On Saturday, 90 current and former students from Aberystwyth University’s Elizabethan Madrigal Singers will be in Cardiff to sing on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium for the Wales v South Africa game.
This occasion is part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the choir, which is one of the oldest societies in the university.
Since October 1950 over 500 students have sung with the Elizabethan Madrigal Singers, or Mads as it is known. 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 and other festivals, worked with composers such as Michael Tippett and has had pieces of music specially commissioned for it.
The 60th anniversary celebrations have included the publication of a book and digital archive about the history of the choir and the commissioning of new works and will culminate in a public recital in Gregynog on December 4th.
The choir has 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, Director of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain Mike Brewer, and Haydn James who recently celebrated an unbroken period of 41 years as a conductor within the London Welsh community.
For the past eleven seasons, Haydn has served as Musical Director for the Welsh Rugby Union, leading choirs and bands in the pre-match singing at more than 60 of Wales’ home International games in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. It was Haydn who invited Mads to sing.
Dale Webb, Chair of the choir’s alumni association said:
“It is an immense honour for us to sing for our country as part of our special 60th anniversary celebrations and we are grateful for this very special opportunity.”
