Choir News 2004

Our first Concert in 2004 was held at St. Albans Abbey Cathedral on Saturday, 10 th  January. This was a tremendous success. The acoustics were ideal, the Cathedral was packed and the audience gave a standing ovation at the end of the concert. The Choir was conducted by Haydn James and accompanied on the piano by Anita D'Attellis . The soloists were Emily Rowley Jones (Soprano) and Callum Finn (Boy Soprano). Soloists from within the Choir were Geraint Lewis , Will Ogilvie and John Thornely .

On Saturday, 7 th February, the Choir, conducted by Haydn James and with piano accompaniment by Anita D’Attellis, entertained a large and appreciative audience at the impressive Congress Theatre in Eastbourne . The principal soloists were Sally Martin (Soprano) and Elinore Parton (Contralto), accompanied on the piano by Peter Parfitt. The Concert also featured Ceri Davies on the flute and Choir soloists Will Ogilvie and John Thornely

On Monday evening, 1st March, the Choir, conducted by Haydn James and accompanied by Anita D'Attellis , sang to a large and attentive audience at the Annual St. David's Day Dinner at the Savoy in London .

On Saturday, 13th March, the Choir received an enthusiastic reception from the audience at the Concert held at the Queen Charlotte Hall in Richmond , Surrey . The Concert commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the "Voyagers", a London Welsh based sports charity. The Conductor was Michael Wyn Jones, accompanied on the piano by Anita D'Attellis .  The soloists were the Orchard Trio (flute, oboe and piano) and from within the Choir, Geraint Lewis (Tenor) and Iorwerth Pritchard (Bass). The Compere was our President, Cliff Morgan, who is also Honorary Vice President of the Voyagers. The after-Concert "social" was held at the London Welsh Rugby Football Club. 

The Choir sang at the Church of St. Mary and St. Nicholas in Leatherhead on Saturday, 3rd April. The Church was packed and the audience gave us a standing ovation at the end of the Concert. Our Conductor was Haydn James accompanied by Anita D' Attellis on the piano. The principal soloist was Joanne Heald (Soprano) and soloists from within the Choir were Geraint Lewis , Iorwerth Pritchard and John Thornely . The compere was Patrick Hodges .

On Monday evening, 19th April, 2004  the Choir, conducted by Haydn James and accompanied by Anita D'Attellis and with Berwyn Evans as compere,  performed at a Cabaret at the Lords Cricket Ground in London . While we had previously sung at Lords at an England vs. South Africa Test Match, this was the first time we had sung in the famous Long Room there. The Choir sang enthusiastically and the audience response was rapturous. The audience gave us numerous standing ovations and shouts of a kind normally reserved for Welsh victories at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff ! The Cabaret was part of a surprise party to celebrate the 60th Birthday of John Ayling, Chairman of the Lords Taverners; he is also a keen supporter of and regular attendee at our biennial Royal Albert Hall Festivals of Male Voices. 

On Saturday, 8th May, the Choir, performed at All Saints Church, Kingston-upon-Thames , to a warm and responsive audience. We were conducted by Haydn James , and accompanied on the piano by Anita D'Attellis . The compere was Berwyn Evans and the soloists were Gillian Tingay (Harp), Lorna Gyton (Soprano) and from within the Choir, Geraint Lewis (Tenor).

The Choir, conducted by Haydn James and accompanied on the piano by Anita D’Attellis sang at Bedford School on Saturday, 19 th June, to a large and enthusiastic audience. The compère was Berwyn Evans and the principal soloist was Emily Rowley Jones (Soprano) and soloists from within the Choir, were Will Ogilvie and Tim Thirlway .  Instrumental solos were also provided by students from Bedford School . The après took place at the Bedford Rugby Club.  

On Saturday, 17 th July, the Choir had a successful Concert at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley in aid of the Riding for the Disabled Charity.

The Concert at Shrewsbury School on Saturday 24 July  was a most successful Concert with a tremendously enthusiastic audience and a memorable soloist in Siân James (Soprano and harp).

       This was followed by a Dinner to celebrate Haydn’s 25 th Anniversary as the Choir’s MD, at the Moat House Hotel, Telford :  this was a memorable and enjoyable occasion, attended by Choristers, ex-choristers and some guests outside the Choir with excellent after-dinner speeches. Our Chairman, Geraint Lewis , introduced our President, Cliff Morgan to those present; Cliff paid a very eloquent and moving tribute to Haydn’s contribution to the Choir’s musical development over the past quarter century and then (on behalf of the Choir) presented Haydn with an inscribed and beautiful glass piece to commemorate the anniversary.  After Haydn’s emotional reply to Cliff’s speech, he was presented with a photograph of the Choir (signed by Choristers) taken by John Downing and with a bust of  Cliff Morgan (as he looked when playing outside half for Wales) on behalf of Choristers (both within and outside the LWMVC) who had taken part in the “Comrades in Arms” tour of the USA last year - conducted by Haydn.  After this there was extensive informal singing “kicked-off” by a tribute song performed by the Downing Brothers troupe and written by balladeer John Edwards (T1). Many thanks to them for this and indeed to all who contributed to the success of the evening.  It was indeed a special evening that will remain in our collective “memory-banks” for a long time !

We held a Concert at St. Nicolas’s (Parish) Church,  Cranleigh, Surrey on  Saturday,  25 September.

       The packed audience gave us a tremendous response and the Choir sang well, largely overcoming the difficulties caused by the staging (which led us to be about 12 wide and 20 deep!) Also memorable was the delightful humour of the soloist, John Humphreys. 

        We had last sung in Cranleigh at Sir Harry Secombe’s funeral and the Concert was attended by Lady Secombe and several members of her family.

The new season for the London Welsh Choir started with a visit to Wales for a concert in Tref a Clawdd (Knighton) on Offa’s dyke in the hills of Montgomeryshire, with an over night stay (or two for some)  at the Metropole in Llandridnod Wells where 10 years ago the Choir had spent a week as a base for a Mid Wales concert tour.

It was the last concert for Anita D’Attellis who in less than a year had become an integral part of the Choir. Indeed she had the distinction of not having missed a single concert or rehearsal during that time, what dedication.

For the occasion Anita played a medley of Welsh airs arranged by herself as a tribute to the Choir. Choir chairman Geraint Lewis presented Anita with a signed photo of the Choir and a present from the Choir. Anita has now left to take up the post of head of music at Sherborne School Dorset.

Our new accompanist is Annabel Thwaite – see her profile in the accompanist section of the site.

The end of October saw the Choir organizing the 19 th London Welsh Festival of Massed Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall. This year being conducted by Alwyn Humphreys who is soon to retire after 25 years of conducting Morriston Orpheus Male Voice Choir.

Congratulations have been pouring in to the organizing committee on another successful festival. A DVD and Video will soon be available from Sain Records at http://www.sain.wales.com/   A CD recording of the festival is now available from the Choir –  the order form  is on the LWMVC Website

Choristers remembered the passing of Carys Hughes during the organ playing of Hugh Tregelles Williams at the Festival and particularly the playing of Finlandia  which was a favourite of hers and the LWMVC

She accompanied the Choir at three concerts in 2003 and was due to accompany the Choir at St Albans Abbey Cathedral this year but alas she was taken into hospital the previous week.

The Choir enjoyed her being organ accompanist at nine Festivals - every Festival between 1978 and 1994. In many facets of London Welsh life Carys will be missed and especially by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir.

       There was a successful Concert at the Watersmeet Theatre,  Rickmansworth last Saturday evening, 6 th November, 2004 with a most appreciative audience. The Choir was very pleased to support the Tom Somerville Fund and we were thanked from the stage by Tom’s father. Tom is permanently disabled after being severely injured in a rugby match. 

       It is pleasing to report that the Choir’s donation of cassette tapes raised £410 for Tom’s Fund. Thanks to Iorwerth for his initiative in making this suggestion and to his wife Phylis for carrying out the sales . What must not be forgotten though is the effort that Caroline, Mel and Joan make at every Concert to sell our CDs and cassettes and also Ceri for regularly volunteering to help the accompanist in Concerts. 

A very successful joint concert with Hereford Police Choir was held at Hereford Cathedral on Saturday 27 th November. The Hereford Choir was conducted by their musical director Alison Houlbrooke and Dr Haydn James   conducted the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. We were entertained by a virtuoso performance on the Harp by Felicity Jones

We had a really entertaining evening at our annual Noson Lawen at the London Welsh Rugby Club last Friday, 3-12-04 There were 21 "turns" including 40+ choir members or their wives/partners, the “best ever”  was the general consensus! 51 choristers attended and, with guests, the total came to 110 people.  We can squeeze in a few more next year, but, after the word gets around, places will be snapped up. Many thanks to Joe Jones and John Edwards for organising the event. 

On Saturday 11 December we had a very succesful concert at the Dorking Halls, our last of 2004. We sung to an enthusiastic full house in this historic venue. Have a look at Musical gems for the link with Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Haydn James our Musical Director conducted the concert and we were delighted to welcome Ros Jones back as our guest accompanist. The contribution of guest soprano soloist Emily Rowley Jones, who was making her third appearance with the Choir was most appreciated by the choir and audience.Thanks to Owen Jones for his hard work in organising the concert

We finished off the year with a repeat of the social rehearsal that was so popular last year. Chorister's wives and partners sat in on the rehearsal and we finished with some rousing carols. The Top Tenors were not at their best and seemed overwhelmed by the excellent female descant. The evening then finished with mince pies and mulled wine.

Full details of choir engagements are in the engagements part of the website