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, 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)

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In 2020 we have a mini tour to Kent, singing first with the Snowdown Colliery Welfare Male Voice Choir, in Walmer and the following evening with Thanet Male Voice Choir in Broadstairs. We have even managed to negotiate our rehearsal and concert around the Six Nations game between England and Wales.

Also in March we have our Annual Concert, held at the Llanhilleth Miners' Institute. We are particulary lucky to have the services of West End Star of 'Phantom of the Opera' Kieran Brown as our guest artist, together with the ever popular Elizabeth Tiley.

Future concerts include a visit to Portsmouth to sing with the Solent Male Voice Choir and a Centenary concert to celebrate the life of our first conductor, Tom Bundred. We are also hosting Exeter Male Voice Choir in St Michael´s Church, Abertillery and will be marking the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.

We will also be taking part in our traditional Civic Community Concerts such as St David's Day, Remembrance Sunday and Community Carol Services.

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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.

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.

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.

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

Our Next Concerts