First concert for the Vale from its new community choir

Over 50 singers who have joined the Vale of Glamorgan’s new community choir are busily rehearsing for their debut concert performance at St Donats Arts Centre on Sunday 6th December at 4pm.

The St Donats Atlantic Chorale will be performing their first concert that will include a selection of carols from around the world as well as a rare performance of Charpentier’s Midnight Mass, an enchanting piece of 18th century frippery based on popular Christmas tunes.

The ambitious choir, which has members hailing from all over the county, is led by one of the most imaginative choirmasters in south Wales, Carl Grainger, who is also Director of the Welsh Sinfonia Chorus.

Both the response to the new choir and the sales for its first concert have been very enthusiastic, “I am thrilled by the way people from the local community have come forward eager to make music and sing within Donats Arts Centre and Castle. They are both superb venues for choral music with magnificent spaces, perfect acoustics and an idyllic setting.”

The choir’s first performance follows last year’s magnificent concert of Handel’s Messiah which was conducted by Carl and performed by The Welsh Sinfonia and Chorus in St Donats Castle.

The new choir, which is still open to new members, attracted further support from the Vale of Glamorgan Assembly Member, Jane Hutt, when it began rehearsing in the summer, “the fantastic response from people across the Vale of Glamorgan to join up is superb.”

Tickets for the concert on Sunday 6th December include mince pies and mulled wine and are available from 01446 799100 or online at www.stdonats.com If anyone would like to join, or find out more, they can contact John Pengelly at the St Donats Arts Centre box office, St Donats Castle, Vale of Glamorgan CF61 1WF. enquiries@stdonats.com 01446 799100.