The Penrhyn Male Voice Choir is based in the quarrying village of Bethesda, situated in the Ogwen Valley in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. The Penrhyn slate quarry used to employ 3,000 men, providing roofing slates which were exported worldwide. Automation has brought that number down to 300. The area is one of the strongholds of the Welsh language, the most widely spoken of the Celtic languages and one of the oldest European languages. Originally the choir drew its members entirely from the slate quarry, after which it is named. Nowadays, the sixty-five members are drawn from a wider area and from a variety of occupations, all with one thing in common - the love of good music. As one of Wales' oldest choirs, first established in the nineteenth century, the Penrhyn's repertoire reflects the traditional values of male voice singing. The Welsh choirs were closely associated with the non-conformist chapels, and rousing hymn tunes such as Gwahoddiad and Arwelfa are firm favourites with audiences worldwide. Neither would a Welsh male voice choir's repertoire be complete without old favourites such as Men of Harlech. New, and equally challenging, music stands alongside the old favourites. Recent work commissioned by the choir combines words by one of Wales' most accomplished poets, Ieuan Wyn, with music by Welsh composer Gareth Glyn. In a lighter vein, there are adaptations of pop songs, Welsh and English, as well as the ever popular spirituals and opera choruses. The choir have recorded a number of albums, one being a CD entitled Dychwelyd which was recorded to coincide with the choir's centenary return to Chicago in 1993. The choir's latest CD was released in June 2006. In 1998, the choir came first in the male choir division and also won the Choir of the Festival title at the Pan Celtic Festival at Tralee, Ireland. Over the years it has distinguished itself at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. The choir has made many friends with individuals and societies both in Britain and overseas, and has exchanged seven visits with the band from Notzingen in Germany. During the last couple of decades it has travelled extensively both in Britain and Ireland. It has also visited Canada, the USA (twice), Finland and Hungary. The choir will perform in Chicago, Rio Grande and Cincinnati between August 24th and September 4th, 2006. Sponsorship is needed in the short term to help with the cost of the above mentioned tour, during which the choir will sing at the 75th Welsh National Cymanfa Ganu in Cincinnati (www.wngga.org). In the long term, sponsorship would enable the choir to attract new members, extend its tours programme and to re-kit its members in a new uniform. The choir is available for concerts both within the UK and abroad. Sponsors will be acknowledged on the choir's website as well as on all concert and tour programmes.
Contact: Dafydd Evans, Choir Webmaster. Tel.: 07717 375375. Other contact details in our Arts: Music section.
E&OE
|
