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Band and Choir Raise The Roof
A superb band, a male choir in top voice,
special anniversaries to celebrate and an amazing venue - all
these came together in a memorable evening which nearly lifted
the roof off one of Pembroke Dock’s most historic and impressive
buildings.
The band was that of the Welsh Guards; the
choir was the Pembroke and District Male Voice - celebrating its
60th anniversary in 2012 - and the venue was the
splendidly restored Garrison Chapel which has perfect acoustics
for such a feast of music and song.
Maintaining the 60th anniversary
theme was the involvement of the Pembrokeshire Coast National
Park Authority, which like the Male Voice, traces its origins
back to 1952. The Park Authority started its anniversary year by
generously sponsoring the concert.
The concert could have been sold out twice
over, and many in the audience had never before seen inside the
Chapel. The generous support of the community resulted in two
splendid donations at the interval - cheques for £2,000 each to
the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal and the Pembroke Dock
Sunderland Trust, which leads local heritage initiatives and
plans to use the Garrison Chapel as a heritage centre.
In its 60 years the choir - deftly led by
Conductor Christine Lloyd with accompanist Jenny Griffiths - had
never before sung at the Garrison Chapel so it was a doubly
special occasion for the choristers. The band, conducted by
Bandmaster Craig Bywater and including two musicians from
Milford Haven and Haverfordwest, and choir last performed
together in the choir’s 50th anniversary year.
Special thanks were given to band member
Adrian Beckett of Milford Haven and Choir President Phil
Thompson for their help in the organisation of the event and
also to the MC, Choir Secretary Phil Lloyd.
Caption:
Pictured with the two cheques are, left
to right: Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive, Pembrokeshire Coast
National Park; Councillor Tony Brinsden, National Park Authority
Chairman; Gareth Scourfield, Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trustee;
Bandmaster Craig Bywater of the Welsh Guards, Frank Harries,
Chairman of the Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir, and
Choir President Phil Thompson.
PICTURE: Martin Cavaney
Photography.
From: John Evans, Pembroke Dock
Sunderland Trust, 01646 684220.
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