Croeso i Vic Welsh
Latest News - January 2021
The President was pleased to present
certificates in person to Ken, Jonathan and John at a picnic on 12
December held at Ken and Glenys’ place in Woodend, attended by over
thirty members of the choir family, including Faleiry and George. Many
thanks indeed to the Simpsons for extending their legendary
hospitality, once again. Thanks also to Norm and Annie Bateson for
bringing along Jean Thompson – it was very good to see her again.
Roger’s 25-year Certificate was (less ceremoniously) handed over when he and the President met for a coffee a few days before Christmas.
On Christmas Day itself, with the President heading for lunch at Mt Martha, he was delighted to be able to personally present his 10-year certificate to David Moore at his temporary home at Mt Eliza. After his very serious illness and extended hospitalisation earlier in the year, it was somewhat of a Christmas miracle to see him in the flesh, as it were, although he is somewhat slimmer than when choristers last saw him. Nonetheless he is fit and engaged and looking forward to getting back to rehearsals. He and Lea are due to move into their new place with David’s son’s family in a few weeks’ time.
Living close by, Alex van Mens and wife Penny were up in the city, so the certificate, duly weather-protected, was slipped under their front mat.
Two days into the New Year, the President was quadruple-delighted to present the rarest certificate of all – 40 years a chorister for Reg Hazell. An incredible achievement for him but also for Joyce who has been with him at just about every rehearsal, concert and tour over this remarkable stint. Reg’s latest certificate will proudly join his others, including his Life Membership, on his gallery wall. You can read more about Reg’s life in the Newsletter below.
-7c0gdc.jpg)
David's certificate
Reg 's certificate
-hurdzl.jpg)
Reg's collection
- At least 25% of what we sing is in Welsh (it's in our constitution) - often it's a lot more
- Our Musical Director since 1994, Faleiry Koczkar OAM, is a native Welsh speaker
- We hold weekly Welsh pronunciation classes and have been complimented on our pronunciation by audiences in Wales
- Our appearances in the Welsh National Eisteddfod in 1999 and 2004 were the first by any expatriate Welsh choir since 1929
- We have led the singing at Cymanfa Ganu Hymn Festivals held by the Welsh Church in Melbourne since our foundation
- Every four years or so we go on a concert tour to Wales and sing with local choirs.
Upcoming Vic Welsh Performances
Cyngherddau ar Ddod
If you like Victoria Welsh Choir's recordings you will love the atmosphere and sheer hwyl at
our concerts. To make sure you don't miss us when we come to your part
of Melbourne, Victoria or the world ...
Watch This Space!
Under the Covid-19 restrictions, naturally no rehearsals or concerts have been possible. Scientific evidence shows that choirs will be among the last activities to resume, due to the risks inherent in the explosive forces behind the droplets expelled during singing. No firm date can be given at this time.
Since the shut-down, however, choir members have been able to take part in regular video rehearsals, taken by Associate MD Rushan Hewawasam with recorded music laid down by accompanist Lorna Ogilvie, via Vimeo. Additionally, Mt Eliza-based chorister John Evans has recorded many of our songs by multi-layering all four parts, sung entirely by himself. Fellow choristers are therefore able to sing along with the MP3 recording via Dropbox. MD Faleiry Koczkar sends out a weekly email, with birthday greetings for members and their partners plus a list of songs to practise at home. The choir’s almoners have also been phoning members on a regular basis in order to make sure that everyone is well. We are happy to report that, to date, nobody in the choir family has tested positive to the virus.
The Bendigo group initiated Thursday night Zoom sessions in March and these have continued on a weekly basis. Additional sessions, involving choristers from all three chapters, also take place two or three times a week. Whereas it is too difficult to sing together, because of the various time lags, members are able to see and chat to each other and at least partially keep up the camaraderie which is such a strong feature of belonging to a choir.
Recent audience comments include:
Nothing like the mellowness of a male choir.
Have heard the choir before and I loved the performance so had to come again
Fantastic performance - made me nostalgic
Loved audience participation. Enjoyed stories and jokes.
Well done (as it always is).
So glad I finally made a performance.
The rotating photos at the top of the screen are by Arts Photography Belinda.
Croeso i Vic Welsh
Latest News - January 2021
The President was pleased to present
certificates in person to Ken, Jonathan and John at a picnic on 12
December held at Ken and Glenys’ place in Woodend, attended by over
thirty members of the choir family, including Faleiry and George. Many
thanks indeed to the Simpsons for extending their legendary
hospitality, once again. Thanks also to Norm and Annie Bateson for
bringing along Jean Thompson – it was very good to see her again.
Roger’s 25-year Certificate was (less ceremoniously) handed over when he and the President met for a coffee a few days before Christmas.
On Christmas Day itself, with the President heading for lunch at Mt Martha, he was delighted to be able to personally present his 10-year certificate to David Moore at his temporary home at Mt Eliza. After his very serious illness and extended hospitalisation earlier in the year, it was somewhat of a Christmas miracle to see him in the flesh, as it were, although he is somewhat slimmer than when choristers last saw him. Nonetheless he is fit and engaged and looking forward to getting back to rehearsals. He and Lea are due to move into their new place with David’s son’s family in a few weeks’ time.
Living close by, Alex van Mens and wife Penny were up in the city, so the certificate, duly weather-protected, was slipped under their front mat.
Two days into the New Year, the President was quadruple-delighted to present the rarest certificate of all – 40 years a chorister for Reg Hazell. An incredible achievement for him but also for Joyce who has been with him at just about every rehearsal, concert and tour over this remarkable stint. Reg’s latest certificate will proudly join his others, including his Life Membership, on his gallery wall. You can read more about Reg’s life in the Newsletter below.
David's certificate
Reg 's certificate
Reg's collection
- At least 25% of what we sing is in Welsh (it's in our constitution) - often it's a lot more
- Our Musical Director since 1994, Faleiry Koczkar OAM, is a native Welsh speaker
- We hold weekly Welsh pronunciation classes and have been complimented on our pronunciation by audiences in Wales
- Our appearances in the Welsh National Eisteddfod in 1999 and 2004 were the first by any expatriate Welsh choir since 1929
- We have led the singing at Cymanfa Ganu Hymn Festivals held by the Welsh Church in Melbourne since our foundation
- Every four years or so we go on a concert tour to Wales and sing with local choirs.
Upcoming Vic Welsh Performances
Cyngherddau ar Ddod
If you like Victoria Welsh Choir's recordings you will love the atmosphere and sheer hwyl at
our concerts. To make sure you don't miss us when we come to your part
of Melbourne, Victoria or the world ...
Watch This Space!
Under the Covid-19 restrictions, naturally no rehearsals or concerts have been possible. Scientific evidence shows that choirs will be among the last activities to resume, due to the risks inherent in the explosive forces behind the droplets expelled during singing. No firm date can be given at this time.
Since the shut-down, however, choir members have been able to take part in regular video rehearsals, taken by Associate MD Rushan Hewawasam with recorded music laid down by accompanist Lorna Ogilvie, via Vimeo. Additionally, Mt Eliza-based chorister John Evans has recorded many of our songs by multi-layering all four parts, sung entirely by himself. Fellow choristers are therefore able to sing along with the MP3 recording via Dropbox. MD Faleiry Koczkar sends out a weekly email, with birthday greetings for members and their partners plus a list of songs to practise at home. The choir’s almoners have also been phoning members on a regular basis in order to make sure that everyone is well. We are happy to report that, to date, nobody in the choir family has tested positive to the virus.
The Bendigo group initiated Thursday night Zoom sessions in March and these have continued on a weekly basis. Additional sessions, involving choristers from all three chapters, also take place two or three times a week. Whereas it is too difficult to sing together, because of the various time lags, members are able to see and chat to each other and at least partially keep up the camaraderie which is such a strong feature of belonging to a choir.
Recent audience comments include:
Nothing like the mellowness of a male choir.
Have heard the choir before and I loved the performance so had to come again
Fantastic performance - made me nostalgic
Loved audience participation. Enjoyed stories and jokes.
Well done (as it always is).
So glad I finally made a performance.
The rotating photos at the top of the screen are by Arts Photography Belinda.
