ABERTILLERY ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR

CÔR MEIBION ABERTYLERI

 "With hwyl in vein and song in heart"

THE CHOIR

Abertillery Orpheus Male Choir (AOMC) was founded in 1908 and was mainly made up of members from local church choirs who in turn, were employed in the local coal mines. Over 110 years later the choir continues to represent and enhance the reputation of Abertillery and Wales through their musical, social and civic endeavours.

In 2017 the choir represented Wales at the ´Festival Interceltique de Lorient´ in France while in 2018 the choir performed at the Festival of Welsh Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall

During 2019, in addition to local civic concerts, the choir performed in Brixham, Reading, Kempley Green, Crickhowell and Weymouth, as well as the Pavilion, Llandrindod Wells. We also hosted, together with Abertillery Ladies Orpheus Choir, both Harmonic Voices (Burbage Community Choir) from Leicester and Kor På Randen, a mixed choir from Stavanger, Norway, who performed in National & Regional Costumes.

(Read more about the Kor På Randen visit here)

___________________________________________________________________

CORONAVIRUS COVID-19

In March 2020 we had the great good fortune to complete a mini tour to Kent - singing first with the Snowdown Collery Welfare Male Choir in Walmer and later with the Thanet Male Voice Choir in Broadstairs.

Two days after we returned from Kent the World Health Organisation declared COVID19 a Pandemic.

The Choir continues to follow Government advice regarding social distancing. We have postponed concert engagements for the next couple of months and also suspended all choir rehearsals. We will of course continue to learn new music, practice our Welsh language and support each other as friends and colleagues through this difficult time.

Other concerts planned for later in the year may need to be postponed. Even after COVID restrictions have been lifted choristers and audiences will need time to build confidence before returning to venues in large numbers.

Nevertheless we are confident that the 'ENSA' spirit will prevail and Art and Music will be a way of helping bring communities back together.

__________________________________________________________________

The Choir meets at Ebeneezer Baptist Church Hall, Park Place, Abertillery NP13 1ED on Tuesday and Friday evening 6.45 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.

We are a friendly choir and welcome new members. There is no need for a voice test, other than to ascertain range, and you will become part of a very sociable, well trained choir with a superb conductor, looking forward to the next hundred years. Abertillery Orpheus is renowned as one of the top male choirs in Wales, its success largely due to the dedication and musical ability of Mr Stephen Bard who has served the choir as Musical Director since 2001.

Like many Male Choirs we are a family, with sons following their fathers into the choir, with wives and partners of choristers and ex choristers supporting and travelling with the choir to concerts and working together to raise funds and promote the choir and community. We also enjoy the support of friends of the choir both from the local community and further afield.

The choir looks forward to the future with great confidence in the knowledge that our music helps enrich the lives of audiences both locally and further afield. Many charities have received financial benefit from concerts performed by the choir, a tradition it is hoped will continue in the years to come

Visit Abertillery one day and learn more, we'd love to see you. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy listening to our music, as much as we enjoy making it.

You can also keep up with the choir via our facebool page https://www.facebook.com/groups/108841365872856/

Following the postponement of our Annual Concert those who have already purchased tickets will, of course, be offered a full refund, on proof of purchase. For more details please contact our Choir Secretary on 01495 216538 / 07970 190991.

We are a member of both the Welsh Association of Male Choirs (WAMC) and the National Association of Choirs (NAC).

Our Next Concerts