On the 18th of March the choir sang to a capacity audience of 74,000 people at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff. Unfortunately it was also the Wales France 6 Nations International and we were playing second string to the game. It was an exciting experience with 94 choristers on the pitch - lured by the offer of free tickets. We were honoured to be part of such a big occasion - and Wales nearly won!

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On Sunday 8th April 53 intrepid choristers, spurred on by the chance of being the first Welsh choir on the hallowed turf at HQ ( Twickenham) and the free tickets, provided part of the pre match entertainment for the Powergen Cup Final between Wasps and Llanelli. We sang Sospan Fach, Cwm Rhondda and Delilah to a very receptive crowd.

On Saturday 22nd April, St Paul's Church in Southfields, Wimbldon was the the venue for an excellent concert in aid of the church development fund. the accoustics were excellent and we sang to a capacity appreciative audience.
Our principal soloist was Catherine Hamilton who sang a superb selection form opera to show time. Peter Toterdale from the choir sang the other solo item. Dr Haydn James our musical director conducted and Annabel Thwaite accompanied

Concert at St. Albans Abbey Church and Cathedral last Saturday, 6^th May, 2006.

We returned after a very successful tour of Slovenia. The reception and friendship we enjoyed was excellent. We had a very good concert together with the Lira Choir in Kamnik and were entertained to a veritable feast after the concert. The concert in Portoroz was sparsely attended but this was mainly due to it being very early season for the coastal resort . The concert in Ljubljiana was a splendid affair in the Philharmonic Hall and attended by the British Ambassador. The audience was ecstatic over the Slovenian pieces we sang and we had to do an encore of Zabe ( the frog song).
The social side of the tour was excellent and we had the opportunity to visit many of the sights of Slovenia.

The following Saturday June 10th saw the Choir in The magnificent setting of Norwich Cathedral performing in a concert for the local branches of the Alzheimer's Society. THe Cathedral was full and the superb acoustics and the very appreciative audience made for a very good concert. Our principal soloist was the soprano Emily Rowley-Jones.

THE MIXTURE WORKS SO WELL
by Barri Hurford

Many who left the Royal Albert Hall at the end of this year’s Festival of Male Choirs [Saturday October 21st] were describing it as “one of the best so far”.   There was certainly a balanced mixture of old and new, familiar and unfamiliar within items and the soloists reminded us variety is indeed the spice of life.  Another splendid “match day programme”, with its stunning artwork, enabled the sell-out audience to appreciate what was put before them.
The 14 choirs taking part had been well briefed by secretary Patrick Hodges and the end product was  testimony to hard work spread out over many months. It all made for what was, in the words of president Cliff Morgan, an evening to bring each of us much joy.  
It was wonderful to have Cliff back amongst us after major surgery, mingling with sponsors and supporters in inimitable fashion. Was ever a choir better blessed than is London Welsh with this hugely likeable and long-serving leader?
Joining London Welsh on stage were Côr Meibion De Cymru, Caron, Gyrlais, Morriston rfc, Wycombe Orpheus, Brymbo, Corby, Glasgow Philharmonic, Mynyddislwyn and Trelawnyd, together with Burlington Welsh and the Canadian Orpheus and the South Australia Metropolitan.
David “Cochyn” Williams has not missed one of these Festivals and as organizing chairman was backed by a supportive committee comprising Kenneth Adams, Byron Davies, Clive Jones, Colin Jones, Keith Warren and Peter Williams.  Keith Roberts saw to the veneer as choir marshal.
Dr Haydn James was filling the rôle of festival conductor for an unprecedented eighth time. His even-tempered approach, combining pursuit of high standards with greatest possible enjoyment, brings out the best in massed voices.  Next year sees Haydn complete an unbroken 40 years of conducting within the London Welsh community. Musical directorship on this scale entails traveling over huge distances in this country and overseas to rehearse participating choirs but he does this with unfailing good grace and vigour.
Accompaniment was of a notably high order. There can be few better or more consistent performers on piano than Cardiff’s Jeffrey Howard and there was a mighty first appearance in the organ loft of Timothy Morgan from Brecon, demonstrating the awesome capabilities of the refurbished RAH instrument.
Led by Major David Cresswell, the Band of the Welsh Guards entered into the spirit of the evening and contributed enormously. Jason Howard proved that he is one of the world’s leading baritones and outstanding soprano Rebecca Evans provided a lovely feminine touch. These two South Wales products currently fill leading parts in Welsh National Opera’s production of La Bohème enjoyed by the writer at the Wales Millennium Centre, where the festival programme is to be replayed in the new year. The audience was mesmerized by their individual and joint performances. Frank  Lincoln  provided the continuity links throughout.
Then there was Dafydd Iwan: “45 years on stage and first time at the Albert Hall”. This man who has done so much for the Welsh language – folk singer, composer, arranger, political activist and “Mr Sain Records” – provided his own guitar accompaniment for Yma o Hyd and left the audience clamouring for more.
Choir items ranged from operatic Wagner and hymns like Pantyfedwen and Llef to modern songs of the order of Working Man, Beautiful Dreamer [solo, Peter Totterdale] and the Elvis-inspired Wonder of You. Eluned Phillips [Luned Teifi] was in the Royal Box to hear a sublime account of her Cenarth words and there was a fitting finale comprising I’se Weary of Waitin’, Mansions of the Lord, Rachie and Morte Criste, followed by the audience hymn Builth before Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. 
We can all look forward to Festival dates in place for 2008, 2010 and 2012. 

We had a very good concert in the Cathedral at Bury St Edmunds where the Choir sang well in an impressive venue and to a most appreciative audience.
 There was also good singing in the Après after the Concert helped along by the good acoustics on the ground floor of the Athenaeuem.
Thanks to HaydnJames as Musical Director and to guest accompanist, Anita D’Attellis, to Choir soloists Peter Totterdale, Mike Jones and David Williams, to guitar accompanist, John Feltham, to Patrick Hodges for his effective and  polished compering.