Mello'D' News
2010 proved to be a very busy year for the local ladies harmony singing group Mello’D’, Starting off in January we performed at the Raglan Barracks Newport for the 104th Annual Dinner in the Sergeant’s Mess. This proved to be such a success we were asked to return to sing for the Officer’s Annual Dinner in March.
February brought a very exciting and prestigious occasion for us; we were invited to sing for the International Store Bon Marche and were featured in their monthly publication. We were treated to the expert advice of their fashion editor and given some lovely outfits to wear at our next concert at the end of the month, which was with the Pontypool Male Voice and The Loveny Male Voice from Cornwall at St Hilda’s Church, Griffithstown. Loveny Male Voice have asked us to join them next year for their annual concert Mello’D’ have graciously accepted and will look forward to singing with them again in September 2011.
March started off with a return to the Millennium Hall in Cardif,f where Maggie enjoyed playing on their baby grand piano, a real treat! Then came a concert with the Cwmbran Male Voice in Pontnewydd. The ladies really enjoy their relationship with all the local Male Voice Choirs and are thrilled to be able to join them on many of their prestigious and social occasions raising funds for local charities and entertaining local audiences and having fun sharing their talents and voices. Keeping up with Mello’D’s charity raising reputation Helena took on and conquered the challenge of the three peeks walk this month and raised a considerable sum for her particular charity. Who we shall support later in the year. Well done Helena!
April brought Easter and so a couple of weeks holiday for everyone before performing at local residences in Risca and Ty Newydd in Pontnewydd. Mello’D’ have been singing for the members of the Risca OAP’s club for the past eight years and really enjoy their biannual visits; the members are so enthusiastic and we always enjoy a cup of tea with them after the concert. We enjoy visiting Ty Newydd just as much where the residents are also so warm and welcoming. Mello’D; originally formed to visit the homes and clubs that large choirs find impractical to visit and so we are always pleased to keep with our tradition of purpose. We are so lucky to be able to perform for all kinds and sizes of audience that keep us in demand and we sincerely hope this good fortune will continue for us.
And so on to the rest of our year…
We paid a return visit to Monmouth Court, Newport in May and held our first Festival of Music concert in St Mary’s Hall New Inn. We were very pleased to welcome The Wantage Male Voice Choir with whom we began a relationship in 2009. Also performing were Jazz Q from St Albans High School and compere Lorna Peterson. The concert was a sell out with fantastic support from our local councillors, family and friends and of course the local community. So much so we are repeating the format in 2011 with the hope that we can showcase more young local talent. Book your tickets early! Saturday May 14th 2011, Visit our website for details… www.mellod.co.uk
June always brings our visit to the New Inn Senior Citizens club and we were also asked to sing for Bon Marche once again, we also visited a new home, for us, in Chepstow and hope to return soon.
July brought a visit to St Julians in Newport and we took with us a young Saxophone player who performed a variety of songs much to the delight of the audience, so much so they immediately booked her for future concerts. We were so pleased to think that we may have started someone on her chosen career path. Hopefully she will play for us as at our concert in May. We also sang at the Glan-y-Avon Hotel in Usk for a dinner party, which was a lovely evening and gave us all a chance to wear our posh frocks!
We sang at The Ebbw Vale Festival Park Shopping Centre at the beginning of August and dressed in traditional welsh costume to compliment their themed weekend.
September was a very busy month for us and ranged from singing at Blaenavon and Risca Senior Citizen’s Clubs to a Masked Ball in Cardiff to our trip to Llandudno with the Pontnewydd Male Voice Choir. Our friends at Pontneydd Male Voice really spoiled us with a stay at a lovely hotel and we enjoyed every minute especially our sing-a-long in the bar after the concert! We love this kind of variety and every performance is given as much thought and energy as each other. We all love to sing and be together as we are all such good friends and realise how lucky we are to share our passion for music and performance.
With busy September behind us we continued on into October with another trip, this time to Cornwall to sing with the Mousehole Male Voice Choir. We had a fantastic trip the weather was amazing, wall to wall sunshine the whole weekend and a quaint little B and B by the sea was just perfect. The concert was a sell out in the magnificent Paul Church and the Mousehole Choir were astounding. We look forward, very much, to returning in 2012 when we shall be celebrating our tenth anniversary. October ended with our usual return to the lovely people of Risca.
November was quite quiet compared to September and October but nevertheless just as important with a return to Ty Newydd who began their Christmas celebrations early and a charity performance for the Children’s department at Neville Hall Hospital and our usual Christmas performance at The Festival Park in Ebbw Vale.
We ended 2010 with a concert for Regency Home Pontypool and our Christmas Dinner. We decided to have a quiet December this year as a couple of the ladies were going on holiday and we had had such a busy year. In retrospect we were quite disappointed not to have had a lot of Christmas concerts, as this time of year is always a good time for everyone so we shall rectify that in 2011…
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Mello’D’ have had a great start to 2010 and have already taken bookings for 2011. Starting in January they performed at The Raglan Barracks Newport for a Grand Ladies Evening Dinner and were greeted by the soldiers of 104 Regiment.
Next came a photo shoot for top high street ladies fashion store Bon Marché. The article will appear in their summer edition. The ladies of Mello’D’ were given the outfits they wore for the shoot and treated to lunch and a lovely day with the staff at Cwmbran, the editor of BM Sarah Touquet and camera men John and Mike.
Next came a St David’s Day Concert with The Pontypool Male Voice Choir who were hosting The Loveny Male Voice Choir from Cornwall; at St Hilda’s hall. The hall was packed and the concert was enjoyed by all. Music ranged from original, Cornish pieces especially written for the Loveny choir to traditional favorites from Pontypool Male Voice and an encore for Mello’D’ who sang their interpretation of a Bruce Springsteen song, Should I fall Behind, which is quickly becoming a bit of a signature tune for them. They are thrilled to have been given permission to perform the original Cornish piece written by a Loveny chorister adding another genre to their already wide repertoire.
Mello’D’ really enjoy guesting for male voice choirs and are singing with The Cwmbran Male Voice Choir at Mount Pleasant Hall Pontnewydd on Saturday the 13th March; they are travelling to Cornwall in October to sing with the Mousehole Male Voice Choir.
On the 11th of March they are performing on the Tesco Stage at the Millennium Hall Cardiff and are returning to The Raglan Barracks on the 20th for another Ladies Dinner Evening.
Mello’D’ are holding their own Annual Concert and have invited The Wantage Male Voice Choir from Oxford as their guests at St Mary’s Church Hall, New Inn – Saturday May 15th 7pm tickets £5.
If you would like Mello’D’ to perform at your Christmas Dinner or other celebration please visit their website or email mellod@hotmail.co.uk