FOLLOWING on from its successful Christmas fundraiser Penarth Community Choir staged its summer concert to a packed out audience at All Saints Church on Wednesday, June 18, raising another £1,349.65 for charity.

The choir were joined by Llandough Hospital Community Choir, Victoria Voices (from Victoria Primary School), Lewis Merthyr Brass Band and soloist Richard Parry.

Clare Gardner, musical director of Penarth Community Choir, organised the event supported by her mother, Janet Holloway who is also the musical director of Llandough Hospital Community Choir.

The choirs presented a varied repertoire in the first half which included a poignant performance of Mozart’s Laudate Dominum by Clare and the choir which was included as a tribute to the late Martin Rogers, a choir member and local musician who died of cancer earlier in the year.

Guest soloist Richard Parry charmed the audience with two arias from Tosti and Mendelssohn before the Choir rounded off the first half of the concert with songs from film and musical theatre.

The Lewis Merthyr Brass Band was introduced to the audience in the second half by the combined choirs rousing rendition of 76 Trombones. The Band then reciprocated by playing a medley of music from Broadway shows, a delightful performance of ‘Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez’ and music arrangements of John Barry’s ‘Born Free’ and John Williams ‘Jurassic Park’ theme. The audience’s appreciation of this fine band was indicated through the enthusiasm of its applause at the end of their final piece.

Clare’s work as a peripatetic vocal teacher was on full show as the Victoria Voices topped of a truly entertaining evening and stole the hearts of the audience with cute performances from the musicals ‘Matilda’ and “Frozen’. Penarth’s musical talent pool is certainly healthy if this enchanting group of young performers is anything to go by. The evening was finished off with both choirs and Victoria Voices joining forces to sing the Disney hit 'Let It Go' ensuring that everyone would be leaving with singing in their ears.

The young people of the recently established Eden Church supported the event by running the front of house, serving refreshments and selling the increasingly popular loom bands. Their involvement was as a result of their support of the Tearfund Water Aid project in Uganda for which they have already raised over £500 this year. The generosity of the audience and their attendance at the concert has meant that they have smashed their target of £1000 raised in six months.

The community choir is on its summer break before convening in the autumn to prepare for Christmas.