| January |
| The year started off in grand style with a concert at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 8th January under the sponsorship of the Alzheimer's Society. This was an excellent concert appreciated by a capacity audience of 1500. The scale and grandeur of the cathedral inspired both the choir and Rhys Meirion our tenor soloist to a high quality performance. The concert was conducted by our Musical Director Dr Haydn James and accompanied by Annabel Thwaite. The choir were entertained after the concert at the County Hotel thanks to the Alzheimer's Society. |
| February |
| We had a very successful concert in Dudley Concert Hall last Saturday 19th February in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. The choir sang well and the near capacity audience was very appreciative. The soloist was James Luxton, pianist, who at 16 years of age has a very bright career ahead of him. From the choir Peter Totterdale made his first appearance as a soloist and Iorwerth Pritchard had a solo spot. Michael Wyn Jones sang the solo part in Diolch I'r Iôr and Will Ogilvie did the solo part of African Trilogy. Dr Haydn James conducted and Annabel Thwaite wa accompanist. Berwyn Evans was his usual inimitable self as compère. Thanks go to Owen Jones for his work in setting up the concert. The evening rounded off in style at the Village Hotel in Dudley. |
| March |
The Presidents Men was a concert held jointly with Northampton Male Voice Choir on Saturday March 6th. The President of Northampton Male Voice Choir is Don White and Cliff Morgan is President of the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. Both rugby legends and friends, it was this friendship that stimulated this joint concert. Sadly Cliff Morgan was unable to attend due to illness but sent us an inspiring letter which was read out on the evening, best wishes were sent to Cliff from all present.
The concert was at the Spinney Hill School Theatre and we sang to a sell out house in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Dr Haydn James our Musical Director shared the conducting with Richard Christopher the Musical Director of Northampton. The accompanists were Annabel Thwaite of LWMVC and Tim and Hilary Dolan of NMVC. Thanks to Geraint Lewis for his solo in Kalinka and to Keri Davies for her flute solo in Softly as I leave you ( which was dedicated to her father John Davies in his last concert for the choir).
We were fortunate to have Eifion Thomas the Musical Director of Llanelli Male Choir who sang some delightful solos for a very appreciative audience. In musical contrast Rebecca Biggins and her group gave a very professional blues and jazz performance.An auction of Rugby memorabilia added interest to the evening and a cheque for £3500 was handed to Marie Curie Cancer Care. All in all a very successful evening. |
| April |
Saturday April 2nd was the date for a successful concert in the impressive Reading University Great Hall. This concert was organised by the Wooden Spoon Society. The choir responded to the good acoustics and the concert was well received by an enthusiastic audience. The concert was conducted by Dr Haydn James and accompanied by Annabel Thwaite. Geraint Lewis sang a delightful Tenor solo spot and Berwyn Evans was the Grand Slam orientated compere.
The second half of the concert opened to the Laurie Holloway Trio together with members of the Montgomery Holloway Music trust, Julia Bently (Flute) and Will Torrent (vocal). They provided us with a superb display of musicianship.
Saturday 16th April we were at the magnificent Wells Cathedral for a most successful concert on behalf of the Mid-Somerset Alzheimers Society. We had another excellent peformance from our principal soloist Emily Rowley Jones. The choir was conducted by Dr Haydn James and the accompanist was Annabel Thwaite. The choir soloists were Geraint Lewis and Peter Totterdale. |
| May |
| Saturday 14th May saw the choir in the magnificent setting of Ely Cathedral. The concert was in aid of the local branch of the Alzheimer's society and we sang to a large and appreciative audience. Emily Rowley Jones was again our principal soloist and performed briliantly. The setting of the Cathedral was ideal for our first performance of Richter's Creation. The choir was conducted by our musical director Dr Haydn James and Annabel Thwaite our accompanist. Other soloists from the choir were Peter Totterdale, Will Ogilvie, and Tim Thirlway who joined Emily in Heaven is my Home. |
| June |
| St John's Smith Square was the venue for our concert in aid of the Teenage Cancer Tust on Saturday 11th June. It was good to sing in a venue with superb acoustics. We were lucky to have the baritone Mark Evans as our principal soloist who performed a variety of pieces from Opera to Ivor Novello interspersed with his Welsh humour. Ceri Davies was the flute soloist in Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn and choir soloists were Peter Totterdale, Michael Wyn Jones, John Thornely and Will Ogilvie. Dr Haydn James conducted and Annabel Thwaite was the accompanist. |
| July |
| There was a bit of a lull in activity in July and August. A large number of the choir are in NewZealand with the Lions Choir and the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir, hoping to stir the lads on.We should be back in full strength by the Leatherhead concert at the end of July. There will then be a break until the next concert in Long Melford inSeptember |
| Our first concert after the reurn of choristers from NewZealand was at the theatre in Leatherhead on 30th July . This was a most successful Concert. We had a “full-house” and the Choir received a very good response from the audience. The concert was conducted by Haydn James and our guest accompanist was Anita D’Attellis. Joanne Heald was principal soloist, tand the Choir soloists Tim Thirlway and Peter Totterdale. |
| September |
| The concert at Long Melford (Holy Trinity) Parish Church last Saturday, 10th September, 2005 was a successful Concert in a very impressive venue and with a “full-house”. Conducted by Haydn James and with Annabel Thwaite returning as accompanist. The choir soloists were Iorwerth Pritchard, Will Ogilvie and Peter Totterdale, and thanks to Rhodri Jones
, who had a memorable debut as compère.
8th October
Our concert at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford was the first in a 2 date weekend with the small matter of a 350 mile + round Trip. The concert was organised by the Rotary Club of Dartford and had been eagerly anticipated for nearly 2 years! The audience were treated to a well delivered, solid programme from the Men in Red, which included the public premiere of the haunting 'Mansions of the Lord' from the 2002 Mel Gibson movie 'We were Soldiers' which portrays one of the first major land battles of the Vietnam Conflict . The audience were taken on a musical journey which incorporated Opera, West End Shows and traditional Welsh pieces. The concert was again superbly conducted by our Musical Director, Dr Haydn James , the Principal Soloist was local girl, Joanne Heald. Choir Soloists were Geraint Lewis and Will Ogilvie , who's performance of Pwy Fydd Yma ? was particularly well received and did we hear cheers ? Accompanist Annabel Thwaite played to her usual excellent standard and the evening was held together by Berwyn Evans in his own unique style. To rapturous applause from large and very appreciative audience , and with a minor standing ovation in the rear row of the stalls, the choir left the stage to begin the long journey to the Millennium Centre in Cardiff for the second engagement of the weekend. (A special thanks to our front of house team who sold over £500 worth of CDs. )
9th October
1.30pm Sunday 9th October and the Choir was arriving at the magnificent Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff to join with Dunvant Male Choir to sing in the Opera Gala ' Wales Sings '. This was a memorable occation for all and the Choir was proud to be part of a truely top class concert sung to a sell out audience of close to 2000 . On a personal note it was quite interesting to be standing right behind the percussion section of the Orchestra and trying to compete with the cymbals in the Roman War Song was an experience . The highlights for many in the Choir was Nessun Dorma, when the massed choir joined Dennis O'Neill and whole company in the final chorus and the Welsh National Anthem was a truley uplifting moment..
It was nice to sing with so many household names and be part of raising in excess of £50,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
.Look at the Western Mail Review of this Concert
29th October
A brief journey outside the M25 took us to our concert at the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe, The concert was sold out weeks in advance and even our Chairman could not get extra tickets! The concert was organised by the twin brother of one of our top tenors, Martin Heath and was in aid of the Beaconsfield organising group of the Ian Rennie Hospice at Home charity.
The school was the subject of the Channel 4 reality show ‘That’ll teach them’ which introduced present day pupils to a 50’s style grammar school. The Choir was there however, to entertain and to educate the audience into appreciation of good music, and did so splendidly. Supported by the RGS Barber Shop Group, the duo of Anna Clarkson & Chris Waite, Peter Vincent complete with Topol headgear and own Choir soloist’s, Will Ogilvie and Iowerth Pritchard.
The Choir sang a variety of pieces to the appreciative audience and we also premiered ‘Cymru Fach’ to great applause. The concert was itself not without incident but we’ll keep that to those who can say - “ I was there! ”
The choir was conducted by our Musical Director, Dr Haydn James and accompanist Annabel Thwaite. The compere for the evening was Patrick Hodges whose humour and observations nearly stole the show from the choir!
Initial feed back from the audience made it very clear the concert was of the highest quality, and we also managed to get ticket orders for Next years Festival of Voices at the Royal Albert Hall!
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| November |
On Saturday 19th November we sang in the impressive setting of Worcester Cathedral and raised a substantial amount of money for MacMillan Cancer Relief.
Our Deputy Conductor, Michael Wyn Jones started the proceedings whle Haydn James dashed from the Millennium Stadium after conducting the crowd for the Wales South Africa match.
Our main soloist was Sian James form Mid Wales who thoroughly entertained us with harp and voice. The choir solists were as ever Peter Toterdale and Will Ogilvie and Annabel Thwaite accompanied |
| December |
Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square, home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was our venue on Saturday 10th December. The venue was state of the art and the acoustics were first class, a welcome respite after the large Cathedrals. We were again singing in aid of the Alzheimers Society and it is certainly a venue we would like to return to.
Emily Rowley Jones was our principal soloist and she delighted the audience with a selection of Welsh and operatic songs, she was later joined by our other soloist Peter Totterdale to sing Heaven Is My Home with the choir accomaniment. Will Ogilvie sang the solo in Pwy Fydd Yma
Our Musical Director Haydn James conducted and Annabel Thwaite was our accompanist.
Our Last concert of the year was our traditional Christmas concert at St Clement Danes in the Strand on Thursday 15th December. This is the Jack Lane DFC memorial Christmas Concert and was organised by the 1475 (Dulwich) Squadron Air Trainng Corps in aid of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
This is always a good concert enhanced by the setting of St Clement Danes and our soloist Ann-Louise Straker. Choir soloists were Geraint Lewis who sang Mary's Boy Child, Peter totterdale in Beutiful Dreamer and Will Ogilvie in Pwy Fydd Yma. Our Musical Director Haydn James conducted and Annabel Thwaite was our accompanist. |
We look forward to future concerts for further details see the engagements section
The CD of the 2004 Festival of Male Choirs is now available from the choir |
