After a rather busy, and performance-packed Christmas, and a short break for the choir, we returned to practice in the new year on the 5th of January.

So far, performance-wise, our contributions have been mainly funerals, and this month we paid tribute to that of much beloved chorister and long dedicated supporter of Risca Male Choir, Steve Wiltshire. The choir turned out in force to say their final goodbyes, and send Steve on with some beautiful singing. The performance of Ar hyd y nos during the entrance was particularly stylish, and the choristers created a touching atmosphere throughout the church at this point in the ceremony. Alongside Gwahoddiad, the choir performed Moon River and Anfonaf Angel during the service to accompany photos and memories, and this made for a fitting and heartfelt tribute to Steve’s legacy within the choir.

The end of the funeral could have been confused for a dream, as never in my life was I expecting to stand at a funeral service, dressed in black, and look across the balcony towards 40+ grown men in white tuxedos, eyeballing me and stressing the word Sexy in quite such a provocative manner! But there’s a first for everything, and at the request of Steve’s family, the choir did an admirable job of treating the parting funeral-goers to one last song, You sexy thing!

In other news this month, technical wizard and baritone Andy Williams, has made further strides to introduce technology into our rehearsals and aid the choir’s development.

This month we have introduced live streaming into the choir, meaning that rehearsals can now be viewed live and up to a month later for any chorister who is, for whatever reason, unable to attend. Although, this hasn’t seemed to stop a large proportion of the choir from attending the rehearsals, and also using the recordings of the sessions to aid them further.

A great example of how technology can enhance the choir’s development further.

We have started work on our Llangollen International Eisteddfod repertoire, and preparations for this event are moving at a fast pace. Choristers have been working hard in sectionals and tutti rehearsals on learning and rehearsing difficult repertoire for our trip to Llangollen on July 8, and the buzz is palpable.

Over the next few months we will be using a number of techniques, and further utilising technology, to take these pieces to an even higher level of technical and stylistic understanding which will hopefully culminate in an exciting, and hopefully “award-winning” performance on stage in July.

New repertoire this month includes, Let all men sing by Keith Christopher, Hodie by John Leavitt, The Word was God by Rosephanye Powell and finally What shall we do with the drunken sailor, a very technical and effective acappella arrangement by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw.

Matthew Harrison
January 2023