All Male Voice Choirs love to tour both home and abroad, short or long and so Caldicot Male Voice Choir was delighted to accept the invitation from the choir’s Musical Director Sian Hatton’s sister, Carrickfergus resident Lynne Livings to sing at the 840 year old, beautiful St. Nicholas Church in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland on Saturday 15th March.
The concert, held jointly with the The Spire String Ensemble, soloist Glenna Parry and flautist chorister Nigel Keen to raise funds for ‘Friend of the Cancer Centre’ and St Nicholas Parish.
The Choir left Caldicot at 4am on a freezing Friday morning to leave for a Bristol flight to Belfast to enjoy an afternoon and evening in the city.
Following a day enjoying the hospitality of Carrickfergus, the choir, conducted throughout by Shirley Anne James and accompanied by Olivia Dance and John Nicholson, opened the concert with items including ‘Rachie’, the premiere of ‘Only You’ originally by the Flying Pickets and arranged by John Nicholson, the choir’s showpiece song ‘A Miner’s Song’ and finalising with ‘O Gymru’.
The concert continued with the Spire Ensemble delightfully presenting four items including ‘Fields of Gold’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera’ to be followed by talented mezzo soprano, Glenna Parry singing Handel’s ‘Lascia Chio Pianga’ and ‘My Little Welsh Home’, a traditional Welsh Air.
Introduced by Shirley Anne James, the choir continued with items including favourites ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel my Love’ and ‘This is the Moment’ from the musical Jekyll and Hyde, ‘Eli Jenkins’ Prayer’ and the Ryan Davies song ‘Pan f’or Nos yn Hir’. The Choir received an enthusiastic standing ovation following its contribution to the concert.
Chorister and flautist Nigel Keen provided superbly a wonderful rendering of ‘Nocturne’ by Geraldine Green to be followed by the Spire Ensemble playing traditional pieces ‘Ash Grove’, ‘Ar Eirinn Ni Neosfainn Ce H’I’ and ‘Drops of Brandy/Davy Davy Knick Knack’.
The incredible, varied concert finalised with Caldicot Male Voice Choir, conducted once again by Shirley Anne James, combining with the Spire Ensemble to perform the song ‘Carrickfergus’ arranged by Michael Russ and finally ‘Anfonaf Angel’ written by Robat Arwyn.
This was followed by another standing ovation.
The following day the choir departed from Belfast knowing that they had taken part in an incredible weekend of superb entertainment, reinforced choir camaraderie and a lot of fun and enjoyment making new friends along the way.
Well done and many thanks to choir chairman, Graham Hughes for organising a wonderful weekend and to Shirley Anne James for a magnificent, short notice undertaking of leading the choir in the absence forced by family issues of Musical Director Sian Hatton and not forgetting the talented accompanists Olivia Dance and John Nicholson faultlessly on piano throughout as well.
