What a wonderful weekend in London Tenby Male Choir and supporters had last weekend, April 24-26!
Travelling up in two Silcox coaches on Friday morning, the group arrived at their four star hotel Plaza Riverbank at lunchtime, allowing plenty of time for settling in and sightseeing during the afternoon and evening.
Saturday morning proved to be a busy one, as the choristers had to be on their way to the Albert Hall at 9.15 am for a complete run through of the concert, lasting 'till 1.30 pm. The rest of the party were free to enjoy the city and the sights, and in sunshine and a light breeze, everyone set-off to make the most of the day.
At 5.30 pm, everyone had to be on the coaches to travel to the Royal Albert Hall for the 'Gwyl Corau Meibion Cymru' which was staging 880 male voice choristers and seating about 5,500 members of the audience.
Just before the opening piece, the organist began to play 'Calan Lan' and as the audience and choir began to sing, the atmosphere 'lit up'
Following the singing of 'The Queen', the choir opened with 'Onward Ye People' by Sibelius, 'Deep Harmony' and 'Serenade' from 'Fair Maid of Perth' by Bizet. From this first set of three, one could tell that the choir had been well-schooled and the conductor, Dr. Alwyn Humphreys MBE was going to get the very best out of them.
The first guest artists was a young girl of 12 years, Lucy Kelly, who hails from Paradwys on Anglesey. An experienced competitor in Eisteddfodau, Lucy has won numerous prizes at national Eisteddfodau and is a member of the Ysgol Glanaethwy Youth Choir. She sang four Welsh pieces, three of them in Welsh, 'Daw'r Gwanwyn Eto'nol', 'Child's Thoughts', 'Y Ddau Farch' and 'Harddach Wyt Na'r Rhosyn Gwynn'. Her stage presence and very clear, precise singing was much applauded, by choir and audience.
When the choir next stood, it was to sing 'Speed Your Journey' by Verdi, 'All in the April Evening' and 'Y Tangnefeddwyr' by Eric Jones, a very beautiful hymn, new to most choristers, especially the Irish Queen's Island (Victoria) Male Choir, who had to learn a large number of Welsh pieces from which the final selection for the festival, was made.
The second guest of the evening was Steffan Morris, the 18-year-old winner of the Texaco Young Musician of Wales competition in March. He began playing the 'cello at the age of eight and now leads the 'cello section of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. At present studying A-Levels, Steffan hopes to become a professional cellist and conductor. His first piece, 'The Swan' by Saint-Saens was well-known, but this was followed by a very energetic and technically very complex piece called 'Variations on a Theme of Rossini' by Bohslav Martinu. His virtuosity and enthusiasm was very evident and he received well-deserved and prolonged applause.
The next three choir pieces were all Welsh; 'Ty a Dy Ddoniau', 'O Gymru' and 'Cadwyn o Emyn-donau', the last arranged by the conductor, Dr. Alwyn Humphreys. The first half was ended much too quickly, and after a short interval, the choir and audience stood together to sing 'Cwm Rhondda' to re-start the concert.
With guest conductor for the first number, Gwilym Lewis from Côr Meibion Caergybi, the choir began their second half with 'Gwahoddiad', followed by the completely contrasting 'Song of the Jolly Roger'. Then came 'When I fall in Love' and 'Nessun Dorma', which received tumultuous applause.
Twenty-one-year-old Eirlys Myfanwy Davies from Trimsaran, Llanelli, was the choir's third guest. Another multiple National Eisteddfod winner, Eirlys is studying voice and performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama at present. She won the Welsh Association of Male Voice Choirs Music Award in 2008 and demonstrated her beautiful soprano voice in singing a varied selection, 'Yr Ehedydd', 'You Raise Me Up', 'Voi, Che Sapete' from 'Le Nozze di Figaro' by Mozart and 'Cymru Fach'.
The choir next performed three very popular pieces, 'Take Me Home', 'The Rose' and 'What Would I Do Without My Music', again arranged by Alwyn, and following these items, the compére for the evening, Phil Lloyd from Pembroke, introduced the final guests for the evening by telling the choir they should try to emulate them - or at least remember that this was how they looked - once upon a time.
Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion is an innovative music school based in the Teifi Valley and was founded in 1993 to promote singing of the highest standard. The senior boys who performed on Saturday evening won at the National Eisteddfod last year, and they were just fabulous! Every number they did was followed by cheers of acclamation and their variety of music and dance movement, gave great joy and enjoyment to all present.
In translating 'With cat-like tread' from 'The Pirates of Penzance' to 'Ar Ysgafn Droed', the 14-18-year-olds, gave a lively, dramatically enhanced performance.
This was followed by 'Beati Mortui' by Mendelssohn and then another step change occurred when they sang 'Angels' by Robbie Williams/Chambers. Their final number 'Al Jazz a'i Gymanfa' was another revelation of their talent and hard work. Their conductor/ founder director is Islwyn Evans, who also directs Cywair, the choir crowned 'Côr Cymru' in 2007.
With the standing ovation the young choir received, it was time to move to the last set from Corau Meibion Cymru, and the evening finished with four very much loved pieces, 'Kwmbayah', 'Where Shall I Be?' 'My fanwy' and 'American Trilogy'.
Despite repeated calls for an encore and a standing ovation lasting several minutes, the choir could not sing again and the evening ended with 6,000-plus singing the beloved anthem 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'.
Returning to the hotel, for many, 'the night was still young' and there was considerable carousing in some areas (so I'm told!).
On Sunday morning, it was, of course the London Marathon and our hotel was superbly positioned to walk to the Westminster Bridge near which the marathon runners passed. There were thousands on the streets and many police and medics available to deal with emergencies, but the atmosphere and mood was excellent.
The sun shone, the charities were out collecting, and large family groups were picnicing and enjoying the day out. It was good to be a part of such a superb event, if only as a bystander. The chance to witness such a spectacle was a big bonus to the weekend which had gone so splendidly.
How thrilling the concert had been for the audience and the choristers, especially those singing for the first time, how easy the journey was made by our drivers, how comfortable and well-appointed was the hotel and how much it was all appreciated, will no doubt filter back to Tenby Male Choir over the coming weeks. It was a trip well-worth preparing for over the last two years of rehearsals and months of organisation.
So, diolch yn fawr iawn, Côr Meibion Dinbych-y-Pysgod am a cyngerdd rhyfeddol!
M.N.