Much Wenlock Male Voice Choir

Oyster concert – one of the choirs loyal supporters joining in the fun!

A rain soaked day did not dampen the choirs enthusiasm at the Summer Music Spectacular in Broseley held one Friday afternoon in late August. The concert put on by Oyster Communications who are based in the town featured a number of acts and raised a total of £500 which was donated to the ‘wooden spoon’ childrens charity. Oyster would like to thank all the guests and all those who purchased raffle tickets, donated or supported the event in any way.

The choir are due to travel to South Wales over the weekend of Saturday – Sunday 9th October for a joint concert with Abertillery Ladies Choir. Abertillery are Wales’ oldest established ladies choir. The choir was founded in 1911 and competed in many Eisteddfodau, including Llangollen on five occasions. From the 1970’s the choir became more involved in community and charitable events and like Much Wenlock has toured a number of places at home and abroad, in recent years performing at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff and the National Botanical Gardens of Wales as well as touring Ireland and Germany.

Much Wenlock Male Voice Choir have returned from a successful trip to Enfield, Middlesex, where they met up with Three Valleys Male Voice Choir at St Andrews Church on Saturday 16th July for a joint concert which raised £700 for the St Andrews restoration fund.

The trip included visits to St Albans, Waltham Abbey and Oxford and choir patrons Rita Cresswell, Audrey and Tom Colebatch said “thanks to the choir for the wonderful concert and for arranging a marvellous weekend away”.

In October the choir travel to South Wales for a joint concert with Abertillery Ladies Choir and are also planning a trip to Ireland next year.

Choir Chairman Tom Thompson and wife Margaret at Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge, Three Valleys Tour.

Bethan Langford

On Thursday 16th June the choir will be appearing at the Wenlock Festival, sharing the stage with Mezzo Soprano Bethan Langford. This promises to be a very special event.

Bethan, who comes from Much Wenlock, is currently studying on the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she has been awarded the Susan Longfield prize and the Paul Hamburger lieder prize. She is a Samling Artist, a Concordia Artist, a Les Azuriales Young Artist, and as the winner of the Concordia Founders’ Prize gave her debut Wigmore Hall recital in April 2015.

Recent operatic performances include cover Proserpina Orfeo (Royal Opera at the Roundhouse), Noble Orphan Der Rosenkavalier (Glyndebourne Festival Opera and BBC Proms), Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus (Clonter Opera), Nancy Albert Herring (Mid Wales Opera Young Artists) and Hansel Hansel und Gretel (Guernsey Symphony Orchestra). In spring this year Bethan performed the role of Lucretia in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for Guildhall Opera to great critical acclaim. She is excited to be returning to Glyndebourne for the Summer as an Apprentice in Wagner’s die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Recent and future concert work includes recitals for the Oxford Lieder Festival (broadcast on BBC Radio 3) and Aldeburgh Festival, Deruflé Requiem with Cambridge Philharmonic and Galas at St George’s Hanover Square and Clonter Opera. Bethan’s studies are supported by an EMI Music Sound Foundation bursary, a Tutton Award from Help Musicians UK and the Worshipful Company of Skinners.

Bethan began her musical training at the Holy Trinity Church Choir in Much Wenlock, and is very excited to be returning to her home town to perform with the Male Voice Choir, and to be sharing the stage with her Dad for the first time! Tickets for the event which starts at 7.30pm cost £10.00 and can be bought from Penny Farthing Gifts & Crafts in The Square, Much Wenlock,  online at www.wegottickets.com/event/346698 or pay at the door.