Caernarfon choir celebrates 50 years

ONE of Wales’s finest male voice choirs is celebrating its 50th anniversary in style – with the help of a care organisation.

Côr Meibion Caernarfon’s special golden jubilee concert at Galeri on Friday, July 14, is being sponsored by Pendine Park who run the Bryn Seiont Newydd dementia centre near Llanfaglan.

They are funding an anniversary brochure and an exhibition showcasing the choir’s rich history at the same venue in November.

Over the years, the choir has performed in the best concert halls in Britain, including the Royal Albert Hall in London, Birmingham Symphony Hall and St David’s Hall in Cardiff.

They are proud to have won first prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales a total of nine times and their patron is opera superstar Sir Bryn Terfel.

As part of the sponsorship deal with Pendine Park, choir members visited Bryn Seiont Newydd and performed the first of a three concerts for care home residents, relatives and staff.

Among those taking part was retired local government officer Basil Thomas, 76, of Bontnewydd, who went to the choir’s very first rehearsal 50 years ago and has been a choir member ever since.

He recalled: “I attended the first practice and got married three weeks later. I never told my wife I’d joined the choir or that she wouldn’t be seeing me on Tuesday evenings for the next 50 years or so!

“I have always loved being in the choir. I’d like to see younger men joining the choir, we have had some recently join but we would like to see more.”