Caernarfon community choir tunes up to sing for hometown audience at Galeri fundraiser
A North Wales community choir which hits the high notes at home and overseas is to celebrate its tenth anniversary by hosting a glittering charity concert.
Côr Dre Caernarfon, which was formed by a group of twenty-somethings to give voice to their mutual love of music, aims to thrill a hometown audience with its gala event at the Galeri on Saturday March 24.
They are raising money for Tŷ Enfys which provides accommodation for the parents of children being cared for in the special care baby unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd.
Before that the choir has another important date when it sings for residents at Pendine Park's Bryn Seiont Newydd dementia centre of excellence in Caernarfon.
According to committee member Manon Owen, the choir was formed at the end of 2007 by a small group of local people in their twenties.
She said: "They were a mixture of people already living in Caernarfon and others who had recently moved back to the area after attending university who had a love of singing in common.
"We are a mixed community choir mixed rather than a professional one and anyone is welcome to join.
"At the moment there are just over 50 members, roughly 60% female and 40% male, and the age range varies from 18 to around 35.
"Members come from a variety of professions. We have a number of teachers and lecturers, a few pharmacists, two doctors, engineers, lawyers, media workers, an artist, office workers a couple of music students in the ranks.
"Most of our members live in Caernarfon but others travel from places like Bangor and Anglesey and nearby villages.
"We perform a wide variety of songs, including light classics, folk and classical, as well as popular music. We have sung in Welsh, English, Latin and even Swahili."
Côr Dre Caernarfon has appeared at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland on many occasions and won numerous prizes there including Choir of the Festival in 2015.
Last year the choir made it through to the semi-final of the Côr Cymru competition on S4C and performed for a 20,000-strong audience in Edinburgh during the Scottish Referendum campaign.
They have also had many successes in the National Eisteddfod over the past years and also try to support local eisteddfods.
Caernarfon choirs join together for the annual Christmas concert in St Mary's Church and last year it was Côr Dre's turn to organise the event which raised money for Tŷ Enfys.
The same good cause will benefit from the Gala Concert at the Galeri on March 24.
Starting at 7.30pm, this will feature Côr Dre accompanied by Welsh folk band Ar Log and singer/songwriter Dewi Pws.
Presenter for the evening will be well-known Welsh actor Dewi Rhys who has appeared in Welsh soaps Pobol y Cwm and Rownd a Rownd.
Tickets for the Gala Concert at the Galeri are available for £15 and £12.50 concessions and can be bought from the Galeri ticket office on 01286 685 250, or its website at http://galericaernarfon.com/eng/whats-on-selected.php?show-id=873581165
