Long standing choral connections were renewed at Monkton Priory Church recently when Mansfield Male Voice Choir was hosted by old friends in the Pembroke and District Male Voice.

Both choirs and audience, which included newly elected Mayor of Pembroke Councillor Gareth Jones, were welcomed by the Vicar, the Rev Heidi de Gruchy.

The choirs performed individually before joining forces in a powerful finale of ‘My Lord What a Morning’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, conducted in turn by Musical Directors Ian Grice of Mansfield and Juliet Rossiter of Pembroke.

Highlights of Mansfield’s programme included ‘The Gentlemen’, a splendid close harmony octet whose songs included ‘Calendar Girls’ and the Righteous Brothers’ ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’, plus the choir’s mastery of Welsh in ‘Ar Hyd Ar Nos’ and ‘O Gymru’.

With the VE-Day 80th anniversary in mind the hosts’ programme included reflective items ‘Let A New Day Dawn’ and ‘Tell My Father’.

The MC was Pembroke’s Matthew John and the accompanists were Maureen Lockwood for Mansfield and William Lambert of the hosts. It was also a memorable occasion for John Griffiths, a recent recruit to the bass section, who staged for his first concert.

Choristers joined together for a luncheon at the Town Hall and a post-concert reception at the Power Station Club before the visitors left for Cardiff to continue their choral tour of south and west Wales.