Join Us
Why not join us and make music? Over the 40+ years since Morriston RFC Male Choir started, we have found that men join us for a variety of reasons. For some it is simply the joy of choral singing, for others it is the camaraderie and companionship. Whatever your reason for reading this, you must have some natural draw to music or otherwise you would not be here. Let us see if we can tempt you to think about joining us…….
What is already known from scientific studies is the significant evidence of the physical and psychological benefits of singing and in belonging to a choir including, social connection, improved respiratory health, posture benefits, heart and immune system benefits, cognitive stimulation, improved mental health, and general enjoyment.
Here, Dan Beynon (Baritone) talks about his experience of joining the Choir in 2021:
Dan’s story
“My name is Daniel Beynon and I am a Paramedic with the Welsh Ambulance Service. I am perhaps not the sterotypical image of a chorister (although my wife likes to say I am an old man because of my likes and dislikes). You do not have be retired or have lived a full life to join a choir.
I joined Morriston RFC Male Choir 2 years ago (2021). I was encouraged to do so by an existing Choir member, Huw Roberts. Huw dismissed my concerns that I could not sing and assured my confidence and competence would come over time. As they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Huw described the benefits that singing would bring and I will elaborate on these shortly.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Choir. After joining I was privileged to perform in the October concert of that year called ‘Together Again’ at Tabernacle Chapel in Morriston. What an experience it was. Even at my first rehearsal I felt the collective power of many voices coming together to produce such a moving sound. I have benefitted greatly since joining the Choir including making new friends, enjoyed a healthy dose of friendly banter, especially between the four sections of the choir. Our Musical Director Huw keeps us in check and if one section is in for a talking to, the other sections certainly let them know about it.
I have also noticed the health benefits singing brings. Singing is a potent stress reliever and I experienced a wonderful high after the October 2021 concert. As a Paramedic I have to endure regular difficult circumstances, and like many others, being a Paramedic has brought me some mental health issues. The Choir has been a great escape from the stresses of my job. The whole Choir meld together, the Committee, Musical Team and members, to create an atmosphere of fun, mutual support and camaraderie which is second to none.
If you feel at all inspired to sing, even if you don’t immediately think you can do it, or your voice may not be up to it, please do give it a go. It might be just the thing your mind and body need”.
Being a Welsh choir, we also have the added benefits associated with maintaining exposure to the Welsh language, although you do not have to be a natural Welsh speaker to join us. In fact, several of our choristers have their roots in London, Manchester and the North of England - not natural locations for Welsh speakers. Many men join us because they have moved into our area and want to simply have somewhere to go and to make new friends. We guarantee that if you come and join us, you will not want for friends. At currently 60+ active members, we are a community of mates all striving for the same ends - to have fun, to entertain others, and to keep alive the tradition of Welsh male choirs.
A joint concert in 2021 with the staff of the Morriston Hospital Emergency Department Choir
Morriston RFC Male Choir are also members of the Welsh Association of Male Voice Choirs which means we often get invited to join with other choirs from across Wales at mass choir events. In June 2023, some of our choir members joined with 14 other choirs from across Wales for a concert at St David’s Hall Cardiff in aid of Prostate Cymru while in 2024 our Choir members will once again join with around 650 others for the famous massed Welsh choirs event, known traditionally as the 1,000 voices concert, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. These events live long in the memory and provide unique opportunities to join with other like-minded men, in not only raising monies for charities, but also bringing families together in moments of proud recognition of the importance and contribution of Welsh male voice choir signing. We are determined to keep this tradition alive and to build further upon the legacies built by our forebears.
On tour in Scotland with partners
Post-concert singalongs, referred to as ‘afterglow’ events, are a major part of being in a choir. The joy of having a drink and catch-up after a concert inevitably leads to songs being sung and new friends being made. The afterglow events are often seen as ways of reaching out to younger audiences who are often reminded of hymns sung years ago, or songs from West End shows that they can join in with. It is not unusual for afterglows to last as long as concerts themselves with continual requests to keep singing - even live-streaming on social media platforms bringing others into the pub to join in!
We also work with others to benefit charitable good causes. Our recent concerts have seen us raise much needed funds for those affected by the War in Ukraine, a local BabyBank, churches and chapels, schools and elderly care homes. We also provide entertainment for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries, as well as for conferences and events and not forgetting special occasions such as singing as part of the pre-match entertainment at the home of Welsh rugby, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Our Choir also has a tradition of undertaking overseas tours and although this was severely curtailed during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have begun to tour once again. In 2023 the Choir undertook a short 6 day tour to Scotland joining Linlithgow RFC Male Choir and the Septimus Choir from Denmark for a fund-raising event for the 15th century church of St Michael’s in Linlithgow. The Choir then moved on to sing at a community centre in Lochgoilhead north of Glasgow. We have toured in France and Germany, even singing at the famous Menin Gate at Ypres in Belgium. These sorts of events enable friends and supporters to join us and enjoy some good old fashioned fun and join in with singalongs.
D. Huw Rees conducting the audience at the 2023 Annual Concert at Tabernacle Chapel Morriston
If you think you’d like to find out more, or simply to come along to one of practices to have a listen, simply contact us by telephone at 07767 993904 (ask For Bob Harwood) or email to info@morristonrfcmalechoir.com with your contact details and someone will get back in touch with you. Attendance at your first practice will lead to an introduction to our Musical Director and a general welcome to the Choir. You will be allocated a singing buddy to help you settle in and that is it, you are over the hump and part of something which is much greater than the sum of its parts. If you are at all shy, why not bring a mate and join together? We use sheet music but there is no requirement to be able to read it. If you can read music then great, if not, we will show you how. Welsh pronunciation is rehearsed and practiced too so don’t be phased if you cannot speak Welsh. And, if you decide it is not for you, it is our loss not yours. However, our experience shows that the vast majority of those who come to find out about us stay for the duration, and we have many of our Choir in their 30th and even 40th year of membership.
We practice at Seion Newydd Chapel at Clase Road, Morriston, Swansea SA6 6EB on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 7-9pm. Do not worry if you cannot commit to two evenings per week every week, come when you can - you won’t regret it. We do not practice over Christmas/New Year, Easter week or during August.
Make the move and be part of something wonderful.
