With another annual concert upon then, and having recently celebrated 50 years, I thought it would be a lovely idea to interview my dad Ernest Smith (Ernie to most of the choir), as to his memories of the Kenfig hill and district male voice choir.
My dad takes me back right to the beginning, and to how he remembers the choir being set up. He says many moons ago at the kenfig hill rugby club a group of men sitting down, having a drink and a good sing song, decided it may be a good idea to look for somewhere, they could bring the community together and start up their very own choir. That building was the Mynydd Cynfig primary school.
My father joined the choir in 1972, when nervously he decided to attend one of their practice evenings, from that day to this he has barely missed any choir practices, only due to ill health or family issues. Dad even remembers the first concert they ever had, which was in Radyr, where they sang for the residents of the Leonard Cheshire Home. He laughs while telling me there was more choristers than there were audience, an experience he said he had on numerous occasions, but no matter how many were in attendance, you could guarantee everyone enjoyed their performance.
I myself also have some amazing memories, as a young girl my dad would occasionally take me to a choir practice, in those days the conductor was Bryn Harding. I loved going with my dad, and loved to join in. One of my favourite memories was going to London to the Albert Hall we were there because the choir was part of 1000 Welsh voices. This event took place every 2 years, and was a highlight in our family Calendar, and very much a family affair, as my uncle David was also a member of the choir, so with my brothers and my cousins we all had great time. This wasn’t the only place dad went, in fact there were many places he visited, places such as York, Selby, Bradford and Dublin. In fact, he was in Dublin on the 29th of May 2000, the day my son was born.
Having moved from Mynydd Cynfig primary school, onto Kenfig hill comp and then Pisgah chapel, their permanent home is now in the Choral suite at the green acre’s motel. The Choral suite was opened in 2009. There is no doubt my father lives for the choir, and he has done all his life, sharing many memories with his brother David, and the European and international places they visited with the choir, those included Alsund in Norway, Poland, Estonia , France and Germany, but there is no doubt the one place the is edged deep in his heart is Canada, of which he was fortunate to visit twice in his time with the choir. The second time was by far his best experience, again something him and his brother shared together.
While visiting Canada on this occasion the visit coincided with the world-famous Calgary stampede, where they were given amazing seats, and a bird’s eye view of the parade, he told me this was an experience not to have been missed, and nobody does it better than the Canadians. My dad and his brother loved Canada so much after visiting the first time, during their visit the second time, a few of the choir members decided to stay on for an extra week, and in that week, they visited the amazing Vancouver Island. My dad would have never had the chance to have had these experiences if it wasn’t for the choir, this would have never something we would have ever been able to do as a family, and I feel very thankful, that he had this opportunity, and I could tell you to this day, if he ever had the chance to go back to Canada he would.
Dad made many a friend in the choir, but one of his good friends was the old secretary Don Daniels Don served as secretary to the choir for over 45 years, what an achievement this was. Don who had moved from Kenfig hill to Llantrisant and still came back to choir rehearsals, until his resent retirement, the reigns were then taking over by residing Secretary Tony Ulberini. As you can imagine, my father has seen many conductors come and go, at present they have their very first female conductress Rhian Thomas, I am sure she has her hand full trying to keep all those men in hand.
Like many things recently, covid had a massive effect on the choir , loosing many a member, for different reasons, but slowly choir numbers are on the increase, My father is the perfect advocate of the choir, he has now been a member for over 50 year, in fact last year 2022 he was presented with his 50 years plague, it was such a proud moment for my mother myself and my brother, we all know how important Kenfig hill choir is to him, and the happiness it brings him, now at 91 he enjoys his choir as much now as he did all those years ago, and we as a family are grateful that he still has this enjoyment.
Kenfig Hill Male voice choir has seen many a person pass by over the years, but as one goes another one comes, showing how much singing helps us all. There simply isn’t any other greater sound than listening to a male voice choir I think it brings shivers to most of us.
Thank you, dad, for sharing your memories with me, even though I already know most of them, we as a family know how important this is to you, and we hope you have the chance to enjoy it for many more years.
Kenfig Hill and district will be singing along side maternal harmony and special guests Stephan Ulberini and violinist sage taylor on Saturday the 15th July.
