Since the last report we have had a very busy time with two concerts and a wedding. On Easter Sunday we held a concert at St. Johns Church, Tenby, in aid of church funds. The choir performed their usual mix of entertaining songs from musicals and songs from the '60s such as the 'Climb Every Mountain' and always popular 'Portrait of My Love'. Of course, in male voice choir tradition, there were also a number of passionate songs in 'God's own language', as silver-tongued stand-in MC Terry Evans put it. A bonus on the night in that concert was a local trio of violinists, Lara Thomas and Madi Phillips with Simone Terry on the piano, who provided a very entertaining interlude for the audience. On the following Thursday we held a concert at St. Mary's Church, Tenby, in aid of choir funds and in opening the concert, choir chairman Terry Evans welcomed everyone and thanked local holiday park Saundersfoot Bay Leisure Park Ltd. for their generous sponsorship. We were very pleased on that evening to feature the very accomplished violinist Clive Dobbins. There can have been very few such talented musicians appearing locally. A very short snapshot of Clive's history is that as a native of Gorseinon he won the TV talent show 'Opportunity Knocks' twice at the age of 12. At that tender age he was offered a music scholarship in London and had to move without his parents to take advantage of it. Such was his success as a violinist that he became the youngest person ever to be accepted into the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 19 and he has pursued a successful musical career in London and abroad since then. He was first violinist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for over 22 years, but has now decided to 'come home again to Wales' and has chosen Tenby as his base for a continuing career as a professional musician taking engagements locally, nationally and internationally. Clive was beautifully accompanied on the evening by one of our very own Tenby born and bred pianists, Miranda Barrett, of the Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service. We have a lot of local musical talent in this area and without doubt the Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service plays a large part in fostering that talent by teaching our local musicians in a wide range of musical instruments. Both of the above concerts featured one of the choir's new songs for this season, the African song Orami-jaykajo, which the audiences seem to really enjoy. This will continue to feature and eventually be part of a trio of African songs. So if you come along to one of our concerts you can look forward to Welsh, English, Yugoslavian and African songs, as well as entertaining soloists and musicians of a high standard. For the choir there was no rest (for some of them anyway) as the following day we performed once again at St. Mary's Church for the wedding of Kate Boughton-Thomas and Simon Holliday. Kate is the daughter of one of our choir members, Neville. He, of course, had the day off choir duties, leaving the baritones one short on the day. That would not normally be critical, but due to other commitments a lot of the other 'barris' couldn't make it either, leaving a baritone duo to carry the weight. To quote step-mum Sue "The choir was a great success and much appreciated by our guests, who travelled from Phoenix, America, Wellington, New Zealand, Rome, Italy, Paris, France, Geneva, Switzerland. Glasgow to London and the lakes to Brighton .Thank you for your support, what would the baritones have done without you!" Well the answer is there would have been half as many. As I mentioned earlier, violinist Clive Dobbins was twice a winner of Opportunity Knocks, then a member of the Royal Philharmonic and now he has performed with Tenby Male Choir. I am tempted to say that it just gets better and better for Clive! But just as opportunity knocked for Clive, opportunity knocks for any local man who would like to come and join us in the enjoyment of singing and entertaining. If you would like to find out how much fun the singing and the associated social side of a choir is, why not come along to one of our rehearsals on a Tuesday or Thursday evening at the County Club on the Croft, Tenby. Our next concert is on Tuesday, May 6, at St. Johns Church in aid of CRUSE, the bereavement care charity, and it begins at 8 pm. Tickets are available from the number below or at the door on the night. The choir have already also accepted a number of wedding engagements, but are still prepared to consider further requests. Anyone interested in booking the choir for a wedding or similar event should contact secretary David Stewart-Walvin on 01834 844926. There is more information about the choir on our web site http://www.tenbymalechoir.org">www.tenbymalechoir.org and a Facebook account (just do an internet search for Tenby Male Choir Facebook).

A.G.K.