Voices of Pembroke/Lleisiau Penfro recently returned from a very successful weekend in Northampton which resulted from a request to visit the town following their tour of Malta last year.
Forty-two choristers and some family supporters undertook the journey by coach to the hotel on the outskirts of the town where they enjoyed a three-course evening meal and relaxation preparing for the busy period of singing on the following days.
Saturday morning they were transferred by coach to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate and St. Thomas of Canterbury to rehearse the music for the Mass to be performed on the Sunday morning. From the cathedral, the party were transferred into the town with some free time for shopping and lunch.
The group then moved on to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church to be greeted by the pastor, Rev. Paul Lavender, who originated from Pembroke Dock. This was very much a family reunion as Paul's father, Brian, was the choir conductor and his mother and sister, Christine and Sarah, sing in the choir.
The choir rehearsed the music for the evening concert and this was followed by a break for tea. This repast was provided by the members of Bethany Homestead village, a care centre which was supported by the church. The evening concert was to be performed to raise funds for the Restoration Fund, as some of the older buildings in the homestead are badly in need of repair.
The evening concert in a packed church commenced with the rousing anthem, Zadok the Priest by Handel, which was received with thunderous applause. Thus was set the tone for the whole evening programme of mixed sacred, secular and popular items, with solo support from soprano Fiona Care, of Fishguard, who sang the solo in Hear My Prayer by Mendelssohn.
The programme was punctuated with an energetic organ solo from Paul Lavender, the Finale from Symphony No 1 by Alexandre Guilmant.
After further songs from the choir, Fiona played two flute solos accompanied on piano by Paul; Vocalise by Rachmaninoff and an Aria by Eugene Bozza.
Before the penultimate item, a vote of thanks to the choir and soloists was proposed by the manager of the Bethany Homestead, who expressed sincere thanks for the monies raised, which totalled over £2,000. A happy group of choristers then retired to a local hostelry for refreshment.
On the Sunday, the party transferred to the cathedral and were warmly welcomed by the Dean, Canon John Udris. The choir participated in the Service of Mass, from an elevated gallery at the rear of the church, leading the hymn singing.
At appropriate points in the service they sang the relevant parts of the Little Organ Mass by Haydn.
Following the service, the choir were again treated to refreshments in the form of a buffet lunch, before boarding the coach for the journey home to Pembrokeshire.