A sell-out audience greeted Whitland Male Choir’s first annual Patrons’ concert since the Covid pandemic caused the cancellation of its 2019 concert.

It has already been a very busy year for the choir which has carried out a remarkable 30 engagements in the last 12 months, including the recording of a new CD which is due for release in the near future.

The Patrons’ concert is always a highlight of the choir’s year and this year’s event at Ysgol Dyffryn Tâf has been heralded as one of the best-ever in its 128-year history.

The choristers and the music team of musical director Hefina Jones, accompanist Owain Lewis and deputy accompanist Heather Jenkins were in top form in an exciting and varied programme - from the gentle thoughtfulness of Davey Davies’ Y Darlun with choir soloist Martyn Davies; to the rowdy, crowd-pleasing Sweet Caroline and the magnificent hymns Deus Salutis and Laudamus, the latter having its first performance by the choir for many years.

The unaccompanied Ar Lan y Môr provided an elegant contrast to the jazzy spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit, the Latin hymn Benedictus and the popular version of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love”.

The choir coped admirably with the complex and challenging demands of the programme and received loud and enthusiastic applause. At a time when, sadly, a number of choirs are struggling for numbers, Whitland has been fortunate in recruiting six new members in the last year - two of whom are 18-year-olds - and there were just under 50 choristers on stage.

A youthful member of the bass section of the choir, Owain Jenkins is rapidly making a name for himself as a soloist and his rendition of Asleep in the Deep was one of the highlights of the evening.

The young brother and sister duo, Talfan and Siriol Jenkins, brought a different tone to the concert with their superb saxophone and piano jazz.

Both former pupils of Ysgol y Preseli, they are now completing their studies in London. Pianist Siriol, after graduating from Oxford University, has recently been awarded a Masters degree in jazz and her brother Talfan is in the final year of his BA degree.

They provided a stylish programme of jazz classics mixed with beautiful examples of their own composition.

National Eisteddfod Blue Riband winner Aled Wyn Davies was the tenor soloist. His day-to-day work is as a farmer but he has sung all over the UK and many other parts of the world.

The audience was thrilled by his fine and powerful performance, culminating in one of Wales’s favourite songs, Robat Arwyn’s Anfonal Angel.

President for the evening was Stan Phillips who recently retired from the choir but had previously served for over 25 years as secretary.

Stan reminisced about his time with the choir and complimented all of the performers for their contributions.

The choir’s chairman, Richard Lewis, thanked the choristers and music team for their remarkable commitment and hard work and paid tribute to the Patrons and supporters who had remained faithful despite the unprecedented problems of the previous four years.

The choir welcomes new members and rehearsals are held every Thursday at Ysgol Dyffryn Tâf, Whitland at 7.30 pm.