Cambrian Anniversary Weekend a great success
 SOPRANO Joy Cornock and conductor Eifion Thomas, guests from Wales, with Welsh Society member Kathy Thomas (right) at the anniversary dinner. |
By EIFION WILLIAMS
VANCOUVER – The Cambrian Hall 80th Anniversary Welsh Weekend proved to be one of the most successful events in recent years for the Vancouver Welsh Society.
The weekend celebrations began with the Noson Lawen on the evening of November 6, with Neville Thomas as master of ceremonies.
The capacity audience enjoyed a variety of musical presentations, readings and comedy acts, concluding with a parody of a Max Boyce rugby song presented by the ‘Cambrian Cuties’, an all-female group of Welsh Society members.
The anniversary dinner on the evening of November 8, was highlighted by two guest soloists from Wales.
Soprano Joy Cornock from Fishguard, and Eifion Thomas, musical director of the Llanelli Male Choir, greatly impressed the audience with their performances. The accompanist was Ruben Federizon.
Also at the dinner, President John Morris presented past-president Jane Byrne with a gift in recognition of her past efforts on behalf of the society.
On the morning of November 8, a larger-than-usual congregation attended the non-denominational bilingual religious service conducted by Ieuan Lampshire-Jones, which included a discourse by John Cann on The Faith of our Fathers.
The Gymanfa Ganu on that same afternoon saw an overflow congregation participating in a rousing hymn-singing session under the direction of Eifion Thomas.
Following scriptural readings in English and Welsh by John Cann and David Llewelyn Williams, popular conductor Eifion Thomas once again showed his talent for drawing out the enthusiasm of the congregation for the traditional Welsh hymns.
Soloist Joy Cornock received standing ovations during the Gymanfa for her beautiful renderings of a variety of operatic arias and traditional Welsh songs.
Accompanist Barry Yamanouchi was also enthusiastically praised by the conductor for his ability and empathy for the Welsh hymn-singing tradition.
The success of the anniversary weekend was largely due to the efforts of the Welsh Society’s social committee, chaired by Gillian Rogers, and including Jane Byrne, Heather Davies, Gaynor Evans, Lynne Foxe, Mary Lewis, Pat Morris, Lyn Shepard and Lynn Owens-Whalen.
The Committee was thanked by Welsh Society President John Morris, who presided over the dinner and Gymanfa Ganu.
The social committee is now busy preparing a number of Christmas events. The traditional mulled wine and carol evening will be held on December 5.
The annual children’s Christmas party will be held on the afternoon of December 13 at 2 PM. The society’s Christmas dinner will be on December 19. There will also be a bilingual carol service in the Cambrian lower hall on December 13 at 11 AM.
Information on these and all other activities of the Vancouver Welsh Society can be obtained from the society’s website www.welshsociety.com.
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