Kenneth George Williams – always simply known as Ken – passed away on 17th December 2019. He was a founding member of Amadeus and sang 2nd Bass. His wife, Pat sings 2nd Soprano.
We gave him a wonderful musical send off at the Requiem Mass in Our Lady’s Church on Friday 10th January 2020, when many members of Formby Choral Society (of which Ken was also a long-standing member) also sang.
Three rousing hymns (two, predictably with Welsh tunes) had been chosen by Ken himself. Pat had asked Amadeus to sing Rachmaninoff’s Bogorodistye Dyevo, and Ken’s son, Sean, had asked, but not expected … that we would sing Ola Gjeilo’s Ubi Caritas.
All the singers joined in one of Ken’s favourite pieces, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine.
The service was conducted with dignity and humour by our good friend (from Holy Family, Ince Blundell), Revd David Gamble. He mentioned that it had been just a chance conversation between himself and Ken which had led to the first Amadeus Christmas Concert in Ince Blundell. That and subsequent concerts, have allowed us to raise a huge amount for a wonderful charity: Mary’s Meals. A fitting legacy to Ken’s memory.
May he rest in peace, and rise in glory