“We have our ever-popular annual concert coming up and we will be fine-tuning the items we have already rehearsed,” said choir musical director D Eifion Thomas.
“The annual is always one of the highlights of the Llanelli musical calendar and we are hoping for a full house at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli.
“Tickets have gone on sale for what is the choir’s yearly opportunity to showcase their latest repertoire before their ‘home town’ supporters.
“We can guarantee a splendid evening’s entertainment. You’ll hear some old favourites, but you’ll also hear some of the newest items on the choir’s concert repertoire.”
Côr Meibion Llanelli will be staging their annual concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, at 7pm on Saturday, September 24.
Tickets can be obtained through the Ffwrnes Theatre box office or through the Theatrau Sir Gar website.
The choir’s special guests will be Penrhyn Male Choir (Penrhyn Male Choir) from North Wales.
The two choirs are ‘old friends’. Côr Meibion Llanelli performed with Côr Penrhyn at one of the first events to be staged at the new Bryn Terfel Theatre at The Pontio arts centre in Bangor earlier this year.
Côr Penrhyn are paying back the favour by journeying south for the Côr Meibion Llanelli concert.
“We have a great relationship with the boys of Côr Penrhyn,” said Llanelli choir secretary Fred Elias.
“We enjoy working together and, when the two choirs join together in song, it really is a stirring experience not to be missed.”
Côr Penrhyn is based in the old quarrying village of Bethesda in North West Wales.
The Penrhyn slate quarry used to employ 3,000 men providing roofing slate which was exported to most countries in the world. Automation has brought that number down to 300. The area is one of the strongholds of the Welsh language.
Originally, the choir drew its members entirely from the local slate quarry after which the choir is named.
Nowadays, the 100 members are drawn from a large area of North Wales and from a variety of occupations. School teachers are in the majority at present, outnumbering the quarry workers by about four to one. There are professors and plumbers, accountants and ambulancemen, carpenters and computer consultants, television producers and barmen, firemen and farmers, bankers and businessmen – all with one thing in common – the love of good music.
As one of Wales’ oldest choirs, Penrhyn’s repertoire reflects the traditional values of male voice singing.
Recent work commissioned by the choir combines words by one of Wales’ most accomplished poets, Ieuan Wyn, with music by Welsh composer Gareth Glyn.
In a lighter vein, the choir’s programme includes adaptations of pop songs, Welsh and English, as well as the ever popular spirituals and opera choruses.
The choir have recorded a number of albums, including a CD entitled “Dychwelyd” which was recorded to coincide with the choirs centenary return to Chicago in 1993. “Arwelfa” which was recorded in 2006, and the latest offering called Anthem.
Meanwhile, tickets are now on sale for A Night With The Stars, the annual showcase concert of Loud Applause Productions, the popular production company run by Llanelli-based Cerith Owens.
A Night With The Stars takes place on Saturday 12th November at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, 7.00pm start.
This is a Gala Concert featuring the ever popular soprano Shân Cothi, the world famous Morriston Orpheus Choir, the brilliant young violinist Charlie Lovell Jones and an array of very talented vocalists from Loud Applause Rising Stars.
It will be a bilingual evening of first class musical entertainment to suit all tastes – choral, opera, classical musical theatre, jazz.
The host is BBC TV and radio personality Garry Owen and the accompanists for the Rising Stars are Andrew Pike and Rhiannon Williams Hale.
Events calendar
September
Date to be confirmed, Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi St Anne’s Cwmffrwd
Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi Thursday 29th Sept – Sunday 2nd October North Wales Tour.
October
Saturday 15th October: Mynydd Mawr Choir and Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert in Pontyberem Hall.
November
Llanelli’s annual Festival of Light event in aid of Ty Bryngwyn Hospice, 6pm Monday 14th November at the St Elli Shopping Centre.
December
December 17, Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir, Christmas Concert at Ffwrnes (7pm) with special guests The Phil Harmonics.
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