Registered Charity No: 1021994
Next appearance of the Choir - will be at :
a private wedding on Saturday 26th April - see next concert page |for details.
Next Concert Date - Saturday 10th May 2014
Concert for Pontypool Rotary Club - St Cadoc's Church - Trevethin with Laura Sidney 7.30pm
Blaenavon Male Voice Choir Needs You!
Would you like to sing in a Male Voice Choir? Don't think you have a voice good enough?
The Choir doesn't need soloists, (you don't need to be able to read music) but singers who can blend with voices around them. Why not come along, watch and listen to the choir in practice and see what you are missing - just sit and listen, there is no obligation to join- chat to the choristers and the excellent musical team and see what you are missing. I'm sure at the end of the evening you will be joining this wonderful Welsh pastime. Practice is at Busy Bees Nursery - Park Street in Blaenavon on Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
As Wynn Evans tells us on the television - get your voice working for Wales (come along and learn the correct way to sing Calon Lan) and keep going our National Heritage, as a land of choirs and singers. Don't let the Male Voice Tradition die.
Mechanics of a Male Voice Choir
"The Britons (Welsh) do not sing their tunes in unison, like the inhabitants in other countries, but in different parts. So that when a company of singers meet to sing….as many different parts are heard as there are singers who all finally unite in consonance and organic melody”
The choir is made up of four sections . There are two groups of tenors known respectively as the TOP and 2nd TENOR sections and two groups of basses known either as 1st and 2nd BASS or BARITONE and BOTTOM BASS.
Top Tenors
Sing the highest notes and you hear them leading the melody and singing descant. Choirs often ‘brag’ about the quality of their top tenors or top line but this section in Blaenavon Male Voice Choir can justly be proud of its reputation. For those readers more musically minded the typical tenor range extends roughly from the C an octave below middle C to the A above middle C. The ‘trick’ in choral singing is to reduce the tendency for individual voices to stand out and to sound ‘open’ and harsh when under strain attempting the top notes.
The 2nd Tenors
Are the least understood but non- the- less are such an important element in the choir. You can hear the 2nd tenor line filling in the sound between the top tenors and the baritones lending support to both sections. 2nd Tenors usually sing those difficult parts which the other sections would rather leave!
Baritones (1st Bass)
Most would be choristers will join this section of the choir as it is considered the natural voice for men and It seems that few of them wish to leave the section once they have started singing ! An important section it contributes heavily to the rich fullness of sound the choir generates and the overall harmonies produced.
Bottom Base (2nd Bass)
The Bottom Bass section provides the essential platform above which the other voices can weave their respective melodies. This choir is renowned for its excellent Bass section and the volume and quality of sound it makes. Each performance, however, is a team effort and there is a three way partnership between the four voice sections, the accompanist and the conductor for the enjoyment of all participants and the audience.
'The great beauty of Welsh song is that it needs no occasion and it beautifully, plaintively or playfully accompanies every moment in Welsh life, like a natural soundtrack for reality' (Revelations-The Initial Journey-Through the Ages)
Choir Secretary
Mr Alan Williams, 3 Llanwenarth Road, Govilon, Abergavenny, NP7 9PN
Tel: +44 (0) 1873 830912 Email - bmvcsec@hotmail.co.uk |
Blaenavon Male Voice Choir was officially formed in 1910, however there is evidence to show that men gathered in Blaenavon to sing in harmony as far back as 1873.
The Choir are very fortunate to have the services of an excellent musical team led by the extremely talented Musical Director Mr Gareth Whitcombe MA, who is more than ably supported by our Deputy Conductor Mr Ossie Arnold - taking over when required.
The Choir has had successful tours to Cork, Norway, Hungary, France the USA on 3 occasions and Canada. In 2007 travelled to Spain and in 2012 to Jersey. These tours combined with concerts in all parts of the UK make it a very busy - but enjoyable time for members of Blaenavon Male Voice Choir.
The Choir has had the pleasure of performing with many operatic stars including Delme Bryn Jones, Dame Gwyneth Jones and Vada-Kiss Laylo and notable bands such as The Band of the Royal Air Force, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, The Combined Army Cadet Band, The Royal Marines, City of Coventry Band, many touring American bands and of course the Welsh Guards and lately with Royal harpist Kathryn Finch and Wynn Evans.
Over the years the Choir has been very successful in Eisteddfodau and has performed on numerous occasions with the massed Male Voices at the Royal Albert Hall, the choir was heavily involved with the BBC’s highly acclaimed series The Coalhouse and were guest "diners" on the food programme "10 Mile Menu". Membership of the Choir is encouraged from all ages and backgrounds.
Rehersals
At the present time the Choir is numbering 45 in total and we are always pleased for potential choristers to come along and listen to the choir rehearsing before making any commitment. Voice tests are held on a strict one to one basis with the Musical Director in the practise room.
At many practices we have guests from all over Great Britain and many parts of the World and the Choir would be very pleased to welcome anyone (near or far) who would like to listen to a choir in rehearsal.
The Choir rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7:30 and 9:30pm at Busybees Toddler and Pre-school building situated in Park Street, Blaenavon.
Weddings
Many people have kindly emailed our website to ask could the Choir sing at private weddings. I'm pleased to inform you that in future, enquiries for this type of booking will be considered by the committee/choir, if it does not clash with our normal concert appearances. Go to the Contact Us | page for further information.
Last Modified on: 23-04-2014