Photos by Colleen Gauntlett
This time last year Caldicot Male Voice Choir travelled in the rain to the magnificent St Peter’s RC Church in Cardiff to share the stage with the touring American Tapestry Choir and this year it was delighted to repeat the experience on July 6th, this time in glorious sunshine, with Californian choir, the San Jose Symphonic Choir conducted by Leroy Krumm and accompanied by Mark Bruce. The concert, arranged by UK Travel Designers Ltd. was held in aid of the Severn View Open Doors project which supports sufferers of dementia in the Chepstow area and over £500 was donated by the choirs and audience. The Choir is aiming to raise sufficient funds to provide a number of outbuildings for the charity’s sensory garden.
The 50 strong San Jose Choir opened the concert with a disciplined walk through to the stage with trumpet accompaniment of ‘Now I Walk in Beauty’ written by Gregg Smith and followed their first half with classical pieces from around the world including Rachmaninofff’s ‘Borgorodiste Devo’, ‘Shine on this Shining Night’, and a delightful harmonised version of ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’. The Welsh audience were thrilled that the choir superbly performed ‘Ar hyd y nos’ in Welsh to round off their first performance.
Caldicot Male Voice Choir of over 60 voices conducted by Shirley-Anne James and accompanied by Stephen Berry included a series of songs from its extensive repertoire either side of the interval, opening with well known hymn ‘Cwm Rhondda’ followed by items as varied as folk song ‘Bugeilio’r Gwentith Gwyn’, the hymn of forgiveness ‘He’, ‘Anfonal Angel’, ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, ‘Troyte’s Chant’, ‘Laudamus’, ‘With a Voice of SInging’ and finalising with the famous Wesleyan hymn ‘Morte Criste’ much appreciated by the Americans and audience alike.
The San Jose choir’s second performance was less classical and included Bernstein’s ‘Somewhere’, ‘Keep your Lamps Aglow’, William Smith’s ‘Ride the Chariot’ (also included in Caldicot’s repertoire), ‘Hear me Redeemer’ and of course Burt Bacharach’s ‘Do You know the way to San Jose’. Finishing with a tremendous version of ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ with trumpet and piccolo accompaniment as well as piano, the choir received a long standing ovation from an appreciative audience.
Finally the two choirs assembled on stage to sing together the two National Anthems, ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ conducted by Leroy Krumm followed by ‘Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ conducted by Shirley-Anne James which again led to another standing ovation in recognition of superb performances from two wonderful choirs.
Many of the American choristers had never heard a Welsh Male Voice Choir before and all were thrilled to have shared this fabulous choral experience and will return to the USA with a desire to return to Wales again.
Following its visit to Cardiff, the San Jose Choir continues its tour of the UK with concerts in Harrogate and York before returning to California.