Events at St Mary's Church, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

Events

Our first event in 2008 was on Sunday 4th May for the Friends Annual Lunch at the Wolfscastle Country Hotel.  It was very well supported with 104 Friends and guests assembled for an excellent occasion which is also an important 'fundraiser' for our account.  Our principal guest and speaker was Jane Chamberlain RIBA, a partner in the firm Caroe & Partners, architects to St Mary's and responsible for the restoration programme in the church.

Take note that next year (2009) SUNDAY MAY 3rd IS BOOKED!  

The 2008 programme for our popular Friday lunchtime events is as follows. Arrangements are still being made for some dates in August and September:-

9 May: Brian Jobson & Ned Rolls (piano and drums; A wide range of music from jazz to ragtime to blues, songs from the shows etc.  A welcome return.

16 May: Bill Jenkins (keyboard) and Rachel Ward (vocal); Music in a lighter vein.  Bill played to great acclaim for us last year.

23 May:  A music film - details later.

30 May:  The Medieval Heritage of St Mary's - An Exhibition.

6 June :  Enjoy a film. "An Amazing Story of Friendship, Inspired by a True Adventure"...starts at Noon   

13 June: Guided Tour of the Church.

20 June: Cleddau Music Makers: a newly formed local instrumental group directed by Pat Barker will play a varied programme from Handel to the Beatles.

27 June: Talking Antiques with expert Gary Humphries. You can bring your antique or collectable for valuation.

4 July: Penfro Minstrels; regular visitors to St Mary's.

11 July: Joyful Noise.....a return visit.

18 July: Friends in Harmony.  A local mixed choir conducted by Jane James.

25 July: Michael Nicholas, Organ recital; a former pupil of Haverfordwest Grammar School and Mrs Margaret Jones.  He is now a teacher and musician in Bradford.

1 August: The History of Haverfordwest in photographs and video and a Guided Tour of the Church will be available.

8 August: Lydia Wells, Mezzo Soprano, making a special visit to St Mary's from Herefordshire.Her recital is entitled "A SINGING PILGRIM SCARES AWAY MANY THIEVES" ("Pelerin qui chante, larron epouvante")and will include songs, ballads and chants from the world of our St Mary's Pilgrim who has lain recumbent in the nave for some 600 years.The three scallop shells on his scrip suggest that he had made a pilgrimage to St. James Compostella.

15 August: The Horn Trio...and a welcome return.

22 August: Photographic memories of a QE2 Voyage to the Mediterranean with Alan and Pat

29 August:Bill Jenkins (Keyboard) will play Light Music for Lunchtime.

5 September FAMILY HISTORY DAY from 10am -4pm. Members of the Dyfed Family History Society and the Pembrokeshire Record Office will be present and facsimilies of the registers of St Mary's Church (said to be the oldest in the county) will on view. Also, as a tribute to all the young men of the parish who were killed in the First World War, and to mark the 90th anniversary of the Armistice, there will be a display concerning their lives and families.

12 September: Bruce Pyart, who for many years was our Organist and Choir master, returns to give an Organ Recital

19 September A Guided Tour, with access to the Bell Tower and roof (weather permitting)

26 September: Tony Morris (Violin) Gladys Morris (Voice)

St Mary's owes a great debt to the many gifted and enthusiastic local musicians who give freely of their time to perform during these lunchtime concerts from 12.30pm.

Everyone is welcome to drop in for an hour, or just five minutes, to appreciate a musical interlude in the lunchtime break from work.

Admission is free but contributions towards our Church and Restoration Funds are an important item in our fundraising.  In return, free tea / coffee is provided - but bring your own packed lunch!

Sunday 13 July 2008 at 7.30

Annual Songs of Praise

Conducted by Shirley Williams LRAM

Musical Director of the Landsker Singers

Organist : Anne Evans

Soprano : Debi Lewis

The Landsker Singers

Programmes £3 from any church member or at the door

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Saturday 2 August to Saturday 9 August 2008

ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION

of works by local artists.

Also THE MUNT COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF HAVERFORDWEST THROUGHOUT THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WILL BE DISPLAYED

Open10-4. Teas and coffees are available.

On Tuesday 5 August Cream Teas will be served in the churchyard, weather permitting.

On Friday 8 August at 12.30 a concert will be given by Lydia Ellen Wells (mezzo soprano)... see details under the Friday Lunchtime Events section of this website.

On Friday 8 August at 7.30 there will be Summer Evening Concert...when Piano Trio PENTIGILI will play music of Piazzola and others,and Debi Lewis (Soprano) and Kathryn Ashton (Mezzo Soprano) will sing music in a lighter vein. Ticket £5 (to include a glass of wine). Tickets available from any church member of from Pat Barker (01646-694408)

Events in St Mary's during December 2007 were:

Friday 7th - The Penfro Minstrels with a selection of Christmas music.

Friday 14th - a Piano Recital given by Gillian Spragg.

Friday 14th - Haverfordwest Ladies Choir.

The church received £153 from the proceeds of this excellent and important annual event described below by Robert Nisbet.

Haverfordwest Ladies Choir performed their Candlelight Christmas Concert in St. Mary’s Church on Friday 14th December, under the baton of Nancy Mann, and with the accompaniment of Gerald Nicholas, in aid of the Restoration Appeal.

In the still of the church, with lighting kept to a subdued level and the acoustics as fine as ever, the sound of just over 20 choristers was, as always, a very pure one, at times quite haunting. The choir’s presentation ranged from traditional favourites, Welsh, French and American, arranged often by Dr. Mann herself, through to Irvin Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ and, right along the spectrum, Handel’s ‘Joy to the world’.

One pleasing feature of this particular concert was that the choir did not, as is so often done, call upon a body of outside performers and soloists, but relied, for all of the evening’s variations, upon a talented body of associates: several individual choir members, one husband and one son.

The main instrumental soloists were Tony Morris (violin) and Robert Mann (viola) who offered very atmospheric renderings of ‘Winter’, from Vivaldi’s The four seasons, and of the Mel Tormé/Robert Wells piece ‘The Christmas song’. Tony joined the choir in Hairston’s ‘Mary’s boy child’, while Robert joined recorder players Carol Mayhew and Inka Lesinka and percussionist Anne Davies, in John Rutter’s arrangement of the French carol ‘He is born the divine Christ child’.

Carol Mayhew made an extremely impressive début as soprano soloist with the Czech carol ‘Rocking’ and Adam’s ‘O holy night’, while her chorister colleague, mezzo-soprano Marian Graceson gave fine performances of Head’s ‘The little road to Bethlehem’ and Thiman’s ‘The carol of the birds’. Later in the evening, Carol and Marian performed a duet on Hadley‘s ‘I sing of a maiden’. The relatively sombre tone of that piece then led into a joyous finale as the choir concluded with Teena Chinn’s arranged compilation, ‘Snow! A winter celebration’, ‘White Christmas’, for which the accompaniment was played by Gerald and Inka, and Flatau’s ‘The Christmas bells’.

Finally, to a concluding chorus of ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’, an appreciative audience moved to the West end of the church for mulled wine, mince pies and a very sociable end to an evening of good music and fellowship.

Robert Nisbet

Wednesday 19th at 7.00pm, Tasker Milward VC School

Service of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Thursday 20th at 7.30pm, Haverfordwest Civic Christmas Service.  A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols saw the Church full to capacity for the service led by the Mayor's Chaplain, the Vicar, Rev Canon Derek Evans.  The first lesson was read by the High Sheriff of Dyfed, Col David Davies, with other lessons read by representatives from organisations prominent in Haverfordwest and the Mayor, Cllr Roy Thomas JP. We are grateful to Paul Banks, Michael Hart, Roger Howells, Eldon Lingard and John Prytherch who rang the bells on this special occasion.

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On Friday 2nd November a special informal lunchtime event with music by Shirley Williams and Friends was held in connection with 'Cards for Good Causes', the Multicharity Christmas Card Shop in St Mary's from 1st November to 10th December 2007,

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On Friday 26th October 2007, enthusiastic members of the Haverfordwest Operatic Society provided an entertaining evening for an audience which enjoyed a repertoire of Songs-from-the-Shows.  After the interval, the programme continued with a lively performance of the Court scene from Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury.  The Musical Director was Ifor Phillips with Gerry Nicholas the Accompanist.

The concert was in aid of St Mary's Restoration Fund which benefited by £220

The Friends AGM 2007 was held in the Town Council Chamber,

2 Picton Place,Haverfordwest, on Thursday 1st November.

On Saturday 5th May 2007, a large and appreciative audience enjoyed an excellent and varied programme from TEMPUS, a local vocal group and orchestra, directed by Seimon Morris who formed the group five years ago.    The programme opened with Rutter's Requiem followed, after the interval, by an eclectic and rhythmic selection of popular pieces.  It was gratifying to hear a talented musician of Seimon's experience comment so favourably on the excellent acoustics in St Mary's where the absence of carpets allowed the full resonance of voices to be appreciated.

MUSIC AT St MARY'S

The 2007 season of Friday Lunchtime events began on Friday 13th April. Tea/coffee is provided between 1230 and 1.45pm while you enjoy an informal musical interlude in your lunchtime break with your packed lunch.     

13th April  Joyful Noise - a variety of instrumental music, under the direction of Gwenith Baker

20th April  Clare Harrison, Soprano.

27th April  The Horn Trio.

4th May  The Brian Jobson Duo.

11th May  A Guided Tour of St Mary's with an Exhibition of photographs of the 2005 Restoration work.

18th May Handbell Ringers from St Mary's Church, Tenby, with Alec Freeman (Leader).25 May  Enjoy a Music Film

1 June  Friends in Harmony, a mixed choir conducted by Jane James and accompanied by Gerald Nicholas.

8 June  Penfro Minstrels. Violins; Marian Goodfellw; Peter Proudlove; Debbie McEvoy & Katherine Webster; Guest Jane O'Hara.  Flute; John Baum & Pippa de Mengel.  Cellos; Malcom Thomas and Angela Davies

15 June Guided Tour of St Mary's and music of Vivaldi.

22June  Young Musicians Platform.  Bronia Chicklowska, violin; Carina Evans, marimba; Jeyda Hunt, clarinet; with Sue Howley, piano.

29 June  Enjoy a Music Film.

6th July  Members of the Haverfordwest Ladies Choir.

Nancy Mann,conductor; Gerald Nicholas, accompanist.

13th July  Bill Jenkins, keyboard, presents a programme of music in a lighter vein.

20th July  A Guided Tour with music of Handel.

27th July  Debbie Lewis, soprano, and Kathryn Ashton, mezzo-soprano.

3rd August  Brian Jobson Duo with a selection of jazz, blues, ragtime, show music.

10th August  The Horn Trio.

17th August  Films with a local interest.

24th August  Guided tour of St Mary's.

31st August  Organ recital with Geoff Brooks.

14th September  Young Musicians Platform: Four young singers:-Natalie Gunner, Naomi Mayne, Victoria Sainter and Stephanie Smith,

with Sue Howley, Piano.

21st September  Tony Morris, Violin recital

Admission is free.  Donations for the next Restoration Project are always welcome.

And to continue the programme of informal lunchtime concerts but now with music for the 2007 Christmas season, with free teas and coffees provided -but bring your own sandwiches! -

7th December The Penfro Minstrels with a selection of Christmas music

14th December  Gillian Spragg  Piano

Friends Annual Lunch

On Sunday 6th May 2007 we held the tenth Friends Annual Luncheon supported by ninety Friends and guests. Once again it was very successful occasion at the Wolfscastle Country Hotel when we were pleased to have as our principal guest, Mr Stephen Crabb MP,

Member of Parliament for Preseli Pembrokeshire. 

Friends Annual Songs of Praise

On Sunday 15th July 2007, the tenth annual Songs of Praise was an harmonious opening for Haverfordwest Festival Week. Guest Conductor Mrs Margaret Evans of St Davids who led our first Songs of Praise ten years ago brought the best out of an enthusiastic but weather-depleted congregation.  Guest artistes James and Marie Outram sang two very professional spots and the organist for the evening was

Patricia Barker.

Christmas Music at Lunchtime

Our Friday informal lunchtime event on December 15th 2006 included

The Horn Trio (making a welcome return),

Gwynne Davies (Tenor),

Kathryn Ashton (Mezzo soprano),

Children from St Mark's V A School

The HAVERFORDWEST LADIES CHOIR in St. Mary’s on 14th December 2006 for their Candlelight Christmas Concert presented an excellent programme that was well supported by an appreciative audience.

The choir, which was in extremely good voice, was under the baton of its conductor Nancy Mann, and, with Gerald Nicholas as accompanist, the choristers presented a range of Christmas music, mainly of carols which moved from familiar favourites like ‘Deck the hall’ and ‘The holly and the ivy’ to lesser-known pieces like Geehl’s arrangements of French and Spanish carols. The audience also heard a rendering of John Rutter’s ‘Star carol’ in which it was asked to join in the chorus. Then, late in the concert, came the Irving Berlin favourite ‘White Christmas’, for which chorister Inka Lesinska joined Gerald Nicholas at the piano.

There were two much-appreciated soloists during the evening. Mezzo-soprano Marian Graceson, a member of the choir, sang Benjamin Britten’s ‘The Birds’ and the traditional carol, ‘What child is this?’  Harpist Carys Ann Evans, the 2007 Ambassador for the Royal Welsh Show, charmed the audience with pieces that again ranged widely, from Respighi’s ‘Siciliana’ to Richard Rodgers’ ‘My favorite things’. The highlight for many, in a small group of items in which harpist and choristers joined forces, was Franz Gruber’s ‘Silent night’, delivered by the choir in Welsh, as ‘Dawel nos’.

This really was a fine performance by the choristers, who had learned quite a few new pieces for the evening, and their lovely crystalline singing, interwoven with the sweet harp sound and St. Mary’s fine acoustics, sent an appreciative audience away very well pleased with their evening.

We are grateful to the Choir for arranging the event in aid of St Mary's Restoration Appeal which received £163. We thank also those ladies of the Choir who, with an abundance of holly and ivy, decorated the Church for the Christmas period.

TASKER MILWARD VC SCHOOL CAROL SERVICE

the School's annual service of Nine Lessons and Carols was held in St Mary's on Wednesday December 20th 2006.

HAVERFORDWEST CIVIC CAROL SERVICE

attended by the Mayor and Town Councillors was held in St Mary's on Thursday December 21st 2006.  The singing was led by the Haverfordwest Ladies Choir.

On 29th September 2006 we had the final guided tour of this historic grade 1 listed church for the summer. If you plan to visit and would appreciate a guided tour, contact patriciabarker@aol.com

 A unique 800 year old church.....one of the most important parish churches in Wales.....many unspoilt medieval carvings and other features.....16th century carved roof.....the oldest church organ in Wales.....historic monuments.....fine stained glass windows.....a prime heritage location.

MUSIC AT ST MARY'S IN 2006

The final event of the summer season for our informal lunch time events in the Church was on Friday 13th October 2006 when an appreciative audience heard 'Joyful Noise', a group of instrumentalists who enjoy making music together.  The Recorder group played medlies from the classics and from 'the Americas'.  Soloists Gwenith Baker(Recorder),Inka Lesinska(Saxophone) and Carol Mayhew(Clarinet and Saxophone) played a varied selection from Finzi, Handel, Coultard and Lewin.

Other events included:

On Friday 22nd September an excellent lunchtime concert was given by members of the HAVERFORDWEST LADIES CHOIR, with Nancy Mann, conductor, and Gwenith Baker, accompanist.  Solo items from Mozart, Schubert, Faure, Finzi and Gershwin were performed by Carol Mayhew(clarinet), Inka Lesinska(altosaxophone), Gwenith Baker(treble recorder), Marian Graceson(mezzo-soprano), and Rebecca Jones(soprano).

The subject for the Friday Informal Lunchtime event on 8th September, was

"Then and Now, a display of historic photographs of Haverfordwest",

accompanied by the music of Mozart

A packed church on Tuesday 29th August was enthralled by a programme given by the COLOGNE NEW PHILHARMONIC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA as part of its European tour.  In a programme which included Vivaldi's Four Seasons concertos,  Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major,  Tchaikovski's 'Souvenir de Florence' and a Johan Halvorsen duet for violin and viola with the inevitable encore of Halvorsen's duet based on a Handel work providing an ideal climax to a memorable concert. The ensemble amply demonstrated the church's value as a venue for community arts performances.  Church Warden Pat Barker said "To hear such virtuoso instrumentalists in St Mary's was a thrilling demonstration of the church's acoustic qualities and of its great potential for the future events we plan".  

Clarinet: Thilo Fahrner, Violin: Yuri Kalnits

On Friday 18th August our lunchtime concert was given by The Horn Trio, three accomplished local French Horn players who played a selection of music from Sankey, Mendelssohn and Handel, arranged for three horns - Gwynne Davies, Madge and Douglas MacDonald. 

On Friday 14th July, with a background of recorded music, we had a display of photographs We welcomed Friends in Harmony on Friday 28th July with a programme of a variety of popular pieces. Friends in Harmony, conducted by Jane James and accompanied by Gerald Nicholas, is a mixed choir which enjoys meeting together to make music and support charities.  We also appreciated excellent performances from 11 year old, Matthew McCoy who played a selection of clarinet solos and Rhodri Britton who used all the versatility and power of the organ to give a short recital.  Rhodri, home on a visit to his mother, was born in Haverfordwest.  Educated at Christ's Hospital, where he studied piano, violin, organ and singing, and Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Greats before going on to study singing at the Royal Academy of Music with Kenneth Bowen.  Joining the Welsh National Opera chorus in 1983, he toured UK as a soloist before moving to Germany in 1991.  He sang bass-baritone roles in various German opera houses before switching to coaching and conducting in 1995.  In more recent years he has been Head of Music staff in Lucerne, Mainz and Dortmund.  We look forward to his next visit.

On Sunday 9th July 2006 we held the Annual Songs of Praise organised by The Friends during Haverfordwest Festival Week.

With the Haverfordwest Ladies Choir, Conductor Dr Nancy Mann and accompanist Gerald Nicholas, we appreciated soloists Rebecca Jones, soprano; Tony Morris, violin; Clare Harrison, flute; and

Carol Mayhew,clarinet.  The organist was Pat Barker.

We are indebted to a team from the Diocesan Guild of Bellringers - Chris Moses and Keith Thompsett(Llandeilo), David and Judy Wright(Llanstephan), Michael Uphill(Southwark), Julian Lees and John Prytherch(Haverfordwest), who came together so that our bells should heard that evening.

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