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Quotes, Comments and ReviewsGuest Book comment: I would just like to say what a privilege it was to be able to accompany the Choir on its splendid tour of Barcelona. The whole venture was amazing, with superb performances by such a youthful Choir the crowning glory. The combination of the music, the quality of the singing and the gothic architecture was very moving and very memorable. Thank you John Davies 4th August 2009 Guest Book comment: I just wanted to thank you all for everything!! You all are very sweet and excellent singers....we were so blessed to have you in Catalunya. All the coordinators from each of the venues that you sang at, told me how great you all are...they were sooo impressed with you all!! Thanks again for being so nice to me as well...it meant a lot to me. Thanks! Carme Warren 3rd August 2009
Guest Book comment: By chance we had the pleasure of listening to you when we visited Barcelona Cathedral as tourists. I would just like to thank you so much. My friend and I felt truly blessed to have been able to listen to your rehearsal as well as the actual concert. Such a beautiful, well balanced performance, even in the heat of a Spanish Summer! A truly memorable holiday moment. I want to congratulate you all. Carol Morris 1st August 2009
South Wales Evening Post review of Christmas Concert at Brangwyn Hall on Dec 19th 2008.
"As concerts go, this was pretty good value. Not one choir, not two, but three. The occasion was Dunvant Male Choir's 20th Christmas Concert. Joining them on stage at Swansea's Brangwyn Hall were the Ariosa Singers, a city-based mixed choir made up o young would-be professional sigers learning their trade.
Younger still were the Ariosettes, primary school-age children with a talent audience was invited to make up an even bigger choir bny joining the performers in singing carols.
It was a varied programme of seasonal music with some particular highlights, notably the Dunvant Choir's first public performance of Pachelbel's Canon in D arranged for voices. It was very warmly received, as was the Karl Jenkins piece Lullay and the always popular Still, Still, Still.
The guest choir's best performance of the night was Lux Aeterna, a choral setting of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, a complex and demanding piece sung without accompaniment and requiring fine control and measure.
Christmas is not Christmas without the sound of little children's voices and the Ariosettes captured the hearts of the audience with their joyfulness.
Particularly well received was O Holy Night, featuring the two senior choirs.
The event was compared by the irrepressibly irreverent Dai Vaughan, who sent the audience on their way with big smiles on their faces...Terry Crockford."
From Mrs. Jean Long "Thank you so much for bringing the Ariosa Singers to my husband's 80th birthday party. They were fantastic. Everyone was thrilled with their singing, you are doing a marvellous job. We look foward to hearing them again. Every blessing, Jean Long." August 2008. "Thank you Ariosa for a wonderful concert at the Church of the Madeleine in Paris this summer. Paul and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to your performance in the beautiful surroundings of the church. We were also part of the very enthusiastic audience at the Deutsche Kirche, where your professionalism continued to impress us. Can’t wait for next year’s international concert tour! " Maggie Kirk August 2008 All Saints Church Mumbles Coffee Concert - Male Voices of Ariosa April 2008 "I thoroughly enjoyed the Coffee Concert experience at All Saints yesterday morning – very well worth the trip from north Carmarthenshire. The programme was great fun and performed so well and with such passion and commitment by the young male voices of Ariosa – and the four young ladies! That they chose to sing in aid of prostate cancer care was the icing on the cake. It was good to come to Mumbles because of the initiative. Please thank the boys and girls for me." Extract from letter received from Philip M Burr 13th April 2008
Fauré Requiem @ St Peter's Newton 5th April 2008 'Congratulations on the excellent concert at St Peter's Newton last Saturday' " A concert by the Ariosa Singers, conducted by founder Penny Ryan, was given on Saturday afternoon, 5th April 2008 at St Peter's Church Newton before a large and appreciative audience..." Harry Gabriel, press review 6th April "Joe Morgan closed the first part of A Night at the Opera with the Toreador's aria supported by the young Ariosa Singers" Malcolm Rees, review in South Wales Evening Post Jan 22nd 2008 "I thought the Ariosa Singers were wonderful. I'm sure we'll have them 'guesting' for us again soon. What a beaitiful opening, I've always loved Nimrod - but this (version) was a real lesson for me - I was spellbound...an excellent performance. It was really special" Keith Roberts, General Secretary Morriston Orpheus Choir December 2007 "Looking for proof that choral music is as vibrant as ever? Look no further than Oystermouth in Swansea, where the Ariosa Singers are based" BBC WALES November 2007 "We were fortunate to have the Ariosa Singers at our annual concert this year. They performed a varied and challenging repertoire, including new works by former colleagues, and it was wonderful to see such young people singing together. They showed their expertise with beautiful legato singing in Roger Emerson's arrangement of 'Fields of Gold', followed by some very powerful singing in an arrangement of Elgar's Nimrod, set to the words, 'Lux Aeterna'. This was even more impressive as it was set for eight voices. A truly memorable evening enhanced by the contribution of the Ariosa Singers.' Nick Rogers, Musical Director, Gwalia Singers, Swansea. November 2007 "I've had a look at the web site and I think it's fantastic. I'm really looking forward to having the Ariosa singers at our concert at St Mary's Church. I've heard them before and I know that they will sound just wonderful there, the acoustic is superb." Joy Amman Davies Musical Director of the Morriston Orpheus Choir. November 2007 "The Ariosa website is brilliant - really informative and great to see so many photos of everyone both singing and having fun." Lisa Mears November 2007 "Thank you all for singing my Irish Blessing so well on Saturday 20th October 2007. Much appreciated. Richard John October 2007 "We have just returned from a tour of Prague where we heard the Ariosa Singers perform five concerts which were received with much appreciation by the Czech audiences...they all perform with complete professionalism... they are such an exciting new choir they should not be missed Jan and David Silvey September 2007 "Special thanks to the wonderful Ariosa Singers, an extraordinary group of exceptionally talented young people who have helped make our dreams come true by being here today" Cerian and Christopher Bidder on the wedding day at St Benedict's Church Swansea August 2007 "The only way to describe the sound of the Ariosa Singers is beautiful. The gentle music is stunningly performed and punctuated by strong and stirring sounds. The harmonies are helped along by the fact that the performers are clearly enjoying themselves and putting their all into the music." Helen Keats South Wales Evening Post 22/08/07 "...the Council wishes to express its gratitude for the performance at the benefit concert in the St Nicholas Church supporting the humanitarian and cultural activities of our Church." from St Nicholas Church, Old Town, Prague "“…I had a real treat in Dublin. I heard a wonderful youth choir from Swansea (Wales) perform at Christchurch Cathedral. The members are between nine and 24 years old and are all pretty serious singers (many plan to follow singing careers). This was the last of three Dublin performances before going home and there was a really good mid-day crowd who gave them a standing ovation. The smiles on the group’s faces when the audience thanked them were worth a million bucks; it was obvious that this was a highlight of their trip. To have passion and commitment to do anything well is beautiful. Not only do the members of the Ariosa Singers have this passion, but so does their director Penny Ryan and accompanist Hywel Evans…” “You (Ariosa) have a fan (and probably more than one) in America…I am so glad I heard the Ariosa Singers.” Steve Felix, senior Vice-President of Institutional Real Estate Inc, California, extract from his weekly journal August 2006, which has a circulation worldwide of 8,000 |
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