Tenby Male Choir – Will you be able to say “I was there”?

There’s going to be a spectacular end to this week for the choir as tomorrow (Saturday 5^th) will be the night of the grand Gala Concert celebrating our 40 years as a choir. I know from the post-concert comments we get that people are often mesmerised by the traditional finale to our concerts. This is the wonderful American trilogy which was made famous, of course, by Elvis Presley.  They feel that way because it is a pretty spectacular combination of a large male voice choir singing at the top of their voices and complemented by the nerve tingling piano accompaniment of our splendid accompanist Jill Williams. These two alone would be impressive but at St. Mary’s church we are also joined by the massive church organ played by resident church organist Dr. John Harrison BEM. All of this is harnessed by our esoteric MD Ian Williams (no relation). So if that is enjoyable then the thought of three major male voice choirs, a brass band, the piano and the church organ is surely going to be a unique sound for those present to hear.

If you have a ticket already you can look forward to being part of this by listening or even joining in. If, however, you are one of the unlucky people who don’t have a ticket then you may still have a few hours left to book one online (see below) or by phone from our MC and Treasurer Dave Blackmore on 01834 813061. Tickets can also be bought at The Card Shop near Barclays Bank in Tenby.  If you would like to be emailed a copy of the full programme for this concert, contact our secretary David Stewart-Walvin on 01834 844926.

Tickets for this major event cost £10. If you are really risk-oriented you could even try to pay on the door but may either be disappointed or find yourself with standing room only. Doors open at 6:45pm for a 7:30pm start to the concert.

Only if you do get a ticket will you be able to say in future years “I was there for the Tenby Male Choir Gala Concert in 2015”.

Anniversary Year CD

We have also recorded a CD for our anniversary year and CDs will be on sale at the concert. Sometimes a queue forms when people are buying them after a concert and so you are advised to ask for one on the way in to avoid being held up after the concert. They can also be purchased on line via the website.

Last week’s concert was held in support of the RNLI and we once again sang to a large audience. They were not just supporting the choir but I am sure supporting a cause that many hold dear to their hearts. In a seaside town we benefit from the beauty of the sea but we are also exposed to its dangers. We all therefore feel reassured by the presence of our own lifeboat station knowing that it is there in times of need. Although we see the RNLI as being there in emergency we should also recognise that they also do a significant preventative job in educating children via schools and other children’s groups about the dangers of the sea and how to avoid them. We are proud to have raised over £25,000 for the RNLI over the years and pleased to make this further contribution to fund their role in emergencies and ongoing prevention.

Our soloist on the night was the daughter of the lifeboat’s chief mechanic Stephen Lowe. Local violinist Hannah Lowe was accompanied by the lovely piano playing of her mother Sian. They played the fast and furious Hungarian Dance by Nolck, then by contrast the much slower Vocalise by Rachmaninoff, the melodious Lovers’ Waltz by Jay Ungar and finally the cheery, foot-tapping Intrada by Scottish composer Alfred Moffat.

Our next concert after the Grand Gala concert will be at St. John’s church on 10^th September starting at 7:30pm.

Come and watch a rehearsal

We offer a warm welcome to anyone at our rehearsals on Tuesday or Thursday evenings at the County Club. Feel free to come along at 8pm to see how we go about learning our songs and music. It’s also a great way to test the water if you have ever thought about joining a male voice choir. Experience and age don't matter.

The choir website is  www.tenbymalechoir.org and on the website you will find links to our Facebook page, the choir blog, some video recordings of the choir and of course information about concerts and our programme of  events.