Sackville Grange

After five years and one day, we were very happy to be back at Sackville Grange Retirement Village which is also the home of tenor Colin Roberts and his wife Ann.

Ann had helped with the organisation of the concert and was also on the sound mixer.

Being a small venue, the audience numbered about 40 and 16 choristers fitted in quite cosily. The concert started with the famous Welsh Medley which included Bendigo baritone Barry Leviny singing the first verse of Calon Lân. Patrons were urged, from the start, to participate in the choruses of Men of Harlech, Hymns and Arias and of Cwm Rhondda. Drawing breath, Echuca-based compère Garry Salisbury introduced Rushan and Lorna and the first bracket of What Would I Do Without My Music and For the Beauty of the Earth.

Next, tenor Drew Hopkins and baritone Roger Bartlett mellifluously duetted on Ti a dy Ddoniau (You and your skills).  

The following bracket was the classic Morte Criste, Tydi a Roddaist (Thou That Gavest) and How Great Thou Art with a masterful solo by Rushan, touchingly prefaced by a dedication to the memory of Jessica Roberts.

After interval Garry introduced a very Welsh set with Hiraeth (Longing) and O Gymru (Oh Wales) before himself melodiously singing the first verse of the lullaby Si Hei Lwli ‘Mabi. Any patron inclined to nod off, however, was thwarted by next being entertained by the talented Tony Hosemans on Danny Boy and by Barry McMahon on the rousing Wild Mountain Thyme.

Part of the Catholic Mass was captured in contemporary Welsh composer Karl Jenkins’ Benedictus before Rushan dedicated the next song Anfonaf Angel (I Will Send an Angel) to all frontline workers who had protected us during the challenges of Covid. 

Roger then stepped back up to the mike to deliver the bitter-sweet You’ll Never Walk Alone which pleasantly filled the hearts of any Liverpool supporters in the room.

Before the final anthems, Rushan took the assembled company through Waltzing Matilda and, when he decided they could sing it well enough, he led the choir through the Welsh National Anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau then invited the audience to sing Matilda at the same time as the reprise. Everyone was delighted that it all came together and everybody had had a good sing. Thankyous were exchanged between village and choir before some intricate repositioning of choristers led us to closely surround patrons and affectionately bid them farewell with Sunset Poem. 

And so to afternoon tea, complete with beautifully arranged musical motifs on tables – the perfect end to a very intimate musical experience.