Welsh male voice choirs to fill Liverpool Cathedral with song

Over 400 male choristers from Wales and beyond will gather in Liverpool this month for a landmark concert at the iconic Anglican Cathedral.

On Saturday 27 June, the 13 choirs from across Wales and the UK will participate in a massed-voice concert organised by the Welsh Association of Male Choirs.

This landmark event — the Association’s first ever massed gala in Liverpool — has already attracted huge public interest, with a limited number of tickets still available.

The evening will feature two of Wales’ celebrated artists:

• Wynne Evans, internationally renowned tenor and President of the Association
• Alis Huws, the Coronation harpist and former Official Harpist to the King

The concert will be compered by BBC Wales news presenter Garry Owen, with musical direction from Dr Alwyn Humphreys MBE, who has long-standing links with the city.

Accompaniment will be provided by acclaimed musicians Caradog Williams (piano) and Huw Tregelles Williams (organ).

At their peak, 70,000 Liverpool residents claimed Welsh heritage, supporting over 90 Welsh chapels across the city, with the National Eisteddfod held in Liverpool in 1884, 1900 and 1929.

One of the choirs performing on 27 June — the Dowlais Male Voice Choir from Merthyr Tydfil — holds a particularly special Liverpool connection.

Their celebrated conductor Harry Evans led them to victory at the 1900 Liverpool National Eisteddfod, before moving to the city to become conductor of the Liverpool Welsh Choral Union and later Local Conductor and Registrar of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society.

Another of the choirs, Beaufort Male Choir from the Ebbw Vale area, has been granted permission by Liverpool FC to sing ‘You’ll never walk alone’ at the Hillsborough Memorial at 12.15 on Friday 26 June.

Paul Newman, Chairman of the Welsh Association of Male Choirs, said: “We are delighted to bring this spectacular event to one of Europe’s most prestigious buildings as a ‘thank you’ to Liverpool for being a beacon of Welsh culture through the decades.”

Derrick Rowlands, Deputy Chairman and recent member of the National Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd, added: “Merseyside’s cultural links to Wales were strong enough to host two National Eisteddfodau in less than twenty years. It is entirely fitting that our massed choirs return to a city with such deep Welsh roots.”

Participating choirs

• Aber Valley Male Voice Choir
• Beaufort Male Choir
• Cór Meibion Blaenporth
• Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir
• Chepstow Male Voice Choir
• Cór Meibion De Cymru
• Cór Meibion Dowlais
• Cór Meibion Dynfant
• Guernsey Welsh Male Voice Choir
• Morriston RFC Male Choir
• Cór Meibion Mynydd Mawr
• Rhymney Silurian Male Choir
• Cór Meibion Talgarth

A small number of tickets remain available for the concert, which begins at 7pm on 27 June. To purchase, email [email protected] or contact Ellis Davies on 07971 032768.