Trinity students helps book launch

A student from the United States of America is spending some of his time at Trinity University College, Carmarthen, working at the coal face of public relations and marketing.
Stephen Raulli, 21, from Syracuse, New York State, is spending three months at Trinity on an internship.
He is studying physiology, advanced writing and writing drama. But he is also putting 50 hours of work in with Parthian Books, the book publishers based on Trinity’s Carmarthen campus.
“It’s a wonderful experience and a great opportunity for me,” said Stephen, who is a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in the heart of the Fingerlakes in Upstate NY.
“It is the first time for me to leave the USA, but the people of Wales and Trinity and Carmarthen, in particular, have made me feel very welcome.”
One of Stephen’s projects with Parthian has been to organise publicity and marketing for a new book being published later this year.
The Songbird Is Singing is a moving account of the Welsh Imperial Singers, a group of choristers who carved out an international reputation in the 1920s and ’30s.
Stephen said: “The Welsh Imperial Singers were the Only Men Aloud of their day and it’s a very interesting project, learning about the genesis of the book, understanding the market we would like to reach and then planning a publicity campaign and book launches, in North and South Wales.”
Stephen’s project is being guided by Parthian publisher Dominic Williams. West Wales media consultant Robert Lloyd has also lent Stephen a helping hand with some advice.
Here is Stephen’s initial press release for the new book -
They were the Only Men Aloud of their day - ground-breaking Welsh singers embarked on tours of the United States and Britain and took the world by storm.
They were called the Welsh Imperial Singers – and they performed against the backdrop of the great Wall Street Crash, the US prohibition era and a world in which the likes of Al Capone cast a dark shadow.
Now, their story is told in a fascinating memoir by the son of one of the choir’s soloists.
The Songbird Is Singing has been written by 88-year-old Alun Trevor, of Chester.
The book is a labour of love charting the choir’s worldwide success as seen through the eyes of Alun as a young boy.
Alun’s father was Jabez Trevor, tenor soloist with the Welsh Imperial Singers.
“The book is a very observant tale which captured the spirit of the age beautifully,” said Dominic Williams, of publishers Parthian Books.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, the Welsh Imperial Singers were the Only Men Aloud of their day.
“They had an international reputation and The Songbird Is Singing captures the choir’s story as seen by young Alun.”
“There are marvellous snapshots of the age – Alun and his brother Arthur growing up with tales of the Wall Street Crash, the gangster Al Capone and the building of the Empire State Building.”
Mr Williams said the choir captured hearts during the 1920s and 1930s. Words of praise for their performances came from King George VI (“a wonderful party; a credit to Wales), David Lloyd George (“I cannot recall a better performance by a group of singers”) and the Chicago Tribune (“their song is sturdy, honest, virile and of first class quality”).
The Songbird is Singing by Alun Trevor is published by Parthian Books on November 17.
There will be a press launch at Trinity University College on Tuesday, November 17. A North Wales launch will take place at Mold Library on Friday, December 4.

Stephen Raulli at work on publicity for The Songbird Is Singing.