Pembroke Male Choir sing to help Pembroke church bells fund

Western Telegraph

28-04-2025

The concert was a successful fundraiser to restore working bells to the church tower, and details of the project were given by the St Mary's Bell Conductor, Ann Bunker.
Choir and audience were welcomed by the Vicar, the Rev Heidi de Gruchy, and the concert was very much a family affair as her husband, the Rev William Lambert, is the choir's accompanist.
Family teamwork was quickly in action as Rev Heidi came to the rescue when, during the first item, Rachie, the music stand on the keyboard fell off. With Heidi holding up the music, William never missed a note!
Equilibrium restored, the choir continued in fine voice, backed up by MC Matthew John's humour and stories. Choir items included one of several new pieces learned in recent months, Anthem from the musical Chess,, songs from Les Miserables' and My Lord What A Morning.
For the encore, American Trilogy, Matthew's appeal for reinforcements from the audience brought three men to join in, one a visitor from the Wirral.
Two solo items demonstrated the splendid keyboard skills of Rev William who played a Chopin Polonaise and Clair de Lune by Debussy.
The latest new chorister to stage was baritone Jonathan Price, soon to be joined by other recent additions to the baritone and bass sections. The first tenor section continues to hope that local men who can hit the higher notes will also be attracted to join this very friendly choir.
The next concert is a special one, on Sunday May 4 at Monkton Priory Church, Pembroke, alongside old friends from Mansfield Male Voice, with some 60 choristers enjoying the superb acoustics of this magnificent church. The concert begins at 3.30 pm. Further details can be found on the choir's Facebook pages.
Rev Heidi de Gruchy and Rev William Lambert are pictured at St Mary's Church by Pembroke and District Male Voice Chairman Huw Morgan (left) and new baritone chorister, Jonathan Price.