Would It Rain Or Wouldn’t It? That was the question on all our minds last Friday as Tenby Male Choir headed to Cresswell Quay for our second performance of the week.

On Tuesday the choir sang at St John’s Church to help to celebrate their 150th anniversary.

The choir were strong in numbers for this very important concert. We were welcomed by Molly Neate who is a stalwart supporter of the choir and the church.

Molly’s husband Peter is a member of the choir and Molly wrote reports for the choir in the Tenby Observer for nine years.

The choir were on top form again and well deserved the favourable comments made by members of the audience.

Our soloist for the evening was Jim Walker who is an extremely talented viola player and an Elder Of St John’s Church. Jim played with all the major British Orchestras and was head of the music department at the Royal Welsh College. He has many other claims to fame having appeared on Top Of The Pops and has performed with the likes of Lulu, Elton John and Tom Jones. Jim is held in high regard by some very talented young Pembrokeshire musicians. He performed two sets of varied music.

The high light for me was a beautiful medley of numbers from Les Miserables.

We were very fortunate that Jim came out of retirement to play for us. Jim’s Accompanist for the evening was Sharon Lusher.

After the concert one of the audience told our MC that he had tears of joy in his eyes when the choir sang the Welsh hymn Rachie. His mother used to sing this hymn until she was well into her 90s. He sang himself in a Welsh choir in a Welsh chapel in London. Apparently they were never short of milk as all the choristers were milkmen!

Once again the choir performed in shirtsleeves because of the heat. Our MD Ian (Wilbur) Williams kept his DJ on until they performed the fast and furious Rhythm Of Life.

Our truly international audience gave the best performance so far this season when they were asked to sing Climb Every Mountain with the choir.

It was great to see some staunch supporters of the choir who attend the concerts when they are staying in Pembrokeshire.

At the end of the concert Molly thanked all concerned for their contribution to a memorable evening.

St John’s were over the moon with the wonderful performance given by the choir and Jim.

On Friday as we left Tenby we encountered a few drops of rain but at Cresswell Quay it was cloudy but dry. Would the alfresco choir event be sabotaged yet again by the weather? The barbecue was expertly run and did a roaring trade during the evening thanks to choir friends and relatives. Our MD Wilbur is often kitted out differently to the choir.

This might be because he doesn’t want the audience to think that he is a chorister facing in the wrong direction!

On this occasion he was sporting a light blue shirt and a dapper pale green and ivory waistcoat.

In the first set when they performed Climb Every Mountain our MC Dave Blackmore invited two young men in the audience to join the choir. They confidently stepped forward to join the Tenors and apparently did a good job.

After a varied selection of songs the choir took a well deserved break to sample barbecue food and partake of liquid refreshment. On offer were beef burgers, hot dogs and a variety of accompaniments. Or was it sausage rolls Dave? During this break the rain arrived and Jill’s keyboard was quickly taken into the marquee, power supply was rerouted and choristers and everyone else who was outside the shelter squeezed into any available space.

Whilst Jill sorted her keyboard the disarranged choir sang an impromptu Hiraeth under the relaxed supervision of Wilbur. One cheeky chorister at the edge of the dripping marquee used the sleeve of the chorister in front of him to wipe the rain from his face!

Thus the second set began with the rain pouring down and the choir and audience safety ensconced in the marquee. A few commented that it was ‘very cozy ‘. There were a couple in the audience who have returned to Britain after spending many years living in China.

They were celebrating their 55th anniversary so the choir dedicated Let It Be Me to them. We all clapped when we were told they had been married for such a long time and the gentleman quipped that he had been a ‘child bride’.

I spoke to him after the concert and he said it was the best anniversary celebration they had had.

Dave then announced that on Saturday it would be John Butland’s wife’s birthday so the choir and audience joined together to sing Happy Birthday to Christine.

Time for their final song, Dave introduced An American Trilogy asking Wilbur if it was true that Tom Jones had sung this song.

Wilbur replied that It’s Not Unusual (groans all around). The audience wanted more, however, so a rousing Men Of Harlech quickly followed. The choir were very warmly thanked by the Cresselly Arms so hopefully we will be invited back next summer.

Weather permitting the choir will next perform at 6.30 pm on Tuesday, August 14 at Saundersfoot Harbour and on Thursday, August 16 at 8pm at St Mary’s Church (doors open at 7.30).

Visit our website tenbymalechoir.org for our full programme plus much more.

Di Mumford