Cymanfa Ganu

On Sunday 27 February, the day after our annual St David’s Day Concert, we joined with other local Welsh choirs to participate in a Cymanfa Ganu (hymn festival) organised by the Melbourne Welsh Church. Rob Nicholls, the visiting conductor from Wales, encouraged an enthusiastic and uplifting performance by the congregation, who, led by the choirs, sang a dozen well known and rousing hymns in both Welsh and English. At two points in the proceedings the congregation became an audience as the choirs combined to perform three items they had prepared especially for the occasion. These were Finlandia (Be still, my soul), Pwy sydd ar du’r Arglwydd (Who is on the Lord’s side) and Bryn Calfaria (Hill of Calvary – also known as Laudamus). In addition, the inimitable Huw Jones once again delighted the congregation with his own improvisations of Welsh and Australian tunes on the harp.