Young Artists Bring Big Glow to Ffwrnes

Three of Wales’ leading youth choirs – Only Boys Aloud, the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Cor Ysgol y Strade – and cellist Steffan Morris joined forces for the inaugural Gala Concert at Y Ffwrnes on Saturday presented by Loud Applause Productions and in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Great excitement for the concert was evident from its sell-out status and long waiting lists.

With BBC’s Garry Owen providing warm words of narration for the evening, leading cellist Steffan Morris, fresh from Vienna, brought alive both instrument and theatre with a magical performance spanning Faure, Bach, Schumann, Monti and a captivating Schubert’s Ave Maria. The audience hung on every note played.

Cor Ysgol y Strade delighted audiences with a Welsh repertoire including favourites such as ‘Cofio Ni’ and ‘Ti a dy Ddoniau’. The school choir clear demonstrated a strong quality of voice and harmony. A school choir to be proud of.

The youngest artists of the evening were Llanelli’s Hywel Choir thrilling audiences with diverse twists and turns – Lennon’s Imagine with hand signing, a moving duet of Panis Angelicus with cellist Steffan Morris, an energetic action filled spiritual, a Hebrew folk song sung around the periphery of the theatre and powerful new renditions from Les Miserables. The only standing ovation of the night was a testimony to their performance!

The much awaited and acclaimed Only Boys Aloud gave exciting performances including favourites Sospan Fach, Gwahoddiad, Don’t Stop Believing and Take That’s Never Forget. Their informality, movement and energy reinforced the new and exciting sound and face of male voice singing.

With finale cries of encore, all artists united for the ever popular Calon Lan. A rousing national anthem under the direction of John Hywel Williams left all leaving the Ffwrnes with a warm glow.