Gala concert for Keech and COGIC

The 100-strong group are appearing at a charity gala concert in aid of Keech Hospice Care and COGIC – the Calvary Church of God in Christ.

The programme will include solo items from the church choir.

The LWMVC has sung at many of Britain’s most prestigious concert halls and cathedrals including the Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, Glyndebourne, Snape Maltings and Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.

A spokesman said: “We’ve also had the honour of appearing twice at the Royal Variety Command Performance and in gala concerts to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Prince of Wales and the 40th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.” But in a contemporary twist, they were the backing group for Take That at Earls Court and have recorded with Charlotte Church, Aled Jones and Bryn Terfel.

London Welsh Male Voice Choir was central to establishing male voices in the pop genre, as proved by their 1970s album Take Me Home.

Their 1981 recording, Songs of the Valleys, is believed to be the first album by a male choir to be awarded a gold disc for sales in excess of 100,000.

The harmonising choristers are also wellknown in the sporting arena. They led the singing before each of Wales’s rugby internationals at Wembley and were the first male voice ensemble to appear at the new stadium prior to the Rugby League Cup Final in 2007.

Its members have toured the British Isles and have performed in Europe, Canada, Barbados and the USA.

Baritone Ian Edwards stressed that they sing for the sheer pleasure and fun, not for the praise or the money.

He explained: “It all stems from the London Welsh Centre in London where we receive our weekly injection of hymns and arias.

“It’s in the blood but occasionally we need a transfusion of inspiration and places like the Royal Albert Hall and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium provide the required mix of red – and green – blood cells.”

Concert secretary Rowland Francis said: “We haven’t performed in Luton before although we were at Stopsley Baptist Church in 2010 for the Rotary Club of Luton North.

“We’re very much looking forward to returning to the area and singing at Luton’s Calvary Church of God in Christ.”

> Tickets cost £16 (£10 for under 13s) from Paul Denton on 01582 507285 or email [email protected]

Doors open at 6.15pm for a 7pm start.