North Wales choirs to sing together at Bodelwyddan church

Côr Cilcain and The Hawarden Singers, both from Flintshire, are to perform ‘Olivet to Calvary’ with two other soloists and the resident organist at St Margaret’s, John Liddon-Few.

The two choirs share the same musical director, Malcolm Williams, and have previously come together in the same 'Marble Church' (as it is known as), performing the Fauré.

The choirs were set to reunite for a performance in the same venue in March 2020, but with the Covid-19 lockdown starting that month they were unable to.

Bodelwyddan's Marble Church

On April 10, their long-awaited return together will see a performance of J. H. Maunder’s ‘Olivet to Calvary’, a sacred cantata recalling some of the incidents in the last days of the Christ's life on earth.

The choirs will also sing a number of other pieces, chosen specifically for quiet reflection at the beginning of Easter week.

The two soloists set to join the performance are Amos Williams, who has sung with the Liverpool Cathedral choir and Chester Cathedral choir since 1986, and Peter Bates, former Chair of the Taunton Summer Festival, the Cornelius Singers and Wirral’s Dee Major Opera who was a professional choir singer for Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

The inside of the church was renovated 4 years ago

Mr Williams said: I’m really looking forward to performing “Olivet to Calvary” with Côr Cilcain and The Hawarden Singers in the beautiful setting of the Marble Church.

“It will also be a pleasure to be singing alongside Peter, an old friend and colleague.

“Hopefully, it will be an appropriate and moving introduction to Holy Week.”

‘Olivet to Calvary’ takes place on Sunday, 10 April at 3pm in St Margaret’s Church, Bodelwyddan, while admission is free with a retiring collection.