THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Beekeepers Association

The December meeting of the Aberystwyth Beekeepers Association took place on the evening of Tuesday, 19 December, in the Waunfawr Community Hall.

It was the annual Christmas social and quiz. Around 30 people were present in the hall and brought with them a wonderful selection of food to share and enjoy.

The subsequent quiz was organised by Helen Ovens’ husband and was a particularly good one and much enjoyed, as it was designed to get the brain cells working overtime before Christmas.

Looking forward to spring, the association will be repeating a beginners’ taster weekend in May and anyone interested in taking up the craft should get in touch with the secretary.

A number of revision sessions on beekeeping practices will also be held early in the new year for beekeepers from the association who are taking Module 1 of the Welsh Beekeepers Theory of Beekeeping Assessments next year.

Further information on the association is available from Ann Ovens, the secretary, on 01970 832359

Choral Society

The society’s Christmas Concert on Saturday, 16 December, saw all the hard work put in by choristers since rehearsals started back in mid-September paying off handsomely.

All came together at the Saturday afternoon rehearsal with the final practice for the choir of over 70 voices, four soloists and the Sinfonia Cambrensis orchestra, all under the baton of David Russell Hulme.

After an excellent rehearsal, choristers were in very good spirits as they made their way to the Great Hall in the evening for the performance itself.

The concert started with the choir singing Handel’s much loved Coronation Anthem, Zadok the Priest.

After this the tenor soloist Stephen Anthony Brown, sang the very well known Recitative and Air Comfort ye and Every Valley from Handel’s Messiah and the soprano Zita Syme singing another well known air from the Messiah, I Know that my Redeemer Liveth.

The metzo-soprano Kathryn Turpin then sang The First Mercy by Peter Warlock before the baritone soloist Charles Johnston, brought the first half to an end with the choir, with a very memorable rendering of the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols.

The second half of the concert was taken up by the four soloists joining the choir to perform Mozart’s Requiem.

With choir, soloists, orchestra and conductor in tremendous form, the very good audience went home delighted with the concert.

Choristers are now enjoying their Christmas / New Year break before rehearsals start on Tuesday, 16 January, in the Old Hall, Old College, for a performance of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater on Saturday, 28 April.

New singers will be very welcome and the choir has a no auditions policy.

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