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P E N D Y R U S   M A L E   C H O I R
CÔR MEIBION PENDYRUS
Established 24th May 1924

WHO ARE WE?

Wales, traditionally the “Land of Song”, is renowned for its “male voice choirs”. These have flourished since the late 19th Century, particularly in the coal-mining valleys of the south and the slate-quarrying areas of the north, and, for over 85 years, Pendyrus has been one of the foremost names among them.

Pendyrus Male Choir performs throughout the British Isles and overseas. It undertakes fee-paying and charity engagements, and is available for concerts, after-dinner and corporate entertainment, and national and promotional events.

The choir is a member of the Welsh Music Guild, and of the Welsh Amateur Music Federation, from which it receives financial assistance, and is supported by a Lottery grant from the Arts Council of Wales, and by grants from the Communities First Trust Fund and Menter Iaith.

WHERE ARE WE?

The choir rehearses throughout the year (with occasional breaks)


Mondays (7.30-9.30pm) & Wednesdays (7.30-9.30pm)
at the Rhondda Fach Sports Centre, East Street, Tylorstown, Rhondda CF43 3HR
(tel: 01443 756242)

Please see map on Contact us page for details of how to get there ?.

If you would like to see and hear what goes on behind the scenes, why not call in at a rehearsal? Visitors are always welcome, and over 60 countries are represented in our Visitors’ Book. There is no need to let us know in advance (unless you are likely to outnumber the choir!) but it would be wise to check in case we are not “at home” on a particular date.

HOW TO REACH US

For all enquiries please contact:
General Secretary:  John H Lewis
9 Brown Street, Ferndale, Rhondda CF43 4SF
tel/fax: +44 (0) 1443 730383    email: johnpendyrus@talktalk.net  OR


Assistant Secretary: Graham Clarke
Llandilo House, Woodfield Terrace, Penrhiwceiber, Mountain Ash CF45 3UT
tel/fax: +44 (0) 1443 472671
email: CommSouSer@aol.com 

WHO’S WHO IN PENDYRUS

Musical Director: Stewart Roberts
Accompanist: Gavin Parry

President: His Honour Sir Wyn Williams Kt QC

Chairman: J B D Creighton Lewis OBE                                    Vice-Chairman: W Jeffrey Thomas
General Secretary: John H Lewis                                           Financial Secretary: Alun G Davies
Assistant General Secretary: Graham Clarke                            Assistant Financial Secretary: Howard S Stephens
Stage Manager: Robert Williams                                            Fundraising Manager: Anthony Evans
Marketing Manager: W Morgan Thomas                                 Transport Manager: Stanley Davies
Librarian: Byron L Seldon                                                     I.T. Manager: Paul Adams



STEWART ROBERTS, MUSICAL DIRECTOR

STEWART ROBERTS, MUSICAL DIRECTORStewart Roberts was born in Pembrokeshire, and when the family moved to the Rhondda, was educated at Treorchy Comprehensive School and the University of Wales in Cardiff, where he studied piano with Richard McMahon and Caroline Rae. In 1995 he graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree, and was awarded the Eleanor Amy Bowen Scholarship which enabled him to pursue his Master's Degree. As a solo pianist Stewart has performed concertos by Grieg, Shostakovich, Mozart and Beethoven. His most recent performance was in December 2008 in the "Warsaw Concerto" with the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra at St David's Hall, Cardiff, and the orchestra has invited him to appear with them again, in Grieg's Piano Concerto, later this year. Stewart Roberts has accompanied many of Wales' distinguished vocalists, including Rhys Meirion, Rebecca Evans, Shan Cothi, Wynne Evans and Anthony Stuart Lloyd, and in 2007 he accompanied Hayley Westenra in concert at St David's Hall. Stewart's passion for male choral singing was ignited when he was appointed Accompanist to cor Meibion Morlais at the age of sixteen. Since then he has worked with Dunvant, Ynysowen and Black Mountain Male Choirs, and was Musical Director of Dowlais Male Choir 2000-2007. Following the retirement of John Samuel as Pendyrus' Conductor on 14th January 2009, Stewart readily agreed to take up the baton, and he was formally appointed the fifth Musical Director in the choir's 85 year history on 22nd February 2009
GAVIN PARRY, ACCOMPANIST

GAVIN PARRY, ACCOMPANISTGavin Parry was educated at Cardiff High School, and read Physics at Bristol University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. He had studied piano while at school, becoming a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music, and resumed his studies at the Royal Academy on leaving university. He works for the National Assembly for Wales, dealing with pharmacy and prescribing policy in the National Health Service, and is a free-lance professional musician, accompanying choirs and solo artistes throughout Britain, and in Russia (1979), the United States (1984, 1989, 1995, 2002 and 2004), Hungary (1986), Australia (1987) and Canada (1990, 1997 and 2007). He was official accompanist at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales in Newport in 1988. Gavin was appointed Accompanist to Pendyrus in September 1973, and was awarded Life Membership of the choir in 1994.


CHORISTERS

During its first 50 years the Pendyrus Choir boasted an annual membership of well over 100 choristers (the highest number recorded was 161 in 1939). The total fell to below 100 in 1974, and currently there are 93 choristers on the Register.
Life Membership is awarded to choristers who complete 21 years’ service; those “still on the Register” are marked*
The exclusive “50 Plus Club” comprises those choristers who have achieved 50 years’ service; these members are marked**
VP signifies Vice-President

1st TENORS:

Huw Cook; *Stanley Davies; Anthony Evans; *Barrie Evans; Robert Evans; John Francis; Robin Gibson; Connor Griffiths; Gareth Haines; Gareth Jones; **Glyndwr Jones;           Phillip Jones, *John Kelland; **Edward Lewis; *Keith Loveday; *Glyndwr Matthews; Anthony McGuckin; Donald Morgan; *Ivor Phillips; Gwilym Powell; Gareth Rees;           Andrew Richards; Ashley Richards; William Richards; *Glenville Roberts; Michael Thomas; *Robert Williams; Steven Williams

2nd TENORS:

*Alun Davies; Christian Bright; Colin Dudson; Jordan Davies; *Edward Griffiths; *Malcolm Hobbs; Emyr Honeybun; *Malcolm James; Kenneth John; Dewi Jones; Stephen Jones; *John Leat; Glyn Lock; *Malcolm Long; *Rhydfen Morgan; Leslie Pearce; *Paul Richards; Thomas Richards; David Smith; Robert Smith; *Howard Stephens; *Allan Thomas; **David Williams; Gareth Williams

1st BASS:

*Paul Adams; *Carl Bowen; Michael Chapman; Les Cutter; Emlyn Davies; *Ivor Davies; Nathan Dearden; *Edmund Duffy; Richard Gardiner; Denzil Gough; Melvyn Haines; Alan Jones; *Gwyndaf Jones; *David Jury; John Lang; *Creighton Lewis OBE; *John Lewis; *John Llewellyn; Jonathan Maiden; Jason Morgan; John Owen; Sion Roberts; Justin Silezin; Martyn Silezin; David Smith; Daniel Thomas; Morgan Thomas; *John Wiggam; John Wilkins; Bryn Williams

2nd BASS:

Robert Andrews; Anthony Cartwright; Graham Clarke; Raymond Davies; Clive Drakeford; Allen Edwards; Daniel Evans; John Evans; Matthew Evans; Ronald Eveleigh; Brian Fry; Neil Griffiths; Keryl Jones; *Vivian Jones; Thomas Morgan; *Brian Owens; David Pryor; Leslie Roe; *Walter Southcombe; Graham Thomas; Jeffrey Thomas; Peter Walker; Cynan Williams

*LIFE MEMBERS (retired):

Garfield Bendrey 1976-2000; *Glyn Brewer 1962-09[Chairman 1981-87; VP 1987]; Eben Davies 1958-2009; Idwal Davies 1969-2000; Meirion Harries 1978-2004 [Financial Secretary 1996-2002]; Michael Hawkins 1966-2002; D. Gwynfryn Jones 1962-68 & 1974-2009; Dennis Lawley 1978-2000; Ian Macleod 1962-2006 [Chairman 1980-81]; Neil Macleod 1966-2002; Ivor Mainwaring 1960-66 & 1978-2000;                              Edward Morgan 1962-2006[Stage Manager 1973-2003] Trevor Parcel 1969-90; Byron Seldon 1959-92 & 1997-2000 [Librarian since 2001]; Douglas Williams 1972-2003; Russell Willis 1956-78

VICE PRESIDENTS

The Choir currently enjoys the support of 59 Vice-Presidents. They include many friends who have long-standing personal connections with Pendyrus, and distinguished representatives of the civic, cultural, professional, and commercial life of the UK, and of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. They all make a valuable contribution to the life and work of the choir, whether through advice, assistance or sponsorship, and this is greatly appreciated.

Jayne Bartlett [USA]                                              The Rt Hon the Lord Kinnock PC
The Rev Richard Price Baskwill [USA]                         Kay McKirdy [NZ]
David Blenkinsop CBE AM [Australia]                          Murray McLaggan
Glyn D Brewer                                                       Cliff Morgan CVO OBE
Alun L Brunt                                                          Cyril Morgan
Dr Stuart Burrows OBE                                            The Rev Islwyn Morgan
Mervyn Burtch MBE                                                 Pamela Morgan
Mary Carey                                                            Dr Robert Huw Morgan [USA]
Ann Davies                                                            Phillip Owen
Dr Berian Davies [USA]                                            David Parry [USA]
David Davies                                                          Anthony Procopi
Megan Davies                                                        The Rt Hon Allan Rogers PC
Brian Davis MBE [USA]                                             The Rt Hon the Lord Rowlands PC CBE
Jean Davis [USA]                                                    Patricia St Clair [USA]
Martin Earley                                                          William St Clair [USA]      
Capt.Sir Norman Lloyd Edwards KCVO GCStJ               Rhys Saunders [NZ]
                                                                            Col Roy M Scott TD 
Wilfred Greenway [USA]                                           Pauline Semmens [Australia]
Emyr Griffith                                                           C Hugh Thomas JP
Glenn A Grove [USA]                                               Iwan Thomas
John D Hall                                                            J Gaynor Thomas
Daniel Harries                                                         Philip M Walters 
Edward Hopkins                                                      Roy Watterson JP [Australia]
Evan Hughes [Australia]                                          Geraint Wilkes [USA]
                                                                            Barbara J Williams
John Jenkins                                                          David Williams [USA]
Cyril T Jones                                                          Huw Tregelles Williams OBE
Dr Geraint Stanley Jones CBE                                   Sylvia I L Williams [Australia]
Graham Jones [Australia]                                         Trefor Williams [USA] 
Harley Jones                                                         

"400 Club"

The Pendyrus Choir also runs a “400 Club”, which is an important source of regular income. It comprises of members and friends of the choir, and their support is very welcome and much appreciated. If anyone is interested in joining, for a contribution of £1 per month, you will have a chance of winning £500 in the Xmas and Summer draws and numerous other prizes from £50 down to £6 in our monthly draws. Please see any chorister or contact Alun Davies, Howard Stevens or the Secretary for details.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The early 1920’s were overshadowed by poverty and mass unemployment, and nowhere more so than in the South Wales coalfield. One evening two young out-of-work miners, Ben Jones and Emlyn Drew, who lived in Tylorstown, a village in the Rhondda Fach (the smaller of the two world-famous Rhondda valleys), decided to take advantage of their enforced leisure. Other valleys had choirs, so why not Rhondda Fach? They contacted friends and former work-mates, and, within weeks, enough men had shown interest to make the idea a reality. They approached a local baker, who was an amateur musician with conducting experience, and he accepted their invitation to conduct a new “male voice” choir, which was formally inaugurated on 24th May 1924 in the local Miners’ Federation hut.

Auditions were held in the vestry of Ebenezer Chapel, Tylorstown, each man being required to take a “voice test”. The story has it than many escaped through the windows rather than face this ordeal, but many more stayed, and passed the test. Within a short space of time the choir numbered 150 choristers, and outgrew the facilities of the chapel. It moved to Tylorstown Junior School, which was to be its home for the next 75 years. The original collier-choristers were joined by school-teachers, shopkeepers, and others from the local community, and walked to twice-weekly rehearsals, and to concerts. Although depleted during the Second World War (many members having been called to the armed forces), the choir did not cease to function. It regained its former strength during the late 1940s/early 1950s, and has since had a constant membership of about 100 men, drawn from all walks of life in South Wales.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Long before Alfred Tylor (after whom Tylorstown was named) sank his coal shaft in 1872, the valley was uninhabited except for a scattering of hill-farms. Two of these, of which only a few stones now remain, were called Pendyrus Uchaf and Pendyrus Isaf (“uchaf” = higher; “isaf” = lower), and he named the colliery Pendyrus (later changed to Ferndale Number 6). The name appears to be an amalgamation of two Welsh words – “pen” which perhaps in this context means a rocky ridge, and “dyrus”, an adjective which refers to wild and rough land which cannot easily be cultivated.

On the evening of the first meeting of the choir the men were distracted by a fire which gutted the colliery Power Station across the valley. As they watched the blaze, they noticed a railway signal-box illuminated by the flames. The signal-box, too, was named “Pendyris” (an alternative spelling), and, deciding that this was more historical, more romantic, and more “Welsh” than Tylorstown, they adopted it for the new choir. “Pendyrus” is now accepted by the Post Office as the official Welsh alternative for Tylorstown, and can be found as the names of two streets in the locality, and of one in Cardiff, of houses occupied by choristers past and present, and, believe it or not, of a street in Delta, Pennsylvania (re-christened in honour of the choir’s American tour in 1989)

JOIN PENDYRUS AND SEE THE WORLD

Pendyrus has the distinction of being the only Welsh choir to have been invited to Aldeburgh, Britain’s most prestigious festival (in 1979), and has performed at the Abergavenny, Burnley, Cardiff, Coleraine, Corby, Glasgow, Glastonbury, Leek, Llandaff and Oundle Festivals, and at Llangollen International Eisteddfod. It has given recitals in Ely, Hereford, Llandaff, Wells, St David’s, St Woolos (Newport), and Worcester Cathedrals, and at Dorchester, Margam and Tewkesbury Abbeys.

The choir has toured twice in Northern Ireland and five times in Scotland, and has appeared in the Isle of Man. Other British concert venues include the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and St John’s Smith Square in London, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, and Cardiff International Arena. Pendyrus appeared in the Opening Concert of the Wales Millennium Centre in November 2004, and has made a record 58 appearances in 22 years at St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

The choir has frequently performed with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with internationally recognised soloists, and under the direction of distinguished conductors. It has appeared before the Queen and other members of the Royal Family, and has featured in radio and television programmes throughout Europe, America and the former Soviet Union.

Pendyrus has made 13 overseas tours – the first in 1965 - and its itinerary reads like an international gazetteer.

Europe - Brussels, Moscow and St Petersburg
Australia - Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
Canada - Calgary, Charlottetown; Courtenay, Digby, Edmonton, Halifax, Kelowna, Kensington; Lethbridge, Lunenburg, Nanaimo, Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current, Toronto, Truro, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg
New Zealand - Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Nelson and Wellington
and the United States:
California - Angwin, LaFayette, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Los Gatos, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco
Georgia - Atlanta
Illinois - Chicago
Indiana - Fort Wayne
Maryland - Annapolis, Baltimore, Bel Air and Hagerstown
Michigan - Warren
Montana - Great Falls and Havre
New York - Buffalo and New York City
Ohio - Cincinnati, Sandusky, Warren and Youngstown
Pennsylvania - Bangor, Delta, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York
Washington - Seattle
Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Wyoming - Casper
and Washington (DC)

It is the only Welsh choir to have performed in the White House and the Kremlin, and at the British Embassies in Washington and Moscow, and, for good measure, has given impromptu “mini-concerts” in Baffin Island, Greenland, Iceland, Bahrain and Singapore during the course of its travels.

FORTY YEARS’ HIGHLIGHTS

1965 1st Welsh male choir to promote a concert in the Royal Albert Hall
1st Overseas Tour - western Canada/USA
1966 Chief Male Choir prize at National Eisteddfod (Aberafan)
1968 1st Welsh choir to appear at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
“John Edwards Memorial Award” for services to contemporary music in Wales
Corby Festival
2nd Overseas Tour - western Canada/USA

1971 Cardiff 20th Century Festival; 3rd Overseas Tour - Canada/USA (coast-to-coast)
1972 Cardiff 20th Century Festival; North Gwent Festival
1973 Tour in Ayrshire
1974 “Rhondda Recognition Award”
Pendyrus Golden Jubilee Festival; 2nd tour in Ayrshire
1975 Llandaff Festival
1976 Cardiff 20th Century Festival
1979 1st,Welsh choir at Aldeburgh Festival
4th Overseas Tour - Russia - Leningrad, Moscow and Soviet Central Television

1980 Tour in Scotland (Irvine, St Andrews, Inverness & Aberdeen)
1981 Coleraine Festival (Northern Ireland)
1982 Closing concert at Llangollen International Eisteddfod
1983 Llandaff Festival
1984 Coleraine Festival; 5th Overseas Tour - north-eastern USA
Welsh Brewers’ “Award for Excellence”
1987 6th Overseas Tour - Australia, including Festivals of Perth, Sydney & Melbourne
Recital in Ely Cathedral
1988 Mayfest (Glasgow International Festival); Recital in Wells Cathedral
1989 7th Overseas Tour - north-eastern USA

1990 Leeds International Concert; Recital in Dorchester Abbey
1991 Towneley Festival (Burnley)
1992 Leek Festival
8th Overseas Tour - “Fanfare for Wales in Europe” - Gala concert in Palais des Beaux-Arts,
Brussels (televised in Britain and Belgium)
1993 Oundle Festival; Tour in Strathclyde
Opening of Courtyard Galleries of National Museum of Wales by HM The Queen
Classical Spectacular in Cardiff International Arena
1994 2nd Classical Spectacular
1995 9th Overseas Tour - north-eastern USA (including 64th Welsh National Cymanfa Ganu in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
1996 Glastonbury Classical Extravaganza
1997 2nd Glastonbury Extravaganza; Recital in Margam Abbey; 5th Tour in Scotland
1998 10th Overseas Tour - New Zealand (including Auckland Festival) and Australia (including1st Australian National Cymanfa Ganu in Melbourne)
1999 Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man

2000 3rd Glastonbury Extravaganza
2001 4th Glastonbury Extravaganza
2002 5th Glastonbury Extravaganza; 11th Overseas Tour - Southern California
2003 Debut at St John’s, Smith Square, London
2004 6th Glastonbury Extravaganza; 12th Overseas Tour - Eastern USA
Opening Concert of the Wales Millennium Centre
2007 13th Overseas Tour - Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

INTERNATIONAL PRESS NOTICES

“An ensemble of male voices it would be difficult to match anywhere in the world”
Sunday Times, Perth

“An outstanding exponent of the choral tradition of Wales”
Calgary Herald

“The virility and splendid blend and balance of Pendyrus came as a revelation”
Courier-Mail, Brisbane

“A technical wonder in such matters as producing fullness of sound and absolutely dazzling diction”
San Francisco Chronicle

“A well-disciplined and responsive ensemble. For a choir that is essentially an amateur body its singing was always of high standard”
Canberra Times

“Choirs like Pendyrus are adventurous, forward-looking and wholly professional in their standards”
Western Mail, Cardiff

“A superbly drilled, precise, yet warm-voiced instrument, this choir has the knack of breathing meaning and vitality into everything they sing”
Sydney Morning Herald

“A body of unusually fine voices; it is clear that it is guided with finesse and flair”
New York Times

“One of the most widely-acclaimed of Welsh choruses, who demonstrate at once their versatility and care for cleanly balanced ensemble”
Daily Telegraph, London

“Entertainment in the best meaning of the word”
Music Maker, Perth

“Pendyrus exemplifies all that is thrilling in choral singing. Its spontaneous vigour, exquisite control, ability to rise and fall through dynamic colouring, and its skill in soul-stirring interpretation leaves little to be desired in aural delight”
The Australian, Brisbane

WHY NOT JOIN?

Prospective choristers, in all parts of the choir, are always most welcome. You may already be thinking of joining a choir, and would like to know more about PENDYRUS. We hope that the information on these pages will help, but here are answers to some specific questions you may be asking:

Members come from all over south-east Wales, and from all walks of life.

Age and background are not important, nor is the ability to read music – although some
experience would obviously be an advantage.

Forget the horrors of audition – there isn’t one!

Pendyrus is not a casual “sing-a-long”. We are all amateurs, but are fortunate enough to be
conducted and accompanied by professional musicians. We enjoy making music and aim to
maintain the great Welsh tradition.

We have performed throughout the British Isles, and in Australia, Belgium , Canada, New Zealand, Russia and theUnited States.

We have featured in television and radio programmes, and made recordings, and are often
invited to major festivals (for example Aldeburgh and Glastonbury)

Now, some questions for you!

Are you prepared for some serious rehearsal and commitment?

Would you like to be part of an interesting, adventurous and worthwhile musical experience?

Do you enjoy convivial company?

Do you want the chance to travel (in Britain and overseas)?

If your answer to any (or all) of these questions is “Yes”, then PENDYRUS is the place for you! Just call in at one of our rehearsals and make yourself known – we will make you welcome!

We meet at:

RHONDDA FACH SPORTS CENTRE, TYLORSTOWN CF43 3HR
MONDAYS (7.30 to 9.30pm) and WEDNESDAYS (7.30 to 9.30pm)

If you would like further information please contact the General Secretary:

JOHN H LEWIS, 9 BROWN STREET, FERNDALE CF43 4SF
tel/fax: 01443 730383 email: johnpendyrus@talktalk.net

or the Assistant Secretary:

GRAHAM CLARKE, LLANDILO HOUSE, WOODFIELD TERRACE, PENRHIWCEIBER, MOUNTAIN ASH CF45 3UT
Tel/fax: 01443 472671 email: commsouser@aim.com



THE DUGGAN ERA

THE DUGGAN ERAThe choir's first conductor was ARTHUR DUGGAN (1924-1960), a bakery salesman for the local Co-operative Society, and an amateur musician. He was a dynamic and charismatic character, and, with Ben Jones (one of the "founding fathers", and accompanist for 26 years), established Pendyrus as one of Wales' premier male choirs, famed for its renderings of the great Victorian musical "war-horses". This reputation was achieved through popular radio broadcasts, numerous charity concerts, and success in local and national competition (the choir gained first prize at the National Eisteddfod in Caernarfon in 1937, and again in Rhyl in 1953). On Mr Duggan's retirement his place was taken by the then accompanist Glan Lewis, who resigned two years later. A "locum" then held the reins until the appointment of Glynne Jones in June 1962.
THE GLYNNE JONES YEARS

THE GLYNNE JONES YEARSGLYNNE JONES, who had already established his credentials as conductor of the highly successful Silurian Singers (now the Rhymney Silurian Male Choir, in the neighbouring Rhymney Valley), immediately stamped his own personality and crusading zeal on Pendyrus. He declared that "the foundations had been firmly laid, and he was able to add modern extensions to an otherwise sound fabric". He broadened the choir's musical and geographical horizons far beyond the dreams of the visionaries who had founded it. He abandoned competition in 1968, since when the choir has concentrated on recitals and festivals, on radio and television, and on concerts and tours in Britain and overseas. Under his guidance, Pendyrus, while maintaining the traditional male choral repertoire, explored 16th Century Italian church music, lesser-known works by classical composers, folksongs from many lands - and in many languages, film music, and the "pop" world. It became acknowledged for its performance of contemporary British, European and American compositions, and commissioned works by several Welsh composers. These innovations gained the choir the "Rhondda Recognition Award", Welsh Brewers' "Award for Excellence", and the "John Edwards Memorial Award" of the Guild for the Promotion of Welsh Music (now the Welsh Music Guild). Glynne's 38 year directorship (1962-2000) came to an end with his sudden and untimely death on Christmas Eve 2000.
JOHN SAMUEL ERA

JOHN SAMUEL ERAGlynne Jones' death was a difficult juncture for the choir, but many offers of help were received to enable the choir to fulfil its commitments, and to consider its future. One of these came from JOHN SAMUEL, a professional musician with a distinguished record as a choral conductor and pianist, who had accompanied the choir on its tour of New Zealand and Australia in 1998. He became acting director on 7th January 2001, and was appointed Musical Director on 19th March 2001. John's attention to detail, his broadening of the repertoire, and his success in enhancing the choir's tone and ensemble quality stood Pendyrus in good stead. Unfortunately, ill-health forced his retirement on 14th January 2009. Fortunately another consummate musician was to hand, and STEWART ROBERTS was appointed the choir's fifth Musical Director on 22nd February 2009, His positive and enthusiastic approach has re-enforced the choir's commitment, and augurs well for the future.