Wales tour triumph

JUNE 6: The Croydon MVC scored a resounding success with its North Wales tour last weekend.

Richard Hoyle preps the choir at Chester, watched closely by Welsh tv

On Friday May 29 the choir sang at Chester Cathedral and members considered this a performance to rank with the Bath Abbey sing of 2011.  “There was a good audience, the acoustics were fabulous, and we were on top form,” one said. The Chester performance also featured the first appearance of new choir pianist Frances Ringer.

The following evening the choir took part in a joint concert with Caernarfon MVC.   The two choirs sang to a packed audience at Caernarfon’s Theatr Seilo.   Each  sang selections from its own repertoire and also combined for six pieces, culminating in the Welsh Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

There was intense media interest in the choir’s tour.  It was featured in a magazine programme televised by the Welsh language channel, S4C, who filmed the choir at Chester and interviewed three Welsh-speaking choir members – Ernest Williams, Hugh Evans and Tom Jones. Ernest was also interviewed by Welsh radio.

The two choirs sing at Caernarfon, conducted by Caernarfon MVC's  Delyth Humphreys

Choir musical director Richard Hoyle considered this “another really enjoyable tour weekend…Our  joint concert with Caernarfon was to a packed house and we were welcomed warmly by audience and host choir alike.  I very much look forward to the reciprocal concert in Croydon in November.”

A highlight of the Caernarfon performance was Richard’s address to the audience in Welsh, for which we are unfortunately unable to provide a translation.   A second key moment occurred in Chester, where Richard – who was wearing one of the choir’s stylish new maroon shirts – was approached by an elderly lady who appeared to believe he was a church official.  She told Richard about a religious dream she had just had and asked for his help in interpreting it.  Richard did his best and she went on her way, apparently satisfied with the comfort he had provided.

The choir lines up at Chester (both photos JWT)