On Saturday 14th December, a big and beautiful concert at Chepstow Leisure Centre included the superb Chepstow Male Voice Choir, the Lydney Training Band and The Nidus Children's Choir. Sadly the advertised soloist Henry Firth was ill. The Lydney Training Bond was also impressive from young players, playing excellent Christmas music both before the concert and during the interval-when minced pies and juice was provided for all the children.
The band's special pieces were the evocative First Light (solo Lily Mountford) and one of the choir's own pieces, The Water of Tyne. They also played the very enjoyable Joy to the World, in which the audience participated enthusiastically.
The Children's choir lacked a number of people, some had booked holidays, some had got lost(!) some were ill at short notice, but kindly helped by Amelia Hughes, (who sang the Solo in Gesu Bambino in the second half of the concert,)and Rhys Nicholson. The concert progressed well and many people came up at the end to say how great and well schooled the choir were.
The Music sets were The Star Carol, Sing to Him, Gaudete! Silent Night and Torches in part 1 . Part Two heard Gesu Bambino, Mistletoe and Wine- a new carol, Silver Bells, and Winter Wonderland, all sung beautifully and with precision with panache and personality. The audience were charmed and delighted, and cheered the choir at the end.
The Male Voice Choir sang the Prayer from Lohengrin , a beautifully measured powerful performance then a Benedictus and The Rhythm of Life. Word in Union was obviously a different version of Holst's 'I vow to thee my Country' and beautifully sung, where Nothing like a Dame and Sweet Georgia Brown finished the first part of the concert, sung with great humour and verve. What really engaged the audience in great bursts of laughter was the Variations of fa la la (or as we call it 'Deck the Halls'.) This carol arrangement was humorously and constantly threaded with interruptions by other carols, and indeed Beethoven's Fifth symphony theme, which was followed by a rendition of the 1812 Overture, where the Santa-Hatted choir, dressed in red jumpers used party poppers instead of the cannon fire when played by an orchestra. It was very funny and well appreciated. The carol Do you hear what I hear? followed on by O Holy Night, Kumbaya and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It was a wonderful Christmas-themed Concert, and Ian Russell, Kirsten Watson, the conductors, and Rosemarie Lewis (pianoforte) produced male voice music of a very high standard. Altogether, the choir, though slightly depleted in number performed extremely well. Many people came forward to congratulate Conductor Christian Jenkins M.A,B.Mus and Evelyn Nicholson MA, PPRNCM, A Mus LCM, the Musical Director. The Music Technician on this occasion was professional baritone, Nick Dunbar, who has appeared in Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast in the West End, and who kindly stepped in to help.
The New Term begins at 11th January at Nant Bran, Upper Cwmbran. South Wales.
The band's special pieces were the evocative First Light (solo Lily Mountford) and one of the choir's own pieces, The Water of Tyne. They also played the very enjoyable Joy to the World, in which the audience participated enthusiastically.
The Children's choir lacked a number of people, some had booked holidays, some had got lost(!) some were ill at short notice, but kindly helped by Amelia Hughes, (who sang the Solo in Gesu Bambino in the second half of the concert,)and Rhys Nicholson. The concert progressed well and many people came up at the end to say how great and well schooled the choir were.
The Music sets were The Star Carol, Sing to Him, Gaudete! Silent Night and Torches in part 1 . Part Two heard Gesu Bambino, Mistletoe and Wine- a new carol, Silver Bells, and Winter Wonderland, all sung beautifully and with precision with panache and personality. The audience were charmed and delighted, and cheered the choir at the end.
The Male Voice Choir sang the Prayer from Lohengrin , a beautifully measured powerful performance then a Benedictus and The Rhythm of Life. Word in Union was obviously a different version of Holst's 'I vow to thee my Country' and beautifully sung, where Nothing like a Dame and Sweet Georgia Brown finished the first part of the concert, sung with great humour and verve. What really engaged the audience in great bursts of laughter was the Variations of fa la la (or as we call it 'Deck the Halls'.) This carol arrangement was humorously and constantly threaded with interruptions by other carols, and indeed Beethoven's Fifth symphony theme, which was followed by a rendition of the 1812 Overture, where the Santa-Hatted choir, dressed in red jumpers used party poppers instead of the cannon fire when played by an orchestra. It was very funny and well appreciated. The carol Do you hear what I hear? followed on by O Holy Night, Kumbaya and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It was a wonderful Christmas-themed Concert, and Ian Russell, Kirsten Watson, the conductors, and Rosemarie Lewis (pianoforte) produced male voice music of a very high standard. Altogether, the choir, though slightly depleted in number performed extremely well. Many people came forward to congratulate Conductor Christian Jenkins M.A,B.Mus and Evelyn Nicholson MA, PPRNCM, A Mus LCM, the Musical Director. The Music Technician on this occasion was professional baritone, Nick Dunbar, who has appeared in Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast in the West End, and who kindly stepped in to help.
The New Term begins at 11th January at Nant Bran, Upper Cwmbran. South Wales.
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