HISTORY.
How it started and where
For
the first five years the number of choristers was not enough to perform in
Annual concerts.
As the
years of its formation increased, so did the numbers in the choir. At the
present time the choir has 100 plus
members.
Gareth Evans was the leader at its
start, and remained
its
musical director until January 14th 2004. His endless dedication and
enthusiasm over the 25 years will never be forgotten,
as it is due to his efforts that the choir is now recognised as one of the
foremost in Wales. Of the original
twelve, eight are still faithful members of the choir.
On January 21st 2004, D. Huw Rees, B. Mus (Hons) who had been the resident accompanist since 1990, agreed to accept the post as musical director, and took up his duties from that date.
Huw
gained his Bachelor of Music honours degree at University College, Cardiff under
Professor Alun Hoddinott, having studied piano with Stephen Price, voice with
Clifford Bunford, organ with Robert Court and composition with Dr Richard Elfyn
Jones and Dr David Wyn Jones. During his time at University he became a member
of the National Youth Choir of Wales and also accompanist to numerous choirs.
Huw has been associated with Morriston RFC Male Choir since 1990 when he
became the choir’s accompanist. In January 2004 he was appointed the Choir’s
Musical Director and has lead the choir to compete in the Cheltenham Music
Festival and at the Swansea National Eisteddfod.
He
is a very talented and much sought after musician and has the opportunity to
perform and work with a number of national and international artists. Demands
for his accompanying skills have taken him to concert venues as far afield as
Brussels, Budapest, Holland, France, Scotland, Ireland, England and throughout
South Wales. Huw was the official accompanist to the massed mixed choirs
festival of 1992, 1996 and 1999 held at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff.
Huw
is an official accompanist at the Urdd National Eisteddfod and accompanied
competitors at the Eisteddfodau of 1993, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003 and was invited
in 2005 to play at the Millennium Centre Cardiff. In August 1994 he was actively
involved with the National Eisteddfod at Neath having been appointed the
official organist of the festival. In 2006 Huw was given the honour of
conducting the massed male voice choirs at the opening concert of the National
Eisteddfod held at Swansea.
Deputy Musical Director : Glyn Williams
Glyn Williams, was born and brought up in Ynysmeudwy near Pontardawe and is currently employed as a school teacher.
Glyn had a long and successful association with the Rhos Cwmtawe Male Choir, serving as accompanist, before becoming its Musical Director in October 1980, a position he held until November 1995. With Rhos Cwmtawe Male choir, School Choirs and Welsh Folk Dancing teams, he has toured extensively throughout Europe, Canada and America.
He is happy to be out of 'retirement' and back on the 'choral scene' once more and is grateful for the opportunity to be associated with the Morriston RFC Male Choir.
Accompainst: Hywel Evans, B.Mus (Hons)
Following the retirement of Huw Thomas in March 2007, Or deputy accompanist Hywel Evans has now been appointed accompanist to the choir.
Hywel
was born in
In 2005, he gained an honours Bachelor of Music degree at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he studied under international pianist, Richard McMahon, head of Keyboard Studies. Whilst a student he performed in several master classes with international artists including Alexei Skravronsky, Bernard Roberts and Malcolm Martineau and accompanied at a Walton song masterclass attended by Lady Walton.
He is an accomplished and experienced accompanist playing for concert performances as well as working with singing teacher Penny Ryan coaching students for advanced and diploma examinations, helping them consistently achieve outstanding results. He has also frequently and successfully accompanied for auditions at all the major conservatoires.
Hywel is sub-organist and a chorister at All Saints Church, Oystermouth, Swansea where for four years he has been engaged as pianist in residence in the All Saints Alive Annual May Literature Festival in which he has just played the famous piano duet with Stephen Craig in the Carnival of the Animals by Saint Saëns, together with an ensemble of young professional instrumentalists and in the annual September Music Festival when he will accompany for recitals, choral events and the Gala Concert .
He is official accompanist and répétiteur to the newly formed youth choir The Ariosa Singers and as a professional freelance, he accompanies many local music groups and soloists and has appeared in several prestigious concerts featuring male voice and mixed choirs; he is delighted to be joining the music staff of the Morriston RFC Choir.
The
first major concert was at Philadelphia Chapel, Morriston, in aid of the Swansea
National Eisteddfod in 1982. That night twenty seven choristers took to
the stage, and I am sure many in the audience were wondering what a “Rugby Club
Choir” had to offer in the form of serious music. Since then it has gone from strength to
strength and is regularly performing all over Great Britain. Some of the more widely known venues
include Wells Cathedral, Brecon Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Oxford Town Hall,
Windsor, Eton College, Brangwyn Hall Swansea, St David’s Hall Cardiff and the
Royal Albert Hall London, to name but a few. In 1999 it was very involved with the
Rugby World Cup, and was invited to perform in the opening and closing
ceremonies at the National Stadium, Cardiff, and also featuring on the official
CD of this event, singing the theme song “World In Union” with international
artistes Bryn Terfel and Shirley Bassey
In
January 2000, the choir celebrated its 21st anniversary with a gala
concert at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, compered by Richard Baker, followed by a
busy programme through 2001/02/03 performing at several other prestigious venues
such as Shrewsbury Music Hall, St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny, St. Mary &
St. Michael's Church New Ross, Rugby School, Gloucester Cathedral, St. David's
Cathedral, Malmesbury Abbey and The De Mountfort Hall, Leicester. In July
2003, the choir had the honour of being invited to perform in their own right at
The Royal Albert Hall in a "Gala
Over the last few years the choir has been recognised as one of the leading Welsh choirs, and enjoys a very good relationship with other male voice choirs all over Britain.
The Uniform
When the choir was first formed, the dress was navy jumpers and grey trousers, and this continued to be the uniform for several years, until they went on their first visit to the Royal Albert Hall, and found that they were the only choir in jumpers on stage. It was later decided to purchase blazers, which then became the number one dress. In May 1999 the choir appeared on stage at their annual concert in dinner suits. Depending on the type of concert and venue, the dress now varies between blazers and dinner suits.
The Choristers
The age of the choristers ranges from sixteen to eighty plus years young, and come from all walks of life. There are teachers, engineers, students, barristers, office workers, workers in industry and several retired persons, but they all have one thing in common, and that is their love of music.
Almost all the members are from the Morriston district, which is quite unique, as most choirs have to go much further afield to recruit choristers.
The Choir Badge
Ø St Johns Church
Ø Castle Graig
Ø Link with Rugby
The badge is that of the rugby club,
and has been so for over 125 years.
The only difference is that the words “Morriston RFC” have been replaced
by “Côr Rygbi Treforus”. The year
2001 saw the start of the 125th Anniversary of the club celebrations
The
symbols on the badge have very strong connections with Morriston, because in
1726 a Shropshire man by the name of Robert Morris, an expert in copper
smelting, bought a partnership in Llansamlet copper works at Landore. In 1789 he endowed a temporary church on
the site where St Johns now stands.
It is a focal point in Morriston, as it stands in the middle of the main
road and all traffic has to drive around it.
In
1999/00 The Church in Wales decided to close St Johns’ because they could not
afford the cost of its up keep, the stain-glass windows were removed for
safekeeping, and it was feared that the building would be demolished. Fortunately an organisation called
“Ragamuffins” has purchased it, and with a grant they are now able to refurbish
it, there was one condition the stain glass windows must be refitted.
Castle
Graig (Morris Castle) was built around 1750, again by Robert Morris to house the
workers and their families. It is
probably the first block of multi-storey flats ever built, an early
19th Century account states that 20 families lived there.
The
rugby posts, I am sure are self-explanatory