A Mads celebration

Mads anniversary poster

The University Elizabethan Madrigal Singers will be celebrating their 60th anniversary with a public recital at Gregynog Hall near Newtown on Saturday 4th December.

Affectionately known as ‘Mads’, the choir will sing works that featured in its repertoire when it was first established in 1950, and three new compositions, De Sua Clepsydra by John Hearne, Winter and Spring by Kevin John and The Eternity of Song by Mike Brewer, that have been commissioned to mark the 60th anniversary.

The very first piece to be composed for Mads, Lisa Lan by Jayne Davies, will also feature. Jayne, the choir’s conductor in 1956-7, will be in the audience on Saturday.

The recital will be conducted by Haydn James, who recently celebrated an unbroken period of 41 years as a conductor within the London Welsh community and is Musical Director for the Welsh Rugby Union.

Since October 1950 over 500 students have sung with the choir. During this time Mads has enriched the cultural life of Aberystwyth and Wales in general. Indeed, Mads has made an impact internationally; the choir has toured across the world, including Russia, Iceland, the USA, the Seychelles and most of Europe.

Mads has given recitals on TV and radio, competed at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen and other festivals, and worked with composers such as Michael Tippett. More recently they performed at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff before the Wales-South Africa rugby international.

The choir has also produced many outstanding graduates who have gone on to occupy leadership roles in the musical life of Wales and the UK generally. These include the composer William Matthias, Vice President of the International Eisteddfod, Jane Davies and Director of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, Mike Brewer.

The 60th anniversary has also been marked with the publication the choir’s history. Elizabethan Madrigal Singers Cantorion Madrigalau Elisabethaidd 1950/2010 A History / Hanes is the work of Dale Webb, Chair of the choir’s alumni association. The book is the culmination of a two-year project to develop a digital archive of the choir’s history and achievements. The archive is available online at http://mads.org.uk/.

AU23010

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