ABERTILLERY ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR CÔR MEIBION ABERTYLERI	FOUNDED 1908 PATRON: Robert Lloyd CBE Site updated:12 September, 2007

Annual Concert 2001

Anticipation of the performance by their local choir and the prospect of an evening in the company of one of the worlds finest Bass Opera Singers excited the large audience in attendance on the evening of the Annual concert given by the Abertillery Orpheus and their guest artist Robert Lloyd held at the Abertillery Leisure Centre last Saturday Evening.

Within the first seconds the audience immediately realized that the concert would be great and continued to enjoying an evening of fine choral singing presented by the Orpheus Choir and the melodious tones and professionalism of Robert Lloyd.

Starting the first half the choir under its permanent conductor Stephen Bard and accompanist Martin Budd gave performances of Men of Harlech and Jamaica Farewell, the contrast could then hardly have been greater with the singing of Shenandoah which was full of grace and tenderness.

The impressive stature of Robert Lloyd CBE appeared on stage causing enthusiastic and warm reactions. The choice of his opening number, Song of the Volga Boatman assisted by the choir proved to be a good one as the song was immediately recognized and well received by the large audience present.

During the remainder of the first half of the concert the choir and guest artiest continued to enthrall the audience with items from the choir including, My life for a Song and Praise His Holy Name with Robert Lloyd adding Do Not Awaken Memories, the choir finishing the half with the ever popular hymn Gwahoddiad.

Compere for the evening Roy Jenkins from BBC Wales provided the link between choir and audience. Roy's individuality and his own style of entertainment coming to the boil with good humor flying round the room at frequent intervals.

Plenty of talking points came from the first half of the concert and the ten-minute interval turned into twenty. The choir then continuing to entertain the audience once more with more top quality singing from their concert programme, which was to include a combined item, a Melody of Spirituals arranged by the choir own Martin Budd, sung with Robert Lloyd which included Peter Go Ring Dem Bells, Go Down Moses, Nobody Knows, Deep River and that Old Welsh favorite Swing Low Sweet Chariot, culminating with Dry Bones.

At the end of the evening performance the choirs Life President Trevor Wilde MBE made presentations to Robert Lloyd and Roy Jenkins as a token of the choirs appreciation for their help in making this concert such a memorable one.

In attendance on the evening a television crew from Opus Television recorded the proceedings as part of a TV documentary entitled 'Sounds Welsh' which is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC Wales early in 2002.

We know that this event will be repeated again next year so why not make a note in your new 2002 diaries now, as tickets are sure to be in demand.