April

As my first duty in writing this Choir News update, I would like to thank all the Music Team, Choristers, Supporters, Patrons, Committee, and our President for such a wonderful warm welcome since being appointed as Musical Director in February. Since then, the Choir has been very busy, not just singing at weddings and other engagements but hard at work at rehearsals too. Adapting to new techniques and building a bond between myself and the Choir.

June

In June I was honoured to preside over my first annual concert, and it was an emotional moment when being presented the ‘Choir Baton’ from our former Musical Director, Nick at the start of the evening. This concert is our flagship for the year, where we measure our success and showcase the Choir, and its abilities, to our followers and the public. The concert was a huge success. This was evident by the standing ovation that was received following the final number. This was the first annual concert for 3 years, due to the pandemic, but the way in which the Choir performed and responded to the occasion made me feel very proud, especially being able to include some new repertoire in such a short space of time. Rhian, our accompanist supported the choir, accompanying with confidence and sensitivity. I would like to thank Rhian for her continued hard work. I would also like to thank all the ladies who helped make the evening such a success, and who are always ready to help. On the evening we were very pleased to welcome our Irish guest artiste for the evening, Karl McGuckin, who entertained us and added so much to the evening. Karl was expertly accompanied by our guest accompanist Jeffery Howard. We are already looking forward to next year’s concert, and the plans for that are already underway.

July

In July, following the annual concert, we took the Choir on a short ‘Roadtrip’ with our ‘Rehearsals on the Road’. We would like to thank the Commercial Inn, Killay, Uplands Rugby Club, Swansea Yacht Club and Mumbles Rugby Club for the welcome and the use of their facilities. Recruitment is very important, and as a result we have welcomed 5 new choristers to the ranks, including 2 new 1st tenors, who are difficult to find. I extend a warm welcome to all the new members, “you are already an important part of our family, and I wish you long and fruitful membership of the Choir”. 

As we look forward, the Choir have 2 engagements on the horizon. September 10th at All Saints Church, as a part of the Mumbles Festival, and our own Autumn Concert to be held at the Calon Lan Centre with our guests ‘Cor Y Gyrlais’. This is ahead of our trip to Greece, where we will participate in a music festival. I look forward to writing to you all again soon with an update, following the return of our tour. I look forward to seeing you at one of our concerts soon.
Matthew Ioan Sims M.A. 

October

Greek Tour – 5th to 12th October

There can be no doubt that the highlight was a superb tour to Greece, but, prior to that, we had a well received ‘pre-tour concert’ at the famed Calon Lân Centre, with a predictably knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience. Shortly after that, we were off to Greece, meeting one dark early October morning in pouring rain to board buses to Heathrow! Bad traffic delayed us but spirits were fine, with some tricky quizzes to keep the brains moving. We should also remember the contribution to this tour by our hardworking Ladies’ section.

Once on board the plane, the crew had evidently realised that there was a Welsh Male Voice Choir on board and we responded to a request by entertaining the other passengers to a song. Acoustics are not wonderful on a plane, but we managed well enough. We spent the first night in Athens. Apart from a view of the Acropolis from the rooftop restaurant, memories of that city seem to be mainly of congested traffic. However, many of us had wife, friend or family with us and it was a great social success, as the party totalled 87 people. On, then, eventually, to Nafpaktos, our base for a few days, stopping to view the amazing Corinth Canal en route. We were greeted by hotel staff at the Lepanto Beach Hotel by the excellent Danielle and her staff and enjoyed plentiful food, mostly at the neighbouring restaurant.

Here began the real highlight for all of us. We lounged on the beach, most of us testing the warm waters as well, despite certain exuberant personnel trying to drown half of the choir and wandered around this delightful and historic area. Our first concert was memorable, on the lovely harbour and surrounded by history as we  followed a local host choir and a very good string quartet in this dreamy location where they were celebrating the battle of Lepanto, the last major battle fought between rowing vessels. The opposing Ottomans were defeated, by the way. To add to this highlight, we were entertained by and with our ‘Host’ choir at a local restaurant. The duo of guitar and bouzouki soon had lots of us dancing and there was lots of singing, including solos, from Dan or Matthew being serious and others letting out some humour. The entertainment might have stopped there, but some of the younger element, along with a few elders who might have known better, continued to sing back near our hotel – and on the beach or in the water – well into the night!

Well, the tour continued, with concerts at the Agrinio Festival and at Mesologgi, which went down well with the locals, although audience numbers were not huge. The choir was in good voice and much appreciated by all. However, the stay in Nafpaktos will stay long in our memories. Then it was back to the traffic of Athens and the return flight (yes, we were asked to sing again) and a late return for about 50 choristers and lots of friends. Sadly, there were a couple of injuries from trips and slips, but most were treated by our resident doctor, Carl. Stalwart bass Pip had to remain in Greece for a week or two because his fall had led to a hip fracture but, as a stalwart, he came to rehearsals just a couple of weeks after his return to take his place in the front row.