Cymanfa Ganu
On Sunday 26th February we joined three other local Welsh choirs, a mixed community choir and the Welsh community to celebrate St David’s Day at St Michael’s Uniting Church in Collins St (the Welsh Church being too small) under the baton of Edward-Rhys Harry, Welsh conductor of multiple choirs including London Welsh Male Choir. His musical, geographic and historical introductions to each congregational hymn were informative and illuminating.
Guest soloist Kees Huysmans, winner of the Blue Riband at the Welsh National Eisteddfod, was accompanied by his wife Elonwy in two brackets of songs, sung in English and Welsh.
Harpist Huw Jones entertained the congregation in his inimitable way and accompanied Kees on Dafydd y Garreg Wen.
Excelsis choir sang Benedictus, Geelong Welsh Ladies performed For the Beauty of the Earth and the three male choirs sang Gwahoddiad.
All choirs combined on Brenin Seion.
In between the choirs led the congregation’s singing of ten classic Welsh hymns, each sung lustily in Welsh and English, and a good time was had by all.
“Congratulations and thank you. The choir and its guests performed admirably. The performance of Land of my Song will live with me for a very long time.”
“I’m Welsh and I enjoy Welsh hymns and songs and adore the Amens! I was also very impressed by the broadening items of Co-cheòl & Ladies’ choir. The whole concert was an absolute joy.”
“We loved Paul Jarman’s work!”
“Great atmosphere before, during and after the show!”
“Fantastic concert. Really enjoyed every minute.”
“A truly wonderful concert.”
“I particularly enjoyed Rushan singing with Co-cheòl.”
“Very talented and enjoyable. Solid, varied and interesting performance by the VWC with many moments of special harmony.”
“A wonderful performance by all and the MRC was the perfect place.”
“Great show!”
Despite the fickle Melbourne summer weather, 900 patrons filled the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall for our annual St David’s Day Welsh Celtic Celebration concert.
The lights came up to reveal the full choir, Musical Director Faleiry Koczkar and accompanist Lorna Ogilvie in the opening unashamedly patriotic song O Gymru. As the heartfelt applause subsided, masterful compère Drew Hopkins informed the audience that the entire concert was to be recorded so similar thunderous applause was required after every number this afternoon! The choir’s marvellous four-part harmonies continued with other Welsh favourites Blaenwern, Gwahoddiad and Aberystwyth, all described in very informative notes in the accompanying eight-page program.
The folk quartet Co-cheòl then delighted the audience with their beautiful renditions of Siuil a Ruin, An Ghealog, To the Weavers Gin Ye Go and My Last Farewell to Stirling where they were joined by our second tenor Rushan Hewawasam, providing a wonderful fifth voice to the harmonies.
The choir then rose to surround Faleiry to sing the a capella lullaby Si Hei Lwli ‘Mabi. Any babies in the hall having been safely sent off to sleep, we were joined on stage by Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir, to combine on the uplifting Yr Utgorn (The Trumpet) complete with trumpet played by sixteen-year-old Gemma Webb, to great acclaim.
Musical Director Jeanette John then stepped up to the podium to conduct Geelong Ladies, accompanied by Selmo Carreira, on the well-known tune You Raise Me Up but this time called Dyrchefir Fi and sung entirely in Welsh.
VicWelsh then joined the ladies on a popular Welsh medley comprising Hymns An’ Arias, Calon Lân, Sospan Fach, Cwm Rhondda and the old Tom Jones favourite Delilah.
This was a fitting finale for the first half but also tinged with some sadness as it marked the last time Jeanette would conduct her beloved choir, as she was relinquishing that role after 19 years. VicWelsh President Tony Davies stepped forward to present Jeanette with an engraved glass memento of the occasion which she graciously and emotionally accepted. (Continued below rehearsal photo…)
The hall filled for the second half with a palpable air of excitement as the highlight of the concert drew near. Paul Jarman, internationally renowned Australian composer, told the audience how the commission had come about and how he had incorporated choristers’ writings to help him connect with the nostalgia for the old country in penning Land of my Song. Paul strode to the podium and gestured to the choir to stand. Lorna played the introduction before the whole choir oohed the opening twelve bars. Soloist baritone Bob Ash confidently set the scene with the first verse and then the song took off with soaring harmonies as befitted a Welsh male choir. Soloist tenor Geoff Roberts sweetly came in on the eighth verse leading into the magnificent final third of the piece with the climactic repetition of the title bringing this world première to a resounding triumphant finish. If there had been any apprehension about how the song would be received, 900 people gave it their wholehearted approval with wonderful sustained applause.
Suitably relieved and exhilarated, Paul then explained the history behind his iconic Pemulwuy before conducting the choir in this spirited song which has been acclaimed by our many audiences at home and abroad.
Co-cheòl came back with their various instruments – flute, accordion and harp – and joined the choir on the Welsh classic Ar Lan Y Môr. The versatile and gifted quartet then entertained the audience with glorious harmonies, musicality and cleverly choreographed and precise body percussion on Refraction, Heyr Himna Smiður, Auld Lang Syne and an extended Gaelic Set. Combining once again with the choir, they were joined by multi-instrumentalist Paul Jarman on whistle to perform a lilting Scottish number La Boum.
Faleiry came back to conduct the choir with the emotional Amazing Grace featuring a finely modulated solo by baritone Roger Bartlett. Then it was time for another première – not for the world but a first for VicWelsh. With words by Welsh poet Waldo Williams, Y Tangnefeddwyr (The Peacemakers) told the story of the sadness felt by a family of pacifists during the bombing raids on Swansea.
Then it was time for the rousing Men of Harlech and the finale of this remarkable concert with all our guests on the stage or in the stalls with the Welsh National Anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. As everybody was on their feet it then seemed a good idea to cement Australian-Welsh relations with our version of Waltzing Matilda with most patrons singing the English words of the chorus while the choir reprised the Welsh words of Hen Wlad. A truly joyous finish to a stupendous concert.