Skip to content

Choir Performs at Caldicot Methodist Church

 

 

 Photos by Colleen Gauntlett.  Left click on images to enlarge

 

Programme

 

From research by accompanist Stephen Berry of the choir archives, maintained by chorister Ron Palmer, it was determined that the first ever major concert by the fledgling choir took place 50 years ago in the Methodist Church in Caldicot.  While we do not know the items sung on that occasion the choir provided this Saturday a varied programme, supported by local harpist John Thomas, in what was a wonderful night to remember

To commemorate this significant anniversary, the choir was thrilled to sing again in the church, almost to the day on October 11th in a concert at the Methodist Church to support the Prospects UK Charity.  This deserving charity supports over 3000 people in the UK with learning difficulties to enable them to thrive and grow independently in the community. The concert was attended by the Prospect U.K’s. National Director of Mission, Pete Winmill who travelled with his wife Christine from his home in Berkshire via a function in Coventry to be with us.  The concert raised over £400 for the charity on the night.  To quote Peter ‘What an amazing experience.  We have had a fabulous evening.  Thank you for arranging it and supporting our charity”.  Says it all really.

The varied mixed and popular programme is displayed above and over 50 choristers thrilled the audience with their performance.

The choir’s concert was ably supported by local harpist John Thomas who delighted us all with his sense of humour (what shall I play next?) and his wide range of music from the Beatles Yellow Submarine and All My Loving, traditional Irish, Lark in the clear air, I Dream of Jeanie by Stephen Foster and What a Wonderful World, Stranger on the Shore and two South American dances Habanera Rosa and Merengue Rojo and completing the first half with traditional welsh music, Bugeilio’r gwenith Gwyn, Myfanwy and Ar hyd y nos (All through the night).

Opening his second half  performance John showed his versatility by opening with Snow Patrol’s Chasin’ Cars and then through a wide range of Welsh, Irish and Scottish music including Pant Corlan y Wyn, The Dowie Dens of Yarrow, Irish Brian Borou’s March and finishing with the Welsh tunes Anodd Ymadael and Ffarwel y Telynor..

The choir was conducted by Siân Hatton and Shirley Ann James and accompanists were Stephen Berry and John Nicholson.  The compere on the night was the church minister, Rev. Preben Andersen who did a splendid job despite having to apply a Danish accent to Welsh song and place names.  I doubt if many of us could cope with Danish, Preben.

See and hear us sing the Lord’s Prayer click on the link You tube which will also lead you on to other choir video clips.

 

Total Page Visits: 542 - Today Page Visits: 1

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.