Can Cantorion handle the Messiah?
Roger Malvern tells us about Cantorion, a Llandrindod Wells-based choir that will perform The Messiah at the town’s Pavilion venue on 12 December at 7pm. The choir was formed about 40 years ago, by a small group of people performing pieces for local churches, music halls etc, but soon evolved into a major mixed-voice choir, currently about 40-strong Originally called ‘After Eights’ because choir members were notoriously bad at arriving on time for choir rehearsals, the name ‘Cantorion’ (Welsh for choir) was coined in the late 1970s. By this time the choir was building a much deserved reputation for unaccompanied sacred music. “Thanks to an increase in membership over the last few years, Bach’s ‘Magnificat’ and Haydn’s ‘Nelson Mass’ have proved well within Cantorion’s grasp” Roger Malvern Under the leadership of Bob Girdler, the choir won first prize in the 1982 Pontrhydfendigaid Eisteddfod. Cantorion had now come of age! The choristers perform an extensive repertoire, ranging from unac
