History
Canoldir's beginnings
In 1966, a St. David’s Day celebration at Birmingham Welsh Rugby Club inspired a group of Welsh exiles together with some English comrades to form a choir. They decided that the Choir would be called ‘Canoldir’, because the name translates from Welsh as ‘Middle Land’. One of the group, D. Clive Griffiths, was asked to be Musical Director, and he has been the Choir’s inspiration ever since.
We started to rehearse in the Birmingham Welsh Rugby Clubhouse: a wooden structure with, here and there, daylight streaming through slits in the wall planking, which tended to make the piano damp, so that the "action " had to be removed and dried out over a radiator before it could be played.
About two dozen men and a lady pianist assembled. The conductor, pianist and a brass player were musicians; a few of the choristers had previous musical experience, others were raw material. But the bar was open, throats could be 'oiled' at half time break; hot dogs cooked to order, all producing a warm welcoming reception for newcomers, and creating a bond of brotherhood.
We had gathered together because we loved to sing and that was the thing; the rest followed naturally, and with the aid and hard work of good men and women off stage, it still continues.
More recent times
Canoldir still cherishes the Welshness of its origins, although the original membership has now been augmented by choristers from all parts of the UK and beyond, and the magical blend of these voices has given the choir its own unique sound.
We continue to produce new recordings to join our impressive collection of CDs. Our recordings are on sale at concert venues and via this website.
We took part in the interval entertainment of the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, and in 2000 we were proud participants in the London Welsh Millenium Festival at the Royal Albert Hall.
An enjoyable Spring Bank Holiday in 2001 was spent in Normandy and tribute was paid to the fallen at Cimetiere Americain, Omaha Beach, the United States war cemetery.
Also in 2001 we sang the National Anthems at the Ryder Cup.
In 2006 Canoldir won the prestigious Jenner Trophy awarded for the best individual item at the Jersey International Music Festival.
Some of our guests over the years
Philip Madoc
Larry Adler
Amir
Bryn Terfel
Willard White
Ben Grosvenor