Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir coming to Shelburne church

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Trinity United Church in Shelburne is welcoming a mass male voice choir for a concert show later this month. 

The Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir (TWMVC) will be taking the stage in the church sanctuary for a concert on Apr. 23 at 2:30 p.m. 

“Trinity United Church is very excited to host the concert and open the doors to the community to attend,” said organizer Ann McAlpine,  “We have probably one of the best acoustic halls in Dufferin County, and the church sanctuary is known for it's beautiful resonance for music.” 

The Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir (TWMVC) was established in 1995 and has performed in churches, cathedrals, and concert halls throughout Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, the Canadian Rockies, New York State, and Wales. 

The choir was invited in 2001 to sing at the Roy Thomson Hall as part of the 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid Festival. The Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir was also invited to take part in a combined choir of 400 voices at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2008 and performed at the North American Festival of Wales as a featured guest choir in 2017. 

The Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir is known for performing a varied repertoire of musical genres, including spirituals, operatic arias, Canadian folk songs, Broadway show tunes, and contemporary music.

“It appeals to so many different music tastes and backgrounds, they seem to cover all styles and varieties of music, so I think we'll have a wonderful blend of a traditional and contemporary programming,” said McAlpine. “It has been a long time since I've seen a large choir in Shelburne so it's a wonderful opportunity to gather people together to enjoy music and be entertained right in their own community.” 

The concert is also part of a fundraising project for the local church. 

“We've done church a little differently in recent years, and the idea is to open the doors to the community to gather people together,” said McAlpine. 

A portion of the proceeds raised through ticket sales will go towards supporting the church's work in serving the community. Some of the programs and events include music concerts, art galleries, yoga, parenting classes, and a soup kitchen. 

“It's a way that we can develop project to further meet the needs of what our neighbours and community want,”
said McAlpine.

A limited number of concert tickets remain, and a waitlist has been started. Those interested in adding their name to the waitlist can call the Trinity United Church at 519-925-0905 and leave a message.