Meet the Mendip Men; Martin Dymond

Martin in his role of stage manager

How long have you been in the choir Martin?

I have been in a male voice choir for about 42 years. Before this I used to sing bass in the Methodist church, and a friend said, "Why don't you join the Midsomer Norton Male Voice Choir?" So I did. This was a long-established choir, going for 106 years at the time, with fathers, sons, and brothers singing together. In those days, there wasn't much alternative entertainment, and there was a feeling that the choir took priority over everything else. I still feel that way, although I recognize times have changed.

I sang with the Midsomer Norton Male Voice Choir for 20 years, until it finished in 2006, and several members joined with the Timsbury Choir to make the Mendip Male Voice Choir, where I have been singing ever since. For 18 years, I was stage manager for the Mendip men, until I decided it was time for someone else to have a go.

What exactly is the role of stage manager?

I looked after the staging for concerts, visiting the venue to see how it could be set up, transporting it, overseeing putting it together and dismantling it. Also I would print the posters and the programmes, and look after the banners; both the pop-up banners and the big outdoor banner. And I would ensure the banners were updated if there was a change of logo, or if they were getting a bit out of date. I used to do all this myself; there are about 4 people doing these jobs now!

Martin walking the choir in at Ubley village hall

What have enjoyed most during your time in the choir?

The singing and also the camaraderie between the men. I particularly enjoy singing in the concerts. Each concert for me is an opportunity to express what we spent all those weeks learning.

What did you do during your working life?

When I left school, I went straight into banking. After 7 years in banking, I was getting fed up with the way I was being moved around the country, and I was also looking to settle down and get married. So I got out of banking and got a job with British Gas, based in Bath. Then when I was 49, British Gas was closing down a number of offices, and they were offering a pension at 50 for people who were willing to leave. So I retired at 50, have had 30 years of retirement, and have enjoyed every minute!

What are your interests outside the choir?

I am a member of the Midsomer Norton Methodist Church, and when I retired, I offered to help the editor of the church magazine. At the time, this magazine would be up to 30 pages, and we printed about 350 every month. I bought myself a laptop and learned how to use it, and after a year, I was able to take over the editor role myself and did that for the next 20 years! The magazine was for the congregation and also for others, for example, the people who came to the free meal we offered once a week. Certainly, by the end of the month, there were no magazines left.

What is your advice to new choir members?

My advice would be two things. Firstly, stick with it! Learning 13 pieces by heart seems daunting, but don't get overawed; it will soon all make sense. Mostly, the words tell a story which makes them easier to learn, and it's not too difficult to learn Christmas music if you start in September!

Secondly, put in a little bit of work regularly; every day if you can. Get the practice tracks, set aside 30 minutes, and sit down and work through them. You don't have to sing out loud; you can sing it in your head if you would rather.