ONE of the musical highlights of the period before Christmas in Landrindod Wells was the Festival of Christmas Music with four local choirs taking part at the Holy Trinity Church on Saturday, December 8.

Organised by the husband-and-wife team of Bev and Pam Nethercoat, who are also members of the Bracken Trust Singers, which was one of the choirs taking part, along with Cantorian Llandrindod, the Dolau Mixtures and the Kington Community Choir.

It was an excellent concert and a very successful evening, with all four choirs playing their part both individually and singing together. During the concert six carols were performed with audience participation, the most rousing being the final one ‘O Holy Night’ under the conducting of the Bracken Trust leader Christine Clarke.

The other conductors were Hilary Cox (Cantorian) and Catherine O’Rourke (Dolau Mixtures and Kington Community Choir) who also played the flute solo, ‘Walking in the Air’ and the keyboard.

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Each choir sang at least four seasonal songs, the most varied and different ranging from ‘The Carol of the Bells’ (Ukrainian) by Dolau Mixtures through Teharinuri, Maori Lullaby at Christmas by Kington Community Choir, continuing with Newdigate Wassail (Dolau and Kington jointly), ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ by Cantorian, to something entirely different in ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, performed by the Bracken Trust Singers.

Solos were sang by Trevor Morgan of the Dolau Mixtures who sang ‘Grown Up Christmas Wish’, Chris Clarke (Bracken Trust Singers) performed ‘It’s the most Wonderful Time of the Year’ and Cantorian’s Adam Sim played ‘The most Wonderful Waltz of the Flowers’ on the keyboard.

Pam and Bev had organised the musical evening for Holy Trinity Church funds and the huge success of the seasonal concert was borne out by the facts that that the audience numbered 120 and £750 was raised.

Following the concert, Stephen Ashley thanked everyone involved in the evening on behalf of Holy Trinity Church.

There was also a raffle, with hamper prizes and mince pies with mulled wine, donated by the organisers, which were served by the ladies of the church in the St Francis Centre.