LLANELLI’S parish church will host a performance of John Stainer’s oratorio The Crucifixion during Holy Week.
Llanelli Chamber Choir, under the musical direction of Piet Zorn, will perform the oratorio at St Elli Church on Saturday, April 19 (7pm).
The soloists will be tenor Tomos Owen Jones and baritone Liam J Edwards.
The choir will be accompanied by a string ensemble: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The musicians will be Mihai Stoican and Aden Yip (violin), Imogen Holborn (viola), James McBeth (cello) and Telmo Martins (double bass).
Tickets are £12 and are available from 07535 166956, the email address chamberchoirllanelli@gmail.com, or from any choir or St Elli parish church member.
There’s a first class evening of musical entertainment planned for Pontyberem Memorial Hall, on Thursday, April 3 (7.30pm).
Sinfonia Cymru are presenting the Golden Age of the Harp, featuring former Royal Harpist and Classic FM Rising Star Alis Huws.
The evening is being billed as ‘a concert of glorious romantic music for harp, flute and spring trio’.
The evening will start with a pre-concert talk at 7pm. Tickets are available through the Sinfonia Cymru website – https://sinfonia.cymru/
The programme includes – Charles Rochester Young (USA, b 1965), Song of the Lark (1989); Guy Ropartz (France, 1864-1955), Quintet (1924); Eloise Gynn (UK, b 1985), Song for an Ancient Tree (2021); Joseph Jongen (Belgium, 1873-1953), Concert a cinq, Op. 71 (1923).
Alis was privileged to perform at His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey. She performed Sir Karl Jenkins’s arrangement of Tros y Garreg (Crossing the Stone) for solo harp and strings, as well as being a part of the prestigious Coronation Orchestra, formed specially for the occasion.
Other high-profile engagements include the Welsh National Service of Prayer and Reflection for HM Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal Opening of the Senedd 2016 and 2021, The Welsh National Thanksgiving Service for VJ Day and the opening of the Welsh Government’s offices in Berlin.
She has performed at a number of prestigious venues including Sony Hall (NYC), 10 Downing Street, Windsor Castle, St James’ Palace and St David’s Hall. In 2019 she appeared as a soloist with Britten Sinfonia, which was later broadcast on Classic FM. Additionally her work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and all major UK television channels.
Having started harp lessons with Ieuan Jones, Alis went on to study with Caryl Thomas at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), where she obtained her Bachelor and Master’s degrees.
As part of her studies, Alis also spent time in Amsterdam on the Erasmus scheme, studying with renowned harpist Erika Waardenburg. At RWCMD, she was awarded the Midori Matsui Prize for Music, the Royal Welch Fusiliers Harp Prize, the McGrennery Chamber Music Prize, and the Rev. Paul Bigmore Music in the Community Award. She was made an Honorary Associate there in 2022 (ARWCMD).
The team at Loud Applause Rising Stars are busy preparing for a Music From The Musicals evening at Machynys Golf Club on Saturday, April 12 (7.30pm).
The accompanist will be Ryan Wood. Tickets are £20 and are available from tickets@loudapplauserisingstars.co.uk or by telephone on 07854 303918.
Cor Meibion Pontarddulais Male Choir will be staging their annual concert on Saturday, April 26 (7pm) at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea.
The choir’s special guests include Parti Llwchwr ladies choir, soprano Rebecca Evans and cellist Steffan Morris.
Pontrhydyfen-born Rebecca Evans is one of the best-known sopranos in Wales. She studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
She has performed as Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro) for the Santa Fe Opera; Adele (Die Fledermaus) for the Chicago Lyric Opera; Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Ann Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) and Adina (L’elisir d’amore) for San Francisco Opera; and both Susanna and Zerlina for the Metropolitan Opera, New York.
She has appeared at the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh Festival; at a Gala Concert to celebrate the opening of the Welsh Assembly in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales; and in Bremen with Andrea Bocelliand the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rebecca is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Music, from the University of Glamorgan in 1997. She is vice-president of the Welsh homelessness charity Shelter Cymru and Patron of Music in Hospitals Cymru/Wales.
She is a member of the Gorsedd of Bards. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to the arts in Wales.
There’s a special Spring Concert being planned for this weekend in Llanelli.
It will feature Cor Meibion Elli male voice choir and will be held on Saturday, March 29, at the town centre Parish Church of St Elli at 7pm.
Meibion Elli will be under the baton of celebrated musical director Eifion Thomas, with accompaniment by Aled Maddock.
The choir will be supported by some young up-and-coming artists, including Betsan Daniel, who is studying at Ysgol y Strade, Llanelli.
Tickets for the Parish Church concert are £10 and are available from Llanelly House or from Hywel Houghton-Jones on 07826 930 396 or at the door on the night.
There’s good news for fans of Welsh rock music with two ace musicians teaming up for a concert at Capel Hope Siloh in Pontarddulais on Friday, March 28 (6.30pm).
Cleif Harpwood and Geraint Cynan will be the stars of the Menter Iaith Abertawe show, with tickets on sale for just £5.
Cleif Harpwood is a singer, formerly of 1970s Welsh language bands Ac Eraill, Edward H Dafis and Injaroc, and frontman of the H Band between 2012-2020.
He played the part of Osian in the first performance of the rock opera ‘Nia Ben Aur’.
Cleif will be performing an acoustic session with accomplished composer and musician Geraint Cynan.
In other news, Llanelli Chamber Orchestra are planning their Spring Spectacular concert at Glenalla Civic Hall in Llanelli on Saturday, April 12 (7.30pm).
The concert will feature popular classics, including Von Suppe, Light Cavalry Overture; Loewe, Mr Fair Lady selections; Arlen, Over The Rainbow, and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No1.
The Chamber Orchestra will be led by Lynwen Jones.
Tickets are £7 and are available at the door, or from Llanelli Music and Drama Club on 01554 772594.
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