World-renowned choir performs in Eastbourne

The Treorchy Male Choir performed on Saturday (September 3) at St Saviours and St Peter’s Church in South Street to an audience of 360 people.

The choir, based in the Rhondda Valley in Wales, formed in the Red Cow Hotel in 1883.

The group had to disband after the South Wales Valleys suffered during the massive economic downturn of the Great Depression in the UK and two World Wars. The present Treorchy Male Choir was reformed on 1946.

They reached musical distinction in the national Eisteddfod – a festival with competitions – by gaining a record eight national wins, making a total of twenty-two first prizes out of twenty seven entries.

The choir has performed for royalty, made more than 50 commercial recordings, toured around the world, and collaborated with the likes of Tom Jones and Julie Andrews.

A number of sites recognise the choir as ‘one of the greatest choral ensembles of all time’.

The two-hour performance from the 60-man choir included a wide selection of their repertoire from ‘Men of Harlech’, ‘Under Milkwood’, ‘My Way’, ending with the unofficial national anthem for Wales - ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’.

The evening was organised by the Rotary Club of Eastbourne to raise money for the club’s centenary year ‘Homes for Homeless’ project. It raised £3,500 towards their target of £100,000 which is to be matched by Southdown Housing Association. The money will be used to purchase two properties in Eastbourne for the homeless to use.

More information on ‘Homes for Homeless’ here

More news from Eastbourne here