is filed under News, Edition - Shrews.

Richard

[richnorri]

More from the Shropshire Star: www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/12/angels-stars-of-evening/

Angels stars of evening



Thousands of festive singers packed into Shrewsbury town centre for the annual Carols in the Square extravaganza.

People huddled together to keep warm last night as musicians from across the county, as well as classical sensations All Angels, led the crowd in a chorus of festive song.

Snow from a machine behind the stage fluttered down onto the massive gathering, creating a winter wonderland effect.

The highlight of the seasonal crowd-puller was the hit girl group, who are in the running for a Christmas number one with their cover of the Robbie Williams classic Angels.

All Angels, who include Shropshire’s own Melanie Nakhla, sang several numbers from their new platinum-selling album, which was released this week, as well as starting off Silent Night.

Melanie, who lives in the centre of Shrewsbury with her family, said she was thrilled to be back home for Christmas.

She said: “I haven’t been back in a while because everywhere has been so busy. I was so excited about performing in my own town.

“I used to go to Carols in the Square as a member of the public and now to be in it is really weird and my whole family was there and lots of friends. I find it more embarrassing singing in front of friends and family.”

Belvidere School band opened the show with a parade at 5.10pm.

Charlotte Edwards, from Oswestry, who won BBC Radio Shropshire’s search for a soloist competition, sang the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City as she stood above the huge crowd on the first floor of a building behind the Square.

The Wem Jubilee Band, the Halfway House Male Voice Choir, the Lorna Croft Children’s Choir and piper Mike Shanahan also performed. Claire Reeves, of Crew Street, said: “It’s really good because of the community spirit and everyone coming together. And it’s good to see local talent.”

Louise Hayes, of Cherry Orchard, said: “I thought it was a very festive night and it was lots of fun. The snow made it even better.”

While Lucie Poole, of Swan Hill, said the carols were a great follow-on from Christmas shopping in the county town.

By Tom Warren

This entry was made on Thursday, December 21st, 2006 at 11:56 am
and is filed under News, Edition - Shrews.

Richard

[daddytom]

Hello Mates!

I love it when they have to make snow this time of year . It sounds like it was great fun, sorry I wasn't able to be there .

I noted 2 things in above articles that my dim memory needs clarification on. I seem to remember that someone named Melanie was to have turned 18 shortly ago. Also, it was mentioned that the CD went Platinum. Maybe someone could straighten me out or follow up in the appropriate thread.

I do wish the Angels and all my mates on this forum the very best God has to offer in this season.

Tom.

[Dave]

daddytom said:

Melanie was to have turned 18 shortly ago. Also, it was mentioned that the CD went Platinum. Maybe someone could straighten me out or follow up in the appropriate thread.

Hi Tom,

Melanie is certainly the oldest Angel and she will be 18 on 29th December this month

I didn't notice the reference to "Platinum" for the album until you mentioned it and certainly, the latest official chart only shows it as Gold (100,000 or more shipped). The reporter may simply have got mixed up (as he did with some other of his so-called facts) or maybe it's "hot off the presses", I don't know. Across-the-counter sales will be close to 200,000 by the end of this week but 300,000 shipments are needed for Platinum. It would horrify me if the record company shipped so many that shops were left with 100,000 unsold because sales will drop like a stone after Christmas. Many would likely be returned by the shops and a lot of returns (with these kinds of sales) would stop the Platinum Award. We'll have to wait and see...

Cheers, Dave

[daddytom]

Thanks for the clarification Dave.

I think I got the birth date confused with another singer . I would have been surprised if you fellows had really forgotten something that important.

Well it's off to bed :snoring: .

Tom

[richnorri]

Hello again everybody!

I've just found a great gallery of photographs of All Angels singing in Shrewsbury, from the Shropshire Star: www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/12/5672/

Picture Gallery: Angelic carols

Crowds packed Shrewsbury’s Town Square for the annual Carols In The Square event. This year’s big attraction was all-girl classical group All Angels, including Shrewsbury’s very own Melanie Nakhla.


All Angels sing to the square. From left, Daisy Chute, Melanie Nakhla,
Laura Wright and Charlotte Ritchie.


A profile shot of the Angels.


Crowds pack into the Square.


Shrewsbury’s Melanie Nakhla sings.


All Angels draw the winning entry in a Shropshire Star
competition to win a signed copy of their debut album.

Happy New Year!

Richard

[admin]

Thank you, Richard, that is a really good find. They are lovely photos and I think we can forgive the Shropshire Star for giving Melanie a little more prominence!

Roger

[Steve]

Thanks Richard,

I have pinched one for my avatar!

I spent the 28th, 29th and 30th December just outside Shrewsbury, it's a lovely place, very quaint. My younger brother lives there, I have asked him to watch out for the articles for us in the Shropshire Star from now on!

Steve H

[admin]

Hi Steve,

Many thanks for having the foresight to have a younger brother lining in Shrewsbury. I would expect no less from a member of the AAI Team!

Any coverage he is able to supply will be most gratefully received.

Roger

[Dave]

Thanks for the great coverage Richard!

And Steve, I know that the village of Froncysyllte is just down the A5 from Shrewsbury... your brother isn't a member of the famous classical-chart topping Fron Male Voice Choir, is he?

If he is, their average age is about 65 so you must be about... well I daren't even think about it!

Cheers, Dave

[richnorri]

Hello Steve!

I hope you've asked your younger brother to join the forums! ;D

Best Wishes,

Richard :jester:

[jeffrey]

As always cracking pictures of All Angels!!!! ;D

Thank You for posting them Richard!

[postscript]

Superb photographs from Shrewsbury. Brings back my catching that second Hayley appearance in the Abbey there. Discovering Melanie hails from Shrewsbury, I wonder if she was in the audience for either of those Hayley performances?

Well, Happy New Year Daisy, Melanie, Laura, Charlotte and everyone else.

Following a spontaneous waltzing into Virgin Watford and chivying them to re-order the All Angels album, finding by chance 'The Fron' album and the 'All Angels' single, I am now pro-actively trying to find the EU version of the album. I am on the point of giving up to accept the UK 13 track version, which is all Virgin can get hold of. I realise I am missing out by not having that album at all, even if it is the 13 track version. These girls are really lovely. I have the single playing continuously in my headphones at the moment.

Which reminds me, a moment back I was referring to their voices, when I said they were 'lovely' but those superb shots from The Shropshire Star also show what a beautiful group of young women they are too. The more one looks at them, the more one realises how extraordinary they are. As individuals they are each equally attractive in their own persona. As a group, they are so obviously individual people yet, somehow, despite, in fact arguably BECAUSE of that striking individuality, they blend as a whole. it is an extraordinary contradiction, but it works. There is something about their relationships that they manage this seeming impossibility of contradiction: individuals, retaining their individuality yet beautifully blended as a collective whole.

Well done, Girls.
Peter S.