Choirs hit the right note at gala concert

REVIEW: MONMOUTH Male Voice Choir hosted another sell-out Gala Concert at St Mary’s Priory Church on Saturday 17th October and were joined this year by Vox in Frox, an absolutely amazing ladies choir from Somerset.

Continuing what has now become the customary start, choristers entered the church singing Men of Monmouth to the tune of Men of Harlech.

The piece, specially written by chorister Martyn Parfitt and arranged by Deputy MD Allan Waters, then led, as the lights dimmed, straight into the rousing O Gymru, before chairman Richard Mitchley welcomed supporters and the many dignitaries in attendance.

The choir then sang Rachie, Dashenka and Tell My Father before he paid tribute to those that lost their lives in the Aberfan disaster 60 years ago and dedicated the moving To Where You Are to their memory.

This was a particularly poignant moment, as among the audience was Paul Harries, a survivor of that terrible tragedy.

MMVC then concluded their opening session with Anfonaf Angel and the spiritual Ride the Chariot, before Vox in Frox joined them on stage for a joint rendition of Calon Lán.

The ladies then wowed all with melodious arrangements of Music For a While, The Times They Are a Changin’, Amazing Grace and The Lord Bless You and Keep You.

After the interval, during which refreshments were served by church helpers, Vox picked up the tempo with their versions of True Colours, Songbird, Dobrú Noc, What a Wonderful World and the foot stomping Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

These ladies, impeccably attired in their black and white dresses, certainly left a lasting impression on the appreciative audience.

MMVC returned to showcase their vocal power and Welsh hwyl with Gwinnlan A Roddwyd I’m Gofal, Y Tangnefeddwyr and Bydd Myrdd O Ryfeddodau interspersed with the Karl Jenkins classic Benedictus and the beautiful O Love.

An old favourite, An American Trilogy then brought the concert to a close, or did it?

Well no, of course not. MD Lewis Hutton always has a surprise in store and this year it involved the choir performing It’s Not A Competition written specially for the occasion by former accompanist David Carr (with apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein)!

Hopefully David, sitting in the audience, found the choristers' frivolous interpretation amusing, the audience certainly did as abuse, cotton snowballs and even underwear were hurled among tenors and basses!

Once normality was restored, the Men of Monmouth were rejoined by Vox in Frox for a passionate Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

Once again the Gala Concert had sent supporters away happy and content, knowing they had experienced a brilliant evening full of high quality singing and lots of fun.

It was a fitting climax to a year that had begun with a capacity Borough Theatre performance in Abergavenny, continued with a rousing St David’s Day concert with Worcester MVC, a charity concert at Newport’s St Woolos Cathedral and a third appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, then concluding with a record number, 72, on stage!

A year the whole town can be justly proud of these Men of Monmouth.