The latest On Song column from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star
There’s a special concert coming up in Burry Port next weekend as the town’s brass band and male voice choir join forces.
The occasion will be a concert called ‘You Must Remember This’, an evening which will follow a World War Two theme.
Supported by Pembrey and Burry Port Town council, you are guaranteed to hear ‘music to raise the morale’.
Funds raised from the concert (7pm on Saturday, April 8) will go to the Pembrey Gunnery Dome Project.
Tickets are £10 and are available from Pembrey Post Office, The Ticket Hut at Burry Port station and from Patricia Neil, 01554 835575, email secretary@pembreymountaintrust.org.
The compere for the evening will be the ever-popular Gwendraeth actor and personality Ioan Hefin.
The Pembrey Gunnery Dome project is run by the Pembrey Mountain Trust.
It is known that there were some 44 dome trainers of the same design built during World War Two, with only six remaining in existence.
The unique design allowed for the military to provide a simulation programme to train gunners in wartime.
The example in Pembrey is the only one left in Wales, with the dome at Langham, East Anglia, being the only restored example open to the public.
The aim of the Pembrey Mountain Trust is to apply for funding to restore the Dome to a functional status, using modern technology to reproduce the simulator programme and create a visitor centre that will tell the story of the Gunnery Dome and the important role that the Pembrey Peninsula played in the defence of the nation.
The Pembrey Dome is a Grade II* Listed building and is a Cadw Scheduled Ancient Monument
The night before the Burry Port concert, the Gwendraeth Valley ladies’ choir (Côr Merched Glannau’r Gwendraeth) will be holding their ‘annual’ (Friday, April 7, 7:30pm) at Pontyates Welfare Hall.
The choir will be joined by the four times National Eisteddfod winner soprano Helen Gibbon.
Carmarthen-born Helen starred in the sell out premier performances of Esther last year.
Esther was written by Nan Lewis with music by Eric Jones. It earned rave reviews last year.
Also appearing in this year’s annual concert with Côr Merched Glannau’r Gwendraeth will be Helen Gibbon’s co- star in Esther, the talented young baritone Dafydd Llyr Davies.
The compère for the evening will be Gwyn Elfyn.
Tickets cost £8 for adults and are free for children of school age.
They are available from Pat Tillman on 01269 861922, or from choir members.
There’s a treat for lovers of Llanelli’s musical history on Friday, March 30, at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.
The theatre will be presenting Flanders and Swann – Drop Another Hat.
The touring show is back by popular demand.
Michal Bernstein and Colin Stevens perform the two-man musical theatrical revue.
It is a homage to Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, those two great wits, composers and performers who were at the heart of 50s and 60s satire.
Of particular interest to Llanelli is that fact that Donald Swann was born in Llanelli.
In this revival, Bernstein and Stevens recreate the wit, social comment and musical dexterity of the original shows.
At the same time they take full advantage of the many opportunities for visual humour using, like their mentors, a minimum of theatrical props.
Since its launch in 2000 Bernstein and Stevens have been performing their show to packed houses all over the UK.
Other events -
Ffwrnes will see the Clare Hammond Piano Recital on April 29.
Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s ‘Young Artist Award’, pianist Clare Hammond gives a recital that warrants her “reputation for brilliantly imaginative concert programmes” (BBC Music Magazine).
Join her in exploring an enriching, inspiring music experience by Beethoven, Debussy, Fauré and Stravinsky alongside gems by Dutilleux, Jacquet de la Guerre and Kim Ashton.
May 4, at Ffwrnes, sees SnakeStrings.
This is a ground-breaking collaboration between sax maestro Snake Davis and an outstanding British string quartet, featuring peerless sax melody and classical strings in a fresh and innovative crossover of classical, pop, soul and jazz.
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s foremost saxophonists, the go-to guy for session work with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, M-People and The Eurythmics, Snake Davis explores the emotive and uplifting registers of tenor, alto and soprano sax, shakuhachi and wood flute, in a glorious classical fusion.
Together, SnakeStrings bring a performance which is powerful, moving, and a delight to the senses.
The Last Night of the Proms 2017 takes place at Ffwrnes on June 24.
It’s a case of get your flags ready!
Join the 250-plus massed voices and musicians starring the massed choirs of Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Chorale, Morriston RFC Choir , Llanelli Choral Society, British Sinfonietta, all under the legendary baton of John Hywel Williams MBE, for Wales’ exciting flag-waving extravaganza Last Night of the Proms.
Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk
If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com
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