The Aber Valley Male Voice Choir have recently returned from a very successful tour to Drogheda, County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. From the 19th to 22nd of May, the AVMVC embarked on a short tour of Ireland, culminating in a near sell-out performance in front of an audience of 800 people in the TLT Theatre, Drogheda. The choir performed alongside their Celtic cousins, the Drogheda Male Voice Choir, as well as the Loudres Youth Voice Choir and local soprano Amie Dyer.

Paul Newman, AVMVC Chairman was very pleased with the trip, he reported that the concert was ‘very well received by the 800 strong audience.’ Our Musical Director, Geraint Evans added to this by commenting that the choristers ‘exemplified all that is good about Welsh male voice choirs.’ Local newspaper, the Drogheda Independent were also very impressed, singling out our renditions of ‘Conquest of Paradise’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ in particular. Indeed, the aptly named concert, ‘The Irish and Welsh on Song’ was universally enjoyed by the choristers of the AVMVC. It was also an opportunity for the choir to re-familiarise itself with the daunting task of singing in front of large audiences, prior to the Inter-Céltique Festival which we will perform at in Brittany this coming August.

Naturally, we must thank our peers at the Drogheda Male Voice Choir for their wonderful hospitality throughout our visit. Choristers truly enjoyed the opportunity to experience local heritage and culture. Moreover, the AVMVC particularly enjoyed the wonderful social evening that the Drogheda MVC arranged for us. As Paul Newman recalled, ‘friendships were made, and the singing lasted into the small hours.’

The choir now prepares to perform at several weddings in the month of June and our next public concert is set to be on Saturday 9th June in Galmington, Somerset. Please keep an eye on our Events page for more information.