|
HAVERFORDWEST
MALE VOICE CHOIR
Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir, one of the oldest choirs in Wales, was
formed in 1896 and performed its
first concert at the town's Shire Hall on the 27th March of that year.
On the same day and same
location in 1996, the choir celebrated its 100th year anniversary
concert.
The Choir has performed at many prestigious concert halls over the
years; in England, Wales, the Irish Republic, France, and
Haverfordwest's twin town Oberkirch (www.oberkirch.de)
in Germany, whose bands members are now close friends of the choristers.
The Choir has also toured Hong Kong in 1992, Kentucky in 1996 and
Eastern Canada in 2001.Whilst they were in Canada, the attack on the
World Trade Centre took place on the 11th September and on that day
the Choir sang at the Notre Dame Vasilica in Montreal, which was very
moving. In 2000, the Choir made its fifth appearance at the Royal
Albert Hall in London, with other choirs from around South Wales and
England as part of the Millennium celebrations by the Welsh Association
of Male Choirs.
In 1999, the Choir was pleased to take part in the celebrations of the
10th Anniversary of the twinning of Oberkirch and Haverfordwest.(www.haverfordwesttown.co.uk).
THe Choir visited Oberkirch in April of that year and in July a large
delegation from Oberkirch made a return visit. Also in July of that
year, the Choir had the pleasure of a visit from the Moscow State
University Academic Choir(http://choir.msu.ru/eng_about.php
which was
touring the UK after competing in the Llangollen Eisteddfod. Also in
that year the Choir took part part, with other choirs, in the opening
ceremony of the Rugby World Cup at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff and
the
following year had the privilege of singing at the Wales/Scotland match
at the same stadium.
Since then the Choir has visited Ireland, Lingen in Germany, when they
took part in a festival with seven other choirs from Europe to
celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Lingener Mannerquartett
and
Belfast, when they took part in a joint concert with Queen's Island
Victoria and Bryncoch Male Choirs.
In 2002 for the first time, the Choir competed in the National
Eisteddfod at St David's and were runners up
in their category.
In 2009 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the twinning
between
Oberkirch and Haverfordwest, the choir returned to Germany and
performed
with the Oberkirch band and Haverfordwest Ladies Choir.The Oberkirch
Band returned to Haverfordwest in July 2009 and performed a
concert with the the Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir plus
Friends
in Harmony and the Haverfordwest Ladies Choir.
PAST
MUSICAL DIRECTORS
MR JAMES ADAMs was the first musical director.He conducted the first
concert and remained the
conductor for some time. His celebration Baton of Ivory and Silver was
presented to the current
membership by his late son,Mansell, and this baton receives the Choir's
special acclaim
at each Annual Dinner.
MOST RECENT MUSICAL
DIRECTOR
From Jan2008 - July2010 Christine Shewry was the Musical Director.
Christine was born and educated in Haverfordwest and studied at the
Welsh College of Music where she obtained a number of qualifications.
In the past Christine has been MD for both the Whitland and Tenby Male
Voice Choirs and during that time formed the Choir of Gentlemen to
raise money for charity.
Whilst at Haverfordwest, Christine created a number of arrangements for
the choir as well as writing a version of Ave Maria which the choir
recorded as a charity CD.
Christine is a very talented musician who
worked very hard whilst with HMVC to take the choir to an even higher
level of excellence. She will be missed by the choir and we owe her a
debt of gratitude for her time with us.
In the past 100 years there have been only ten conductors, of whom the
longest serving was
Mr Eddie Jones from 1919 to 1946.
The following is a list of Past Musical Directors:
| James
Adams |
................. |
1896 - 1907 |
| T.J.Mathias |
................. |
1907 - 1909 |
| Jim
James |
................. |
1909 - 1919 |
| Eddie
Jones |
................. |
1919 - 1946 |
| W.J.(Bill)
Price |
................. |
1946 - 1960 |
| L.
Newman Williams |
................. |
1960 - 1966 |
| Mrs.
E.M.Davies |
................. |
1966 - 1982 |
| Mr.
D. Gwyn Griffiths |
................. |
1982 - 2007 |
| Mrs
Christine Shewry |
................. |
2008 - 2010
|
| Mr Richard
Stephens |
................. |
2010- |
|
