The best choristers from Galway and Wales will perform a special Christmas concert later this month.
The concert features music from both sides of the Irish Sea. Galway Choral Association, under the musical direction of Norman Duffy, will present six Irish folksongs, Opus 78, Charles Villiers Stanford, alongside Faur's Cantique de Jean Racine and a range of other choral favourites.
North Wales premier male voice choir, Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, directed by Aled Wyn Edwards, will present 'Y Ddau Wladgarwr' (two Welsh patriots ) by Dr Joseph Parry, along with other items from their repertoire of sacred, operatic, folk and popular music.
"This will be a thoroughly entertaining evening," says Carol Duffy, chairperson of the Galway Choral Association. "We first met Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, previously known as Cantorion Colin Jones, at the Mayo Choral Festival where they won the male voice categories, and we were extremely impressed by their enthusiasm and pride in sharing Wales' musical tradition."
"It has been great to work with Stanford's song-cycle," says musical director Norman Duffy. "Although lighter than some of our typical works, these four-part settings of Thomas Moore's poetry to traditional Irish airs are challenging for singers and engaging for the audience. And of course being Christmas, we've included some seasonal favourites, too, including 'O Holy Night' featuring Cantorion Gogledd Cymru's baritone soloist."
Cantorion Gogledd Cymru founded in 1992 when some of north Wales' finest male choral singers came together to form a male chorus with a special sound and quality. The choir enjoys a busy concert schedule, with performances in the UK and recently in southern France. And they are regularly engaged to sing at the opening of Welsh international rugby matches.
The concert is being held at 8pm on Saturday December 17 in the Town Hall Theatre. Tickets are €20 (€18 concession ) and are available from the Town Hall, www.tht.ie phone: 091-569-777.
Further information is available from www.galwaychoral.ie, or you can find the choir on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GalwayChoralAssociation.
