ON SONG with ROBERT LLOYD
THIS Saturday sees two big concerts – one in Carmarthen and one in Llandeilo.
In Carmarthen, it is the annual Royal British Legion Charity Gala Concert at the Lyric Theatre (7pm).
In Llandeilo, it is Côr Meibion Dinefwr Male Voice Choir’s annual concert at Capel Newydd (7.30pm).
The prestigious annual Royal British Legion Concert has become one of the landmark events in the calendar. The event helps the Royal British Legion launch the Poppy Appeal in South West Wales.
The concert features leading sopranos Shân Cothi, the popular broadcaster.
It also features Dunvant Male Choir, the highly popular Carmarthen based mixed youth Côr Seingar, the stirring sounds of the City of Swansea Pipe Band and the unforgettable Corps of Drums of the 215 City of Swansea Squadron.
Shân Cothi is a versatile performer in both classical and music theatre repertoire and is an experienced actress, television and radio presenter. She began her career as a music teacher, but winning the Blue Riband for the best classical soloist at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1995 prompted her to become a professional singer.
She has performed throughout the world in a variety of venues from the Wales Millennium Centre to Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End, from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Francisco to the Kowloon Shanghai Hotel in Hong Kong.
Shân has presented a number of television series for S4C and has also presented programmes for both Radio Wales and Radio Cymru.
Dunvant Male Choir enjoys the distinction of being the oldest continuously serving choir in Wales.
Acknowledged universally as one of the more accomplished and friendly choirs on the concert circuit, the choir is under the able leadership of Jonathan Rogers.
The choir has performed 10 times at the Royal Albert Hall, London, often as the sole male choir, also at the Chapel of Kings College Cambridge, the chapel of Harvard University, the Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto and in the ancient Cathedrals including Chichester, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, Salisbury and York.
The compére for the Royal British Legion Concert will be Brian Sullivan and the guest accompanist will be Jeffrey Howard.
The evening ends with the poignant Tribute to the Fallen and a Service of Remembrance.
Llandeilo’s big concert on Saturday sees Côr Meibion Dinefwr Male Voice Choir holding their annual concert at Capel Newydd, Llandeilo.
The special guests will be Côr Meibion Llandybie Male Voice Choir.
The conductor will be John Williams, the accompanist will be Sara Morgan and the chairman for the evening will be Eifion Davies.
Other special guests include tenor Osian Wyn Bowen, soloist Martha Harries and accompanist Gareth Wyn Thomas.
Welsh tenor Osian Wyn Bowen is from Burry Port.
Currently he is an undergraduate student, studying under English National Opera Tenor Jeff Stewart at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
Osian has already performed in concert with Sir Bryn Terfel, Soprano Rebecca Evans, Soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, Baritone Gary Griffiths, Tenors Aled Hall and Rhys Meirion.
Venues include the RWCMD Dora Stoutzker Hall, St. David’s Hall, The Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, Llandaff Cathedral, Venue Cymru, The O2 Arena, The Queen’s Theatre, London, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Milford Haven Music Festival.
Recent highlights include performing as part of trio in a live broadcast on BBC1 to mark the Passchendaele Centenary at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. The tribute to Welsh poet Hedd Wyn was performed in the presence of members Royal Family and European Ministers.
Other highlights include playing the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables as part of the Urdd’s National Theatre company’s 10 Year Anniversary production at the WMC, Cardiff.
In addition to his busy schedule, Osian is a patron of the charity Welsh Hearts and is an active volunteer crew member of Burry Port Lifeboat Station. His list of awards includes 2017 and 2018 - Minnie Morgan Scholarship Recipient. 2018 - Douglas Rees Young Opera Singer of the Year – Finalist.
Admission is £8 and £3 for children and students. Proceeds will go towards the choir’s funds.
In other news, there is a concert with a difference coming up in the Gwendraeth Valley next month (November).
It will manage to combine the launch of a book about a modernday Welsh hero with a musical evening showcasing some of our finest singers. A new book, called ‘The Stories of Grav’ and compiled and edited by the celebrated tenor Rhys Meirion, is to be launched on Friday, November 9, in Pontyberem Hall.
After the book launch, Rhys Meirion will be the star player in a concert at Pontberem Hall, starting at 7pm.
The concert will also feature Elin Fflur, Aled Wyn Davies and Theatr Ieuenctid Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli.
The Pontyberem concert is being sponsored by Castell Howell, the Carmarthen and Cross Hands-based food business.
Tickets for the concert are £15 and £5 for children.
Ticket outlets include: Neuadd Pontyberem 01269871075; Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli 01269871600; Swyddfa Llyfrau Llafar Cymru 01267238225; Siop y Pentan Caerfyrddin 01267235044.
Back in Llanelli, this year’s Night with the Stars event in Llanelli celebrates the fifth anniversary of LARS - Loud Applause Rising Stars.
The evening features 10 talented singers from the Loud Applause stable and top choirs The Richard Williams Singers from Tonyrefail, Côr Y Cwm from the Rhondda, Callum Howells and Friends from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, trombonist Rhodri Thomas from Llanelli and compère Garry Owen.
The Rising Stars performing will include: Callum Howells, Stephen Davies, Nia Rees, Osian Clarke, Lauren Fisher, Keely Morgan, Neve Summers, Jack Owens, Daisy Owens and Sydney Richards.
The concert is at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, on November 10 (7pm). Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www. rlloydpr.co.uk If you have any news about the choral scene, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@
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