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Concert:
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Chepstow Male Voice Choir
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Date:
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7.30pm, Saturday 8th November, 2014
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Performers:
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Chepstow Male Voice Choir
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Programme
- Brahma/Pearlfishers
- Troyte’s Chant
- Cwm Rhondda
- Soloist
- Coedmor
- What a Wonderful World
- When I’m 64
- Soloist
- Benedictus
- When the Saints Go Marching In
- The Soldiers’ Chorus
- She
- Bring Him Home
- Soloist
- Nimrod (Agnus Dei)
- Soldier’s Farewell
- WW1 Medley
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Chepstow Male Voice Choir was formed in 1988 and gave its inaugural concert in St.Marys Priory Church, Chepstow that year. The Musical Director was Pam Morgan, herself an experienced accompanist and conductor.
The first accompanist of the new choir was the present Musical Director, Elaine Matthews who remained with the choir until leaving to form and lead The Chepstow Youth Choir.
Elaine returned to the choir as Assistant MD in 2006 and became MD in September 2011, and she has certainly put her stamp on the choir's performances. Richard Fry is the Deputy MD and he will be leading them
through a number of pieces, he’s also a top tenor chorister, and a very accomplished soloist, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.
To complete the musical team, the choir's two accompanists are Rosemarie Lewis, who lives in Lydney and has been with CMVC for a number of years, and Kirsten Sondergaard-Watson, who lives in Caerleon, Nr Newport.
Kirsten joined a couple of years ago. She teaches piano professionally.
The male voice tradition is very strong in Wales presently, but there is great difficulty in recruiting new blood, and as a consequence of this, the choir's average age is much higher than they'd like it to be!
They are therefore about to embark on a recruitment campaign in their area in an attempt to encourage new membership.
Chepstow Male Voice Choir renewed the presence of male voice singing, which had lapsed during World War 2. It may be unique in the accepted traditions of male choirs in that it draws members from long established
residents of the area but also includes men from further west in South Wales who came to work at the giant Llanwern Steelworks nearby, and of course others from across Offa’s Dyke in The Royal Forest of Dean,
where there is also a tradition of Male voice choirs.
No self respecting Choir would avoid taking part in competition, and CMVC is no exception, and they have had some success, notably at Cheltenham, Bath (Somerset Music Festival) and at National Eisteddfod levels.
The choir has travelled far and wide, to USA twice, Holland a number of times, Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, and as recently as 2012 they performed at St.Paul’s Cathedral for a lunchtime
recital, and the following evening gave a full concert in Peterborough Cathedral for The Rotary Club.
We very much hope you enjoy this evening's offering, you will hear a wide mix of pieces.
