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

2007 Concerts and Events

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

Tasker Milward VC School held their Service of Nine Lessons and Carols.

The 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,

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

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

In 2007 we welcomed many local musicians who kindly took part in our Friday Lunchtime events

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 Goodfellow; 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

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.

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