Welsh harmonies in Horsham show

Welsh tunes and harmonies will return to Horsham when the world-travelled Victoria Welsh Male Choir performs at Horsham Town Hall at 3pm on May 27.

The choir has toured the United Kingdom five times and has performed at venues as diverse as London’s Royal Festival Hall, Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium during the Rugby World Cup.

A distinctive characteristic of Welsh male choral tradition is singing in four-part harmony, often without accompaniment, and the Victoria Welsh Male Choir follows that tradition.

The choir’s concerts are also noted for their relaxed and informal style and good humour.

The oldest member of the choir Bill Denholm is familiar with the Wimmera, having grown up in Horsham where he attended Horsham High School.

He promised the audience would ‘leave the concert with a smile on your face and a glow in your heart’.

The choir’s diverse repertoire includes Welsh and other Celtic favourites, popular songs, opera choruses, Broadway melodies and Afro-american spirituals.

The choir’s musical director since 1994, Faleiry Koczkar was born in Wales and grew up with its music and speaking Welsh as her first language.

The choir is now in its fourth decade of music making and performs about 25 concerts a year.

As well as its overseas travels, it regularly tours interstate and visited Tasmania in 2006, NSW and Canberra in 2008, Western Australia in 2010, and will be in Adelaide later this year.

People seeking tickets can call Horsham Town Hall box office on 5382 9555 or email boxoffice@hrcc.vic.gov.au.