German choir heading to Llanelli

by Robert Lloyd

Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice) are getting ready to welcome their ‘twin choir’ from Germany.

The choir has been twinned with Singverein 1870 Laudenbach since 1979.

The German choir will be joining the choir for a special concert at Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre on Saturday, June 7.

Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said the Llanelli choristers were looking forward to welcoming their old friends from Laudenbach, a town in the Miltenberg district of Germany, just south of Frankfurt.

“I can remember our very first trip to Laudenbach when we took three coaches of choristers and supporters for the trip. When we arrived, they were waving flags in the street. It was a spectacular welcome and the two choirs have remained great friends ever since.”

Singverein actually means ‘singing club’ in German.

The 1870 recognises the fact that the Laudenbach choir was formed in that year.

The choir has performed throughout Germany and the rest of Europe.

In 1996, they joined a host of Welsh choirs for the 1000 Voices Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The choir’s performances were shaped over the course of 50 years by musical director Gerhard Wind.

In 2011, Mr Otto Lamade took over as the musical director.

The choir’s repertoire consists largely of German songs for male voice choirs, drawn from classical choral pieces, from operas and modern composers.

The choir has a male section and a female section and both will be making the trip to Llanelli.

Helga Rother-Simmonds, Honorary Consul for Germany in Cardiff/Wales, said:

“My best regards and wishes for a very successful weekend go to both choirs!

It is so good and pleasing to hear of these links which have existed between our two countries over so many years!”