Cantorion Phoenix – combing music, friendship & fun!
Posted: 9th November 2023The Clarence Hall is home to a wide range of organisations who utilise its facilities on a regular basis. In this feature, we look at Cantorion Phoenix.
Founded in 2011, Cantorion Phoenix is a mixed choir for people of all backgrounds and singing abilities. Thanks to the enthusiasm and boundless energy of the choir’s Musical Director, Dian Winter, what started as a small choir with only a hand-full of members has now grown to a well-established and popular choir performing at many events in Crickhowell, Govilon and the surrounding areas.
The choir’s emphasis is very much on the community aspect and its mission is to enable those who enjoy singing to attain a high standard of musicianship. Anyone wishing to sing may join, with no auditions, nor is there a requirement for members to read music. For many members, the choir’s weekly rehearsal is the highlight of their week, combining music, friendship and fun!
In addition to benefiting the community of members, Cantorion Phoenix gives a number of concerts each year with the aim of fundraising for a number of local causes; particular support has been given to the Clarence Hall in Crickhowell, Llanwenarth Baptist Chapel in Govilon and the Monmouthshire Branch of the British Heart Foundation.
One of the highlights for the choir in recent years was the invitation it received to perform at the International Music Festival in Llangollen in July 2019. This was a tremendous experience for the choir, with a memorable conga being undertaken as part of the warm-up process! Cantorion Phoenix hopes to revisit Llangollen in the not too distant future, but for the time being it has its sights on Cwmdu Eisteddfod this November and its Christmas Concert at Christchurch, Govilon.
