Cymanfa Ganu

The annual St David’s Day Gymanfa Ganu was held at St Michael’s Uniting Church on Sunday 2 March.

VicWelsh was in attendance along with men from the other two Welsh male choirs and Welsh ladies from Geelong and, this year, our guests the Ceredigion WI Choir. There were also representatives from a Filipino choir in the audience. Ilid Anne Jones was the guest conductor.

Congregational singing of eleven hymns, including favourites like Aberystwyth and Calon Lân, was led by the five choirs and joined enthusiastically by a congregation which filled the lower level of the church, overflowing into the upper level with the choirs (picture by Tony Davies).

The combined male choirs sang King of Glory followed by Geelong Ladies with Robat Arwyn’s Benedictus. Later in the Gymanfa, all choirs combined on Morte Criste and Vivaldi’s Gloria.  Accompanying the songs were Rhys Boak on organ and a brass and tympani section.

Besides Ilid, the Welsh Church had also brought out from Wales Eleri Owen Edwards, the Blue Riband winner at the 2013 National Eisteddfod. She showcased her beautiful contralto voice with The Lord’s Prayer, Bless This House and My Little Welsh Home whilst being accompanied on piano by Ilid.  Eleri’s baritone husband Aled joined her in Diolch I’r Iôr.