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The Ariosa Singers
The Ariosa Singers is a choir of young singers from Swansea and the surrounding areas. Many are studying singing and music at Conservatoires and Universities and others hope to do the same in the future. For others, music will always be a much-loved pastime as they follow careers in other fields. The Singers have a wide repertoire and have already given performances of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Regina Coeli, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem as well as several choral classics and excerpts from musical theatre. The Ariosa singers are well travelled and have given a series of concerts in Dublin (2006) when they sang the Hallelujah Chorus on the steps of the restored Hall in Fishamble Street where Messiah was first performed and received a standing ovation in Christchurch Cathedral. In 2007 the Singers gave a series of concerts in Prague performing Mozart’s Coronation Mass in the Betramka Mozart Museum where the composer stayed, in the People’s Hall in Podebrady, St Anne Karlovy Vary in aid of Church funds and in St Nicholas Church. The Singers participate in charity concerts. In 2008 the male singers of Ariosa raised funds for Prostate Cancer research. In July 2008 the Singers travelled to Paris to present Fauré’s Requiem in the Church of la Madeleine where the composer was organist and where the first performance of the Requiem was given. The Requiem was also performed in Chartres Cathedral. The Singers gave recitals in the American Church to yet another standing ovation and in Chateau Lormoy. They have also cruised the Liffy, the Vltava and the Seine, seen Don Giovanni in its original performance space, done a Viking Ride, a ghost walk, climbed the Eiffel Tower and spent a day at DisneyLand Paris. In 2009 The Singers gave concerts in Spain - see gallery page Locally, the choir has sung with the Morriston Orpheus Choir, the Pontarddulais Male Choir and the Gwalia Singers. They are giving two concerts in this year’s All Saints Alive Festival and on December 19th they are the guests of the Dunvant Male Choir at their annual Christmas Concert in the Brangwyn Hall. The Singers have raised money for many charities including Longfields Centre, Breast Cancer Care Wales, Prostate Cancer Care, the NSPCC, Save the Children, Air Ambulance Wales, the RNLI and several local churches. Their Director is Penny Ryan who has studied at the universities of London, Cambridge and Wales. She has a degree in English and a Master’s degree in education together with several music performance diplomas. She has been a Headteacher and College Principal, has sung professionally and recorded for EMI and now teaches privately with her pupils including many of the Ariosa Singers. She serves on several national committees and is Choral and Festival Director at All Saints. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was awarded an OBE for services to education. The Choir Accompanist is Hywel Evans who is an honours music graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Hywel is also accompanist to the Morriston RFC and Dunvant Male Choirs with whom he has toured Ireland and Spain. He is organist to the Parish of Llwynderw. He is accompanist and vocal coach to several of the Ariosa Singers for examinations, auditions and concert performances and has joined the Choir in their tours of Dublin, Prague, Paris and Spain. Our honorary physician is Dr Trevor Barrow MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, DRCOG, AKC, Lt/Col Rtd RAMC. Our Choir Administrator is Yvonne Gabriel. A Child Protection Policy based on best practice and a Public Liability insurance cover are in place. We also ensure that no personal information is given to third parties -see our privacy statement.
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