Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Cor Meibion Llanelli members are on song and ready for a busy 2013. Weekly rehearsals started back on Monday after the choir staged a hugely successful Christmas concert at Tabernacle Chapel, Llanelli. Billed as 'Sing Christmas', the evening saw three of Llanelli's major choirs take the stage. Cor Meibion Llanelli were joined by Cor Curiad and Cor Baroc. "It was a wonderful evening, full of passionate singing and with a very traditional theme," said Cor Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas. "The large congregation at Tabernacle enjoyed singing 10 traditional carols in Welsh and English. "There was a wonderful festive spirit in the air. It was a change to our usual Christmas concert, but it was greatly appreciated by one and all." Cor Meibion Llanelli and Cor Baroc were conducted by Mr Thomas with Sarah Thomas as accompanist. Cor Curiad were conducted by Alex Esney and accompanied by Jayne Jewell. The guest organist ...

Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Choir) are staging a Christmas concert with a difference this year. The choir's annual festive concerts at Theatr Elli have been pulling in the crowds for years. This year, Theatr Elli is unavailable as work is completed on the new Ffwrnes theatre complex in East Gate, Llanelli. "It's a bit of a blow not to have Theatr Elli available," admitted Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas. "But in order not to disappoint our many fans, we have a Christmas concert with a difference planned for Tabernacle Chapel, Llanelli, on Saturday, 7pm." The concert is being billed as 'Sing Christmas!', with audience participation encouraged so that everyone gets into the Christmas spirit. Mr Thomas added: "We are also very fortunate in that we have some very special guests with us for the Tabernacle concert - Côr Curiad, Côr Baroc and the Queen Elizabeth Brass Quintet. "It promises to be a memorable evening hi...

Handel’s Messiah - Three Choirs Concert, Tabernacle Chapel, Llanelli. Tabernacle Chapel has played a major role in the musical life of Llanelli, so it was appropriate that it should be the venue for a ground-breaking performance of Handel’s Messiah. The audience was able to bathe in a rich wave of sound which captured the emotive nuances of one of the greatest choral masterpieces. The performance was the first in an innovative ‘Three Choirs’ concert series set to span Wales. Côr Baroc Llanelli were joined by Llandudno’s Côr Cymysg Dyffryn Conwy and Côr Glandulais from Pontarddulais. “Together, the choirs will stage a series of concerts in different venues, tackling major works and serving up a rich tapestry of sound,” said Côr Baroc musical director D Eifion Thomas, pictured above. The massed choral ranks saw more than 160 choristers join the performance at Tabernacle Chapel. The combined choirs created a sound which was reminiscent of the golden days of choral singing in chapels a...

Great voices and artists from Wales and England are gathering for a grand performance tonight (Friday) of one of the world’s leading oratorios when the Llanelli Choral Society stage a grand performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Under the direction of conductor John Hywel Williams MBE, the 90-voice Llanelli Choral Society and Celtic Orchestral Ensemble will be joined by Gary Griffiths (bass), John Emanuela Barazia (mezzo soprano), John Pierce (tenor) and Adele O’Neill (soprano), Jean Hywel (pianist) and Huw Tregelles Williams (organ). “It is such an excitement to perform this masterpiece work of Mendelssohn”, explains John Hywel Williams. “Its melodrama, easy appeal and stirring choruses have made this great work so popular with choruses, artists and audiences alike.” The performance will mark a celebration year for the Llanelli Choral Society as it celebrates its 15th anniversary year. Founder John Hywel, reflects back over the last 15 years. “The choir remains true today to i...

Short clip of Some Enchanted Evening, sung by Alfie Boe at Tabernacle Chapel last night.

These aren't very good. Couldn't use flash as I didn't want to upset the proceedings. Young Graham Harries from GPhotography had a flashier camera and I'll bet he's got some super photos.

After great secrecy, the musical veil has been lifted on the exciting programme which awaits audiences when the nation’s favourite tenor, Alfie Boe, performs in a grand choral performance in Llanelli. When Alfie Boe joins the conductor John Hywel Williams, Llanelli Choral Society, Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Adele O’Neill, pianist Jean Hywel and organist Huw Tregelles Williams, audiences will enjoy a colourful masterpiece programme of music of solo and great choral ensembles spanning theatre musicals and classical as well as great choruses from opera and oratorio. After Alfie Boe’s acclaimed leading role performance of Jean Valjean in the sold-out 25th anniversary concert performance of Les Miserables at the London O2 Arena at the personal request of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, audiences will be thrilled to hear that the programme will include an exciting mass-choral compilation with Alfie Boe with world-favourites from Les Miserables such as ‘At the End of the Day’, ‘Do yo...

A sell-out capacity audience will welcome West End singing star and Classical Brits nominee Alfie Boe when he performs in Llanelli in September. Alfie Boe will join the great voices of the Llanelli Choral Society, Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, pianist Jean Hywel, organist Huw Tregelles Williams – all under the direction of John Hywel Williams MBE – for the sell-out performance at the grand setting of Llanelli’s Tabernacle Chapel. Alfie Boe – regarded as the nation’s favourite tenor – is no stranger to the world famous stage of both opera and the West End as well as television and radio broadcasts. Currently enjoying record sales of his albums, Alfie is currently reprising the starring role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in London’s West End at the personal request of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, ahead of Alfie’s sell-out UK “Bring Him Home Tour” later this year. “It is thrilling to see the performance an absolute sell-out”, explains acclaimed local conductor, John Hyw...

West End singing star and Classical Brits nominee Alfie Boe will thrill local audiences in September when he comes to Llanelli for a spectacular performance. Alfie will join the great voices of the Llanelli Choral Society, Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, soprano Adele O’Neill, pianist Jean Hywel, organist Huw Tregelles Williams – all under the direction of John Hywel Williams MBE. Alfie – regarded as the nation’s favourite tenor – is no stranger to the world famous stage of both opera and the West End and television and radio broadcasts. Currently enjoying record sales of his albums, Alfie is currently reprising the starring role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in London’s West End at the personal request of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, ahead of Alfie’s sell-out UK “Bring Him Home Tour” later this year. “The performance will undoubtedly be a sell-out”, explains acclaimed local conductor, John Hywel Williams, pictured above. “It is always exciting to bring great and popular art...

Dr Hilary Cohen's review of Llanelli Choral Society's performance of Haydn's The Creation at Tabernacl Chapel, Llanelli. Haydn's great oratorio The Creation is one of those immense defining pieces in which a composer calls upon a lifetime of experience. More acclaimed for his instrumental writing, the "father of the symphony" also wrote a great deal of vocal music, even opera, but none come close to the majestic grandeur of The Creation. The Llanelli Choral Society was in splendid form throughout, especially in key moments such as "The heavens are telling" ending Part I and in "Fulfilled at last," the section that closes Part II. Haydn's grand oratorio is a work that separates the mice from the men, the good from the great. This performance reaffirmed John Hywel Williams's longstanding reputation for artistic leadership and Llanelli Choral Society's reputation as a formidable and ever growing choral body. The Creation is a grand...

A major choral and orchestral performance of one of the world’s great choral masterpieces has had to retune its plans as a last minute major power failure has rendered its existing concert venue unusable. The massed voices of the mighty Llanelli Choral Society, the Celtic Orchestra, leading operatic singers are all lined up for the grand performance of Haydn’s Creation on Friday 11th March which will now be staged at Tabernacle Chapel, Town Hall Square, Llanelli instead of All Saints Church. All Saints Church suffered a power failure which has affected all planned events at the Church – services, weddings as well as major performances. “In the true spirit of the performing arts, the show will go on!” explains John Hywel Williams. “Production teams, carpenters, performers and organisers have all mobilised with an inspiring can-do attitude to restage the event and rehearsals in the eleventh hour and tell all its audience. Tabernacle Chapel itself has shown great community spirit and fle...

Pictures of last week's Cor Baroc Classical Choral concert didn't come out very well. But they are on the web for those interested - http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/robertapvincent/CorBarocClassicalChoralConcert# Musical director Eifion Thomas.

Concert review: Classical Choral - Featuring Cor Baroc, Cor Meibion Llanelli, Adele O’Neill (soprano), Sarah Pottinger (mezzo-soprano), Richard Allen (tenor), Trystan Lewis (bass), Alan Fewster (organ) and the Glamorgan Chamber Orchestra (Leader: Mansel Hughes) at Tabernacle Chapel, Llanelli, Saturday, October 9. Eifion Thomas has long been recognised as one of the torch bearers when it comes to keeping Llanelli’s rich musical tradition alive. It is a role he revels in, as he proved when he brought two of his choirs centre stage for ‘Classical Choral’ at Tabernacle Chapel, Llanelli, on Saturday night. Taking centre stage were Cor Baroc, a 65-strong mixed choir formed by Mr Thomas in 2006. They were joined by Cor Meibion Llanelli, the juggernaut 70-strong male voice choir which enjoys a worldwide reputation. And the icing on the cake was provided by four young soloists - Adele O’Neill (soprano), Sarah Pottinger (mezzo-soprano), Richard Allen (tenor) and Trystan Lewis (bass). Mr Thomas ...

It promises to be one of the musical highlights of the year in Llanelli. Cor Baroc Llanelli will be joined by Cor Meibion Llanelli for a ‘Classic Choral’ concert at Tabernacle Chapel on Saturday (October 9). And the marvellous mix provided by the two choirs gets some added zest with the addition of four young soloists to the concert platform. The evening promises to be a tribute to the long heritage of choral singing associated with Tabernacle Chapel (Capel Tabernacl) in Llanelli. “Followers of musical history will appreciate the major role that Capel Tabernacl has played in Llanelli,” said Eifion Thomas, who is musical director of both Cor Baroc and Cor Meibion. “During the 1940s and ’50s, a host of famous singers graced the concert stage in the chapel when taking part in the annual oratorio. “Names such as Kathleen Ferrier, Joan Hammond, Walter Widdop, Walter Glynn, David Franklyn, David Lloyd, John Cameron and a very young Joan Sutherland appeared on the concert programmes during th...