‘Christmas with the Choir’ at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

Côr Meibion Llanelli are busy rehearsing for what promises to a great Christmas concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

‘Christmas with the Choir’ will be staged on Saturday, December 12, at 7pm.

Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said: “The choristers love Christmas and the ‘boys’ are getting into the Christmas spirit at their twice-weekly rehearsals.”

On Saturday, the choir were at Parc y Scarlets for the European Champions tournament fixture between the Scarlets and Racing 92.

On an emotional evening, the choir paid their special tribute to the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks by leading the crowd in a rousing rendition of ‘La Marseillaise’.

Mr Thomas said: “I think everyone has been shocked by the events in Paris, so our singing of the French anthem was to show some solidarity with the people of the French capital and France as a country.

“We are a well travelled choir and we regard ourselves as ambassadors on our excursions abroad. A past chairman of the choir always used to remind us, ‘If countries were represented by choirs rather than armies, then there wouldn’t be wars’. Music speaks a universal language to the soul.”

Côr Meibion Llanelli’s Christmas concert will feature special guests, including Mynydd Mawr Male Voice Choir.

Mr Thomas said: “Our Christmas special promises to be a light-hearted celebration of the festive season. It will be something that leaves you with a warm Christmas glow.

“We are particularly looking forward to being joined by our old friends from Mynydd Mawr Choir and their musical director Jeff Thomas.”

Mynydd Mawr Choir was formed in 1965 in Tumble in the Gwendraeth Valley – just a year after Côr Meibion Llanelli started.

The choir has made a valuable contribution to numerous charitable organisations throughout Britain  and has been successful on five occasions on the Royal National Eisteddfod platform, as well as at other eisteddfodau.

In 2000, the choir was successful in winning the Male Voice competition at the Jersey International Music Festival, an event in which choirs from all over Europe took part.

The choir has taken part in massed choir festivals for the Welsh Association of Male Choirs as well as with the London Welsh choir, at the Royal Albert Hall, the Birmingham Symphony Hall, the Colston Hall in Bristol, and the Winter Gardens in Bournemouth.

In 1989, the choir made friends with the Frohsinn Male choir from Mulheim on the Ruhr, with their new found German friends paying a return visit the following year.

The choir made such an impression on the Mulheim City Fathers, that in May of 1992, the choir was invited by the City Fathers to help them celebrate their European Year of the Festival of Flowers.

In November 1993, the choir was honoured when it was invited to represent the Welsh Association of Male Choirs at the Centenary Banquet of the University of Wales in Cardiff, when the Prince of Wales, Mrs Mary Robinson, the then Irish President, and the Aga Khan were present.

Tickets for the Christmas concert are available from Theatrau Sir Gar and the Ffwrnes Theatre box office, or online at –

https://ffwrnes.ticketsolve.com/shows/873537732/events?show_id=873537732

In the week before the Christmas concert, Côr Meibion Llanelli will be performing at the brand new Bryn Terfel Theatre at the ‘Pontio’ in Bangor (on Saturday, December 5).

The Llanelli choristers will be the special guests of the celebrated Côr Y Penrhyn from Bethesda.

Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said: “This trip to the stunning new Pontio theatre has been on the cards for some months. The Bryn Terfel Theatre promises to be one of the most prestigious concert venues in the north.

“We are great friends with Côr Y Penrhyn and look forward to what should be a great musical treat in the run-up to Christmas.

“We will be one of the first big events to be staged at the Pontio, a venue which only opened its doors last week.”

The last weekend of November promises to be a busy one for lovers of good music and singing.

The weekend will feature two first class events – one celebrating acclaimed Welsh soprano Shȃn Cothi and the other welcoming the start of the Christmas season.

On Saturday, November 28, in the beautiful candlelit surroundings of St Elli Parish Church, the Llanelli Choral Society will present ‘The Miracle of Christmas’ – joining forces with the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Chorale and award-winning soprano Rhiannon Llewellyn.

It all comes together under the baton of conductor John Hywel Williams.

The festive performance will bring to life the story of the Nativity with a poignant blend of orchestral and choral music, narration and theatre.

The exciting musical programme reflecting chapters from the story of the Nativity will be narrated by Jeremy Hywel and will include music from Handel’s Messiah, Albinoni’s Adagio for Organ and Strings, O Holy Night, Holy City, Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and popular carols.

“It is exciting to bring the true meaning of Christmas alive through the emotional power of music and song”, explained John Hywel Williams. “It will be a poignant and memorable welcome to the Christmas season.”

The performance will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday, November 28. Tickets £15 and available from 07795 236807.

Acclaimed Welsh soprano Shȃn Cothi will perform at Capel Salem, Llangennech, on Sunday, November 29 (7pm).

Shȃn has unveiled her first new album in 10 years – ‘Paradwys’ – and the Llangennech concert is part of an exclusive nine-date tour of Welsh churches and chapels.

The new album, her first since ‘Passione’ in 2005, has been released on the Acapela label.

The album features the Nidum Ensemble – comprised of hand-picked musicians from orchestras such as the London Symphony, the London Philharmonic and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Players include cellist Steffan Morris (always a favourite with Loughor and Llanelli audiences) and violinists Rhys Watkins, Rakhi Singh and Benjamin Baker.

Also accompanying is the superb pianist Jeff Howard, who has played for Shȃn on numerous occasions over the years and is also responsible for two of the musical arrangements on the album.

Special guests Rebecca Evans, Catrin Finch and Wynne Evans will also be appearing with Shȃn on the tour, as well as current Royal Harpist Hannah Stone, tenor Aled Hall and local children/youth choirs.

The inspiration behind Shȃn’s tour was to take world class music out to the rural communities of Wales, not just the main cities of the south.

Shȃn will be visiting venues such as historic churches, chapels and cathedrals that offer a special atmosphere and fantastic acoustics.

Tickets are available on the internet on – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/MJDLE

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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