Past Meetings and Activities Reports
Ystradgynlais Concert Report
On Saturday 12th June the Chelmsford and District Welsh Society staged its 37th annual male voice choir concert at Christ Church, Chelmsford. This year�s choir was the Ystradgynlais Male Voice Choir from the upper Swansea valley. The guest of honour was the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Ian Wright. The society president, Betty Hammond welcomed everyone to the concert and thanked them for their support. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances both of the choir�s accompanists and the planned soprano soloist were unable to attend. Happily the choir�s musical director, Conway Morgan, has a wide circle of contacts and was able to fill the absences admirably, but this did lead to some small changes in the program. Betty thanked the choir for coming and particularly to those artists appearing at short notice.
The concert began with the choir singing Llanfair and Psalm 23 before Eirian Davies, baritone, was introduced. Eirian, a teacher of biology, has been a winner at the National Eisteddfod on several occasions and has a repertoire covering opera, Welsh folk songs and songs from the musicals. He chose to sing the aria �Pieta Signore� and �Gwynfyd�. The choir then sang Dashenka and a moving rendition of �The Rose�. Deian Rowlands, harp and Nicki Phillips, flute, were then introduced and made an immediate rapport with the audience. Both are professional freelance musicians with Nicki also teaching at the Yehudi Menuhin School. They played opera pieces arranged for harp and flute and the traditional, �Ash Grove�. Nicki Phillips played a piece entitled �The Great Train Race� which captivated the audience, and has to be heard to be believed! Before the interval the Choir sang Hiue Hine, a song made popular on a recent CD by Hayley Weastenra. �The Old Rugged Cross� and �The Keys to the Vaults of Heaven� from Whisle Down the Wind featuring Eirian Davies, followed this. The �Save the Children Fund�, who supplied the interval refreshments, raised a total of �254.
After the interval the Mayor welcomed the choir and soloists to Chelmsford and commented that a Welsh choir has an unmistakable unique sound, and that everyone was looking forward to the second half. The choir and audience then sang the hymn �O fy Iesu bendigedig� in Welsh and English. The choir then sang �Softly as I Leave You� and the Welsh favourite �O Gymru�. Deian and Nicki then played pieces by John Manston, followed by Nicki playing from the repertoire of James Galway and Deian playing �Bugeilio�r Gwenith Gwyn�. After much applause they reprised with Scott Joplin�s �Maple Leaf Rag�.  The choir followed with �As Long as I have Music� and �Yfony�. In Eirian Davies second solo spot we heard an extract from the Marriage of Figaro� in Welsh and �If I were a Rich Man�. The choir then sang �Climb Every Mountain�, �I write the Songs� featuring Eirian Davies and �The Last Night of the World� from the musical Chess. 
Presentations to the musical director, the Chairman of the choir, the soloists, and the stand in accompanist Peter Watts, then followed. The evening ended with everyone singing,  �You�ll Never Walk Alone� from the musical Carousel, and �Unwaith eto�n Nghymru Annwyl�, an anthem sung at the end of every Chelmsford concert. The evening concluded with the Welsh National Anthem �Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau�.
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