With Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir

” heavenly musical moments” “great sound with a bit of ‘Hwyl’” “What a treat” “A great program perfectly executed” “such a good range of voices”

We were special guests of the Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir at a Sunday afternoon concert on 1st November. Seasonally entitled A Prelude to Summer, the occasion started with both choirs on stage singing the Australian National Anthem.

VicWelsh then roused the audience with the traditional Gwŷr Harlech before answering the question What Would I Do Without My Music in exemplary four-part harmony. Morte Criste was followed by O Gymru and Battle Hymn of the Republic complete with piccolo played by Bendigo chorister Nigel McGuckian and reinforced by spirited chorus singing by the very eager audience.

Introduced by Geelong compère John Stubbings, pianist Selmo Carreira and his violinist wife Rita Sousa then entertained the church with delicately played pieces from France and Romania.

Geelong Ladies came back and entranced the assembly with Those Were the Days, What’ll I Do, You Raise Me Up (violin intro by Rita), O Mio Babbino and the rugby reminder World In Union. Vic Welsh then joined them, under Jeanette John’s baton, to sing the superb Benedictus arranged by the Welsh composer Robat Arwyn.

The ladies were back after the intermission and offered a very varied Celtic medley with My Little Welsh Home (violin solo by Rita), The Gypsy Rover, Ye Banks and Braes, Scarborough Fair and the old favourite Calon Lân.

Rita and Selmo returned and combined beautifully, delighting everyone with some familiar themes from the movies.

VicWelsh then remounted the stage ready to present its own Celtic medley. When compère Tony Davies mentioned the second number Carrickfergus, a lady in the audience jumped up to excitedly announce that that was her birthplace. After the first item, Anthem Geltaidd, with a lovely flute solo by Nigel, Faleiry graciously invited the Irish lady to the microphone, where she was enveloped by the choir’s heart-throb Roger Bartlett, who very professionally managed the animated lady as well as “her” song. She for her part was rather overwhelmed by the nostalgia (she told us later she had left the place when she was ten and had become a nun) and the whole church gave Roger a very well deserved acclamation. Fortuitously, no thyme lords or ladies from Scotland popped up for the next song – Wild Mountain Thyme sung by the splendid bass Barry McMahon.

After this excitement, the choir brought the temperature down with a wonderful example of a capella singing with Si Hei Lwli ‘Mabi. Then we were off again with the lively Spanish Lady led by the second heart-throb (or was that the third?) Drew Hopkins who showed off his deft flamenco footwork and toreador’s sharp moves. Extra flavour was supplied by castanet-playing Alex van Mens and more-or-less co-ordinated “choirography”. Olé indeed.

To finish on a more salubrious note, the ladies returned to combine in the very poignant Guardian Angel as a fitting finale. The very musically aware audience had been transported for the afternoon across many lands and genres, found out where Carrickfergus was and had a great time, as reflected in sustained and heartfelt applause for both choirs, guest artists, soloists, both superb accompanists and the musical directors who had brought it all together – Jeanette John and Faleiry Koczkar.

These two Welsh women then came together on the rostrum and led the upstanding assembly with the only song possible – Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

Comments from members of the audience included:

Some heavenly musical moments with the Welsh Ladies Choir. Carrickfergus was a standout.

A very good afternoon’s entertainment.

Liked the combined choirs – great sound with a bit of “Hwyl”

Lovely and very much enjoyed. Thank you.  Annthea.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.  Viv.

What a treat. Two excellent choirs and we really enjoyed the two combined songs. But for us the highlight was the spontaneous gesture to get the nun who had been born in Carrickfergus on to the stage for that song. It obviously made her day.

A wonderful afternoon’s entertainment ! A great program perfectly executed. Hope you are back in Geelong soon.  Pat.

So wonderful to hear such a good range of voices. Thanks so much for the lovely entertainment. Sue.