Caerphilly Male Voice Choir has appointed a new musical director.
David Hutchings answered the choir’s call for help when it needed a new director to carry on its 100 year musical journey after predecessor Gareth Wyn Griffiths left earlier this year.
Mr Hutchings, the former deputy musical director for Bridgend choir, has had music in his life from an early age taking lessons on piano from the age of seven.
He moved to Cardiff in 2008 to study for a Bachelor of Music and Masters in Musicology and received tuition in choral and orchestral conducting under Keith Griffiths alongside piano studies with Raymond Clarke.
Mr Hutchings said the opportunity to work with a choir of his own was too good to turn down and will be pushing the choir’s members to new musical standards.
He said: “I thought I’d give them a call and find out what they did. I attended one of their rehearsals and I was intrigued by the possibilities and the potential the choir had.
“There was also the opportunity to work with them two nights a week compared to one night’s rehearsals of other choirs. The members have a great work ethic and they’ve been willing to engage with all of the ideas I’ve put forward. We’re on the way to achieve something quite special.”
The choir was so keen for Mr Hutchings to become involved, it even changed its practice nights to fit in other commitments.
Mr Hutchings added: “The choir has been so willing to accommodate me. Because I was unavailable to do the Tuesday night rehearsal, they changed it to a Monday. They are an excellent team.”
The choir will be performing with Mr Hutchings for the first time this Thursday (September 20) at the ROAB Club in Abertridwr in a charity concert.
Caerphilly Male Voice Choir will be helping to raise money for Velindre and will be appearing alongside singers Steve David and Cheryl Leigh.
Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7pm, are available on the door for £2.