CMVC Llais Y Fro Nov 2023

ISSUE 10

LLAIS Y FRO The magazine of Cowbridge Male Voice Choir

NOVEMBER 2023

Pencoed Concert - October

Table of Contents

Editorial.....................................4-5 Pencoed Concert review...........6-7 Rhiannon’s roundup………..8-9 Patrons Association………..10 Specsavers sponsorship…...11 Tom Jones!.........………….…12 New choristers…….....…......13

Spotlight on Paul Owen…..14-15 Fan’s Favourite………...…...16 Looking Ahead……………..17 Place for Homes……………18 Recruitment evening……….19 This page: The White Lion afterglow post-Llandaff concert in April.

Cover photo: The choir crammed into Pencoed Social Club for a great concert supporting men’s mental health.

Warren Gatland certainly had one. Eddie Jones perhaps less so. It is increasingly clear that the Government did not have one for Covid. In fact, possibly not for anything else either in the ‘reign’ of BJ and then LT. What do I write of? Why plans of course. That of which Mike Tyson once retorted ‘everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face’. Thanks, Mike!

I invite you to look around at the landscape of our society and civilization at present. Whatever plans there may be, I move that very few of them are universal or righteous. Most just

Jon Wilks Chairman, CMVC

seem to focus on satisfying the needs of a narrow group of people, irrespective of who that might hurt or harm.

Well, that’s not what we need in Cowbridge Male Voice Choir.

Editorial

For some time now I have reflected on what my and our committee’s responsibilities really boil down to. And I have arrived at the conclusion that our prime responsibility is to ensure continuity. For continuity we need unity, harmony, enjoyment and fulfilment. Create those elements and we will always recruit, retain and develop.

Make no mistake – no plan is not an option for us or any

other choir serious about long term continuity.

Challenging times…

Many of those choirs that

Our supporters, town, Vale

are no more or are

and business community

struggling wouldn’t have forecast any worries maybe The reality of our and every

5 or 10 years’ ago. But

other choir’s situation is

mortality creeps up, the

clear. Too many choirs of

average age steadily

all types (and particularly male voice in Wales), are experiencing challenging

increases and, suddenly, its lights out time.

times. Just in the last two

A sobering thought.

years I am aware of 3

So, the committee of CMVC

Welsh male voice choirs

has united in supporting the

that have pulled down the

creation of a long-term plan

shutters, obliged to do so

by falling numbers and, sometimes, financial constraints. Many others are struggling with the

for the choir focusing on 4 key areas.

4 Key Areas...

are critical to our being.

How do we engage with them?

Thirdly, the CMVC brand.

What does CMVC mean to

choristers, supporters and the wider community? What do we want it to mean?

Finally, charity.

We were established to raise money for charitable

causes. How do we develop this aim in coming years?

That’s a lot to consider and

same issues.

a lot to agree upon but we Firstly, choristers.

will do it – we have to do it.

Cowbridge is bucking the

How will we recruit, retain

If you would like to

trend. We have never had a

and provide fulfilment for

contribute any ideas or

greater number of active

everyone who chooses to

opinions, please send to

choristers, our finances are

sing with us? What do we

jon@jonwilks.co.uk. I’ll be

in good shape, and we are

need to do?

delighted to receive them.

Secondly, community.

Jon Wilks, Chairman

Without wishing to appear at all self-satisfied,

in demand for concerts and performances. But

complacency is a terrible enemy.

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Pencoed Concert Review!

First, your correspondent cannot go past the immensely moving and rewarding presentations undertaken by Dave Williams of Reel Minds and then Daisy Cole, CEO of MIND Cym Taf Morganwg, putting into context the scale and scope of the mental

Men’s mental health used to be a taboo

health challenge. They also highlighted

subject, rarely spoken of and frequently

some wonderful community work being

ignored. But most of us either know or have

undertaken to offer help to those struggling.

had direct experience of a men’s mental

There work is truly inspirational.

health crisis and it is admirable that, today, it is discussed and embraced far more than in even in the 1990s.

On to the concert performances and, given the small space afforded by Pencoed Social Club, they were excellent.

This Pencoed concert, organised and conceived by the High Sheriff of Glamorgan, Prof Jean White, and the mayor of Pencoed, our own Barry Doughty (T2) was a triumph of performance and campaigning.

The choir rose to the occasion of such a worthwhile cause and gave a great account of themselves. The temptation in relatively small spaces is to over-sing but the balance

was good from choristers throughout.

Natasha John as the guest soloist took

The choir had to follow Natasha and, it is

everyone by pleasant surprise. We have all

fair to say managed to at least keep the

been to concerts where a soloist receives

audience in their seats despite the hugely

generous but not entirely sincere applause

exciting England v South Africa rugby world

– more to do with rewarding their efforts

cup match taking place in the adjoining

than genuinely acknowledging the quality.

room. Bravo to all concerned for that.

This was entirely the latter and Natasha

Special thanks and praise to Wales

received a full and deserved standing

strongest women, Sam and Sue, who

ovation for what were two incredible solo

oversaw ticketing and raffle monies.

spots. In particular, her rendition of ‘Nesun Dorma’ rendered everyone speechless and

The event raised over £2,000 for men’s

there were more than a few tears of

mental health charities.

emotion as she finished. Quite brilliant.

Rhiannon’s Roundup “Glad tidings of comfort & Joy” As Christmas approaches, another year has passed, and our time seems to be definitely quickening!

2023 won’t have been easy for many facing challenges, whether that be due to illness, homelessness, war or loss in general and so this is a time to reflect, pause and ask “what can each of us do to help each other”?

Offering words of love and comfort and more importantly, time. “Time to listen and time to care”.

Christmas is a festival of Christian values, and it is also very much a season of goodwill and compassion, particularly toward those in need.

Our carols are a way of expressing these sentiments and we each have our own favourite of course. Each one tells a story of a far-off time in a once distant and ancient land.

The origin of carols existed even before Christianity in the form of mid-winter songs.

These were sung to lift one’s spirits along with dances and feasts. There were originally carols for different parts of the year - harvest and mayday included but Christmas carols are believed to have survived due to the festivities being even more celebratory and pronounced at this time.

Musically, they began surfacing in the 14th century though most of our well-known carols were composed and first sung from the 17th and 18th centuries onwards. ‘Away in a Manger’ begun its life as a German lullaby in the 16th century, for example.

Each year, our choir really enjoy learning various Carol arrangements. Last year it was ‘Hanukka Holiday’, ‘The First Noel’ and a few others. This year we return to ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Unto us a boy is born’ and a brand-new favourite of “We Three Kings”.

Arranged by Andy Beck, it has a magnificent jazzy feel both in the piano accompaniment and vocals. A terrific “feel good” Carol which the Cowbridge boys and music team (!) are really enjoying learning.

All focus is on our forthcoming concert at Margam Abbey and then two Carol concerts at Roath in Cardiff followed by our Annual Holy Cross Carol concert on 15/12.

Thank you one and all for your continued support of CMVC and “God rest ye from our Merry Gentlemen”!

Christmas concert 2022

The Adoration of the Magi by Matthias Stom

CMVC PATRONS ASSOCIATION NOW LIVE! After a huge amount of work from our vice Chair, Chris George, our Secretary Phil Insley and choir administrator Frank Maynard, our new Patrons Association is now live.

Available to anyone interested in the Choir, the Patrons Programme replaces Vice Presidency as your way of showing your support.

It costs a surprisingly large amount of money to run the choir (including the cost of uniforms, hire of rehearsal venues, cost of transport to venues, and the increasing cost of the purchase of music necessary for us to expand our repertoire) As a charitable organisation the choir relies on its members, families, friends and donors to cover these costs. That’s where the Patrons Association comes in!

Available in 2 levels, joining our Patrons Association confers fantastic benefits on you, that vary depending on the level you choose.

SILVER gives you:• Discount tickets to our annual concert • Your name in our Annual concert programme and on our website.

• Your own direct link to our bi-monthly Llais y Fro online magazine.

GOLD gives you:• ALL the silver benefits PLUS… • Choir CD • Certificate of thanks • Patrons Association car sticker • Patrons Association lapel badge • Other special stuff that we are working on!

SILVER level costs £20 per year GOLD level costs £50 per year

Contact the Patrons Association coordinator, Chris George, to register your interest:- chrisgeorge4880@icloud.com

NEW SPONSORSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT:

SPECSAVERS COWBRIDGE & TALBOT GREEN We are delighted to announce that Specsavers of Cowbridge and Talbot Green have agreed to sponsor Cowbridge Male Voice Choir for the coming year. They join principal sponsors The Place for Homes in commercially supporting the choir and we are absolutely thrilled to have concluded a deal.

Specsavers sponsorship will further enable a range of choir activities to function, whilst also supporting purchase of musical equipment and concert travel.

Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Jon Wilks, Chairman of CMVC said “any community organisation needs local businesses to support their aims and objectives and our new partnership with Specsavers of Cowbridge & Talbot Green is a perfect fit. We are extremely grateful to them for the faith and enthusiasm that they have shown to us, and we will make sure that they receive full value.

Hannah Davies, Retail Director at Specsavers Cowbridge & Talbot Green commented “we are delighted to sponsor Cowbridge Male Voice Choir and are very happy to support and work with this great community organisation. We are much looking forward to hearing the choir sing!”

The sponsorship arrangement comes with a range of benefits for choristers, as one might expect, and we expect a substantial queue at the local stores!

Cowbridge Specsavers store

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Tom Jones live!

A wonderful choir social evening took place in early October when world-famous Welsh legend Tom Jones agreed to perform for the choir at Cowbridge Rugby Club.

Along with some fantastic food, the capacity audience enjoyed all of Tom’s hits and even got the opportunity to join in as his impromptu backing group!

Big thanks to Social Secretary Leon Fear for his efforts and to Mike Payne for organizing the ticketing and sales.

New Choristers We are delighted to have welcomed several new choristers to our ranks in the last month, all of whom have joined the bottom bass section! Waiting for buses etc…!

Please congratulate:-

Gareth Kempson BB

Mike Lloyd BB

Alistair Anderson BB

They have all undertaken several rehearsals over recent weeks and are much enjoying the CMVC chorister experience.

..

Spotlight on: Paul Owen!

Paul Owen The word ‘indispensable’ is a little overused these days, perhaps, but it is entirely apt for the contribution that the quietly spoken, brilliantly skilled but low-profile genius that is Paul Owen.

Paul has been a chorister for around 14 years and sings wonderfully well. He has

recently taken the decision to re-learn all of the repertoire by stepping into the ranks of the 2nd tenors from the ‘tops’ in order to better suit his vocal range. If that were not commitment enough, his efforts as our chief sound technician, video cameraman and video editor are nothing short of extraordinary.

Want to know how we did last year’s mental health video and the brilliant drone footage at the end? Two words - Paul Owen. He is an ever present at concerts, fitting in the demands of rehearsals and concerts alongside his professional work as a highly sought after independent TV editor. Paul, we salute and thank you for all that you do for the choir.

Fan’s Favourite BEATLES MEDLEY Those of you of a certain vintage will remember the complete chaos that erupted first in pubs and clubs and then outside TV stations and across major concert venues and stadiums of the world. Beatle mania had struck in the 1960s and, truly, changed the world! Screaming fans, massed feinting fits, peculiar gurus, the bob haircut, and, tragically the shocking assassination of John Lennon. The Beatles were and remain a phenomenon of the 20th century and beyond.

When the late, sensational Shelley Thomas-Browne got her arranging head on the results were always magical and so it proved with her arrangement of a Beatles medley. Still regularly requested at performances, the medley covers Long and winding road, Yesterday, When I’m 64 (you wish!) and Hey Jude, with some choreography thrown in that is always guaranteed to throw some choristers.

Regardless, this is a feelgood sing for the choir and audiences, and long may it remain so.

LOOKING AHEAD! 10th NOV 2023 Margam Abbey – concert in aid Of Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Charities, 7pm

1st DEC 2023 Concert in aid of Maggies, St Andrew’s Church, Roath, 7pm

15th DEC 2023 Cowbridge Christmas Concert, Holy Cross Church, Cowbridge, 7pm

21st DEC 2023 Carols in Cowbridge – Harry’s Bar, Duke Of Wellington & Bear Hotel, from 6.30pm

THE PLACE FOR HOMES, LLANDOW TRADING ESTATE

CMVC PRINCIPAL SPONSOR GREAT DEALS WHEN YOU MENTION ‘COWBRIDGE MVC’