Budleigh Salterton
Male Voice Choir

Our members come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds – from those who have been involved since they were small boys to those who had no experience before joining the choir:  we welcome them all!  Below are a sample of backgrounds which we hope to add to from time to time.

Peter Dolling (2nd Tenor and also Deputy Musical Director & Librarian)

My musical career started at the age of five when I joined the local church choir at St Peter’s Budleigh Salterton.  At six I began piano lessons, and at the age of eleven I started to learn the church organ at Budleigh and went on to have tuition at the Exeter Cathedral organ where I passed eight exams under the Deputy Cathedral Organist Mr Christopher Gower.  I began deputising as organist at Budleigh Salterton at the age of thirteen and in 1969 Songs of Praise was recorded there.    By this time I had joined the Budleigh Salterton Choral Society as a singer until it disbanded in 1979.   Where now could I sing?  With the Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir of course!  Now some thirty years later I have had the honour of being a Section Leader, Chairman, Treasurer, Deputy Musical Director and Librarian. 

John Sanders (1st Tenor)

After leaving school there was a twenty year gap before I started singing again with the Crawley Amateur Operatic Society, appearing in such shows as Carousel, Brigadoon, The Pyjama Game and the Merry Widow.  I then spent three years working in Japan in the late 80s where my singing ability was put to great scrutiny in the Karaoke bars of Tokyo!   In the early 90s I was posted to Oman and joined The Muscat Singers singing varied choral and G&S works.  In the second half of the 90s I was with The Crawley Chordsmen, an award winning barbershop chorus.  On retiring to Exmouth in 2002 I joined Budleigh Salterton MVC and am also a member of a small Exeter-based close harmony chorus called Iscapella.

Christopher Emms (1st Tenor)

I was a choirboy and studied music whilst at grammar school 1951-6.  Both my parents sang in the London area and we all joined the local operatic society in 1956 singing in musicals for 10 years.  I moved to Devon in 1969 and my parents followed in 1974 and my father joined BSMVC in 1977.  I used to attend many concerts but never had the time to devote to joining the choir.  Eventually I joined the choir in 2005 where I sing with the top tenors as my father did before me.

John Brindley (Baritone)

I give recitals and am involved in concerts in various venues around East Devon.  I am a soloist with the Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir, and also with other choirs including the Sidmouth Choral Society.  My repertoire includes British composers, sea songs, musicals and humorous items.

Tome Earls (Bass)

My relatively smattering knowledge of musical notation was acquired as a youth, playing cornet in a Boys Brigade brass band. Since that time I have "dabbled" with many types of musical instruments, some of which I still play, incompetently, by ear, and entirely for my own gratification!  I did not take up singing until I was in my early fifties, and between 1988 and 1993 I became a performing member of the Bohemian Musical Society in Dublin.

In 2002 on returning from abroad to live near Maidenhead, I joined a mixed choir known as the Renaissance Singers and became a member of the Maidenhead Grimm Players, and performed in several theatrical productions including "The King and I", "Hello Dolly", "Hats Off to Flanders and Swan" and "The Gondoliers".  I joined BSMVC in 2008

Vernon Wynn (2nd Tenor)

As a university physicist I have published research papers on Absolute Pitch (in Nature, British Journals of Psychology and Physiology, and in Volume 1 of Progress in Neurobiology amongst others, so I suppose I am somewhat of an expert in this esoteric field!   Although I have two children who are professional musicians, my singing is limited to my three years experience with BSMVC.

Adrian Haysom (Baritone and Choir Secretary)

I am a retired Chartered Insurer and joined the choir in 2001. Although I have no musical experience and cannot read a note of music, I was persuaded to join by the Musical Director who had been a friend for many years previously. I joined the baritone section and found myself singing in concerts after about three months. Singing in a choir is a great hobby and I have made many new friends who will be friends for life.  I have been the choir's secretary since 2004.

Michael Peacock (2nd Tenor)

I followed in my father’s footsteps to some degree and was the head choirboy at one of the largest churches in Oxford.  Once my voice broke, singing disappeared completely from my life for many years.  Really it was not until I retired to Devon that I was able to find the time to devote myself to this wonderful hobby.

I came across the Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir quite by accident in 1999. Not having been brought up in the male voice choir tradition I was sceptical at first but the sound we make and the camaraderie soon won me over. We are growing, ambitious, hard working, and having a lot of fun.

If you are a recent retiree who has moved to Devon who has always wanted to sing or to get back to it, come and join us.  If you are already singing with another group and want some variety, fit us into your schedule.  You won’t regret it.

John Belton (2nd Tenor)

Following early retirement from the BBC I moved to Devon in 2003 and joined BSMVC and a Barbershop chorus in Taunton. In addition I sing with a worship group at All Saints Church, Sidmouth.  The style of music in the three groups is very different but the enjoyment of singing with others is the same and as an added benefit, it's good for you!

Bob Austen (Ist Tenor)

I joined the choir in 2000. My only other experience with a choir was when we lived in Worcestshire, and my wife and I joined a mixed choir.  With much help from others I became a tenor, and soon found out how important it is to stand next to someone better than me!

During my decade in the choir I have been chairman for five years and am now deputy chairman and section leader.  I get immense satisfaction as a member: it’s great fun, often demanding, good for the breathing, for making friends, and it keep the little grey cells working!