ABERTILLERY ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR

CÔR MEIBION ABERTYLERI

FOUNDED 1908

PATRON: Robert Lloyd CBE

Site updated:17 September, 2007

A MEMORIAL CONCERT is to be held in remembrance of choir member Ron Protheroe, in aid of Gwent Health Care Trust (Respiratory Equipment)

Ron spent 55 years with the Abertillery Orpheus and was a life member of the choir. He also served with the Moose, where he was a past president, and where he worked tirelessly for local charities.

Ron who was a Six Bells boy, and worked in the colliery as a carpenter, sadly passed away on September 14, 2001.

The concert features Abertillery Orpheus Male Choir, Abertillery Ladies Orpheus Choir and Cwm Male Voice.

The concert is to be held at St. Michael's Church Abertillery on Saturday January 26th (by kind permission of the vicar and church wardens).

Tickets are available from Back Trax Music in Church Street at a cost of £3.00 or from any choir member. Doors will be open at 6.20pm for the concert that commences at 7.00pm.

MEMORIAL CONCERT REPORT
(Ron Prothero)

It was a fitting tribute to Mr Ron Protheroe that every seat was filled at the Memorial Concert held in his honour last Saturday on a wet and blustery evening when it would have been much easier to have remained in the comfort of home.

Mr Graham Protheroe following the death of Ron last September initiating the memorial concert which featured, Abertillery Orpheus Male Choir, Abertillery Ladies Orpheus Choir and Cwm Male Voice, the concert being held at St Michael's Church Abertillery.

The three organisations taking to the stage in turn provided a unique concert for the capacity audience singing a wide variety and popular programme of songs, including Ron's life long favourite, The Battle Hymn of the Republic. As a man who had given all his life for the benefit of others and the community that he so dearly loved, Ron would have been very, very proud of this fund raising concert given in his name and for all the effort so freely given by all concerned. It was typical of Ron who wished that when he died the local Community Health Service should benefit rather than money being spent on flowers, and as a result of the concert and money donated at his funeral a cheque for over £1100 was donated on the night by Ron's daughter Dawn to The Gwent Health Care Trust (Respiratory Equipment)

Ron had joined The Abertillery Orpheus Male Choir at the age of fifteen and had remained a member for the next 57 years being a past chairman and life member. He also served with the Abertillery Moose, where he was a past president, and where he worked tirelessly for local charities. The Moose' belief of loyalty, friendship and community spirit always being a part of Ron's life.

At the culmination of the concert the three choirs joined together in the singing of Morte Criste (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross) which was a very moving and fitting end to the evenings performance leaving more than one of the audience with tiers in their eyes.