This was my choirs annual event to raise funds for Wateraid and again we were lucky enough to have been allowed use of the beautiful St John’s Church in Canton for free as 1 of their 3 charity concerts per year!
There were members of several choirs at the performance – in fact all the choirs I work with apart from the Junior school St Helen’s.
The choirs involved were :-
Cardiff Canton Singers; Chapter Singers; Porthkerry Community Choir of Barry; Betws Community Choir of Bridgend; YMCA staff choir of Cardiff Housing dept; Newport Mind; Oasis and friends of Oasis – one of the refugee day centers in Cardiff.
The opening of the concert begun with 4 choirs surrounding the audience and taking it in turns to sing sections of John Dowland’s “Now is the Month of Maying”. A lovely quartet from Cardiff Canton Singers started the song to then be answered and echoed around the church.
A great turn out from the Newport Mind who sang 2 songs on their own as well as adding their voices to “Hold Back the River” James Bay – alongside YMCA choir and Betws Community Choir. Only 3 members of Betws community choir could make it – but they did a very stunning rendition of “Bugeilior Gwenyth Gwyn” a song very close to their hearts as it originates from a couple of miles away from Betws – Bridgend. The rest of the concert consisted of mixed ensembles of small and large numbers – smallest being Penny and Corrina – sisters from the Cardiff Canton Singers who sang their very beautiful interpretation of “the Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”. Mixed choirs singing “Waka Waka” with Oasis/ Betws/YMCA and all the audience joining a refrain. Jeremiah of Eritrea performed a gospel song for us too.
Rebecca Ballard led the Cardiff Canton Singers in the Georgian church song “Tsmindao”. The men sang “Mravaljamier” in full harmony and Julia Ballard added Bass guitar to hold us together for our end song of the first half – “One Day Like This” – Elbow.
It all went very smoothly with all singers starting the 2nd half with E Malama – and the event ending with our new version of “Shosholoza” then Sunset Poem.
The total raised was £739 including a wonderful raffle.