Our first performance of the year was at the Three Lamps, on Saturday 22nd, to provide entertainment for the Wales v France rugby match. We sang for about half an hour before the game and managed to squeeze in a few items at half time. After the game we moved around the various floors singing a few songs to each group of people, including a hen party on the top floor! The response we get from these is amazing and most of the partygoers are youngsters who would probably never hear a male voice choir singing.
On Saturday 29th we were back at All Saints, Oystermouth for a fundraising concert for the choir and a local charity ‘Therapy for Swansea Kids’. The concert entitled ‘March into March’ feature d the choir and the newly formed ‘Rock Choir’, which comprises members of choirs from Swansea, Mumbles, Neath, Carmarthen and Llanelli. The concert started with Roger Gadd presenting a cheque of £2000.00 to the charity which has established a Therapy Centre at Hill House and is entirely run by volunteer parents, therapists and friends. We opened the concert with ‘Cwm Rhondda’, with Steve joining Rhian on the organ, and also performed ‘Pacem’. This is relatively new to our repertoire and is accompanied by Rhian and Gareth Widlake on viola. During this set Nick presented our service ties to Geoff Jones, for completing five years, and Adrian Crowley and Anthony Marmont for ten years. There was also a tie for our youngest member who was actually celebrating his 18th birthday! Mike Phippen received his tie for five years’ service and we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him. We finished our first set with ‘The Impossible Dream’. The Rock Choir then sang and started with ‘Since You’ve been Gone’ and included ‘Super Trouper’ and ‘Don’t Stop me Now’ in their first set. The first half finished with a terrific solo by Lee Ellery who is the ‘Special Ambassador’ for the charity. He sang ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from ‘Les Miserables’ and received a deserved standing ovation at the end. The Rock Choir started the second half with Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ followed by ‘Only You’. Their performance is always very lively and are well directed by Dan Rogers, who’s enthusiasm is affectious. They finished their second set with ‘Shut Up and Dance with Me’. We finished the concert with our second set, and we started with our ‘Abba Medley’. It was great to see our previous MD, Simon Oram, in the audience, who arranged this medley for the choir. We sang a number of our favourites and finished with ‘An American Trilogy’ to a standing ovation from the packed audience. This was possibly Nick’s last concert and it was a fitting end to all his hard work over the past 13 years. Special thanks must go to the sponsors of the concert Swansea Building Society, Liberty Homes, Designer Outdoor Lighting, RDM Electrical and Mechanical Services, and Morganstone. Also, to our Ladies Committee who looked after ‘front of house’ and CD sales. Lastly to our fundraising committee who put the concert together. Following the concert, we all adjourned to the West Cross Inn, arranged by Meirion Howells, and they provided a lovely buffet for us.
Nick Rogers, our outstanding MD for the past 14 years, had announced that he would be standing down after the concert at the end of February. Nick is staying with the choir and has joined the second basssection.
