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Ruth took over the role of Secretary in February 2011, when founding Secretary Gay
Roberts retired.
Ruth was born and raised in Newtown and her earliest musical memories are of the Hamer
Family Choir which comprised her seven siblings and herself. Their parents Charles and
Gwladys were devoted to training the children, who were able to sustain a whole evening's
entertainment with solos, recitations, duets, double duets and choir pieces. Ruth was
taught to sing Alto, and did so for 50 years before she realised her dream of becoming a
Second Soprano!
She sang with Rhydfelen Baptist Church choir and several village choirs in
Montgomeryshire, and was a successful eisteddfod competitor in recitation, prose and
poetry. She is committed to the support of music in Mid Wales.
Ruth's musical interest continued with Newtown Operatic Society, where she was
Secretary for many years, also Business Manager, Vice Chairman and Patron. She performed
in several of their productions, most notably "La Vie Parisienne" in which her
son Rob played the leading role. This led to his enrolment at English National Opera and
for Ruth the start of a passion for classical music and opera. She has attended
performances at Sydney Opera House, The Met., Paris, Vienna and Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden in London.
You can contact Ruth by email or
phone (01686 621391).
Mair co-founded the choir with Gay Roberts in 2001.
Mair comes from a family with a strong tradition of singing. Her father was a choirboy
at Tewkesbury Abbey, and her cousin Lavinia Thomas, the contralto, has won the blue ribbon
at the National Eisteddfod. Although she has no formal training, Mair has sung in a
penillion choir conducted by Noel John ( the famous conductor of Côr Telyn Teilio) in her
schooldays, and is currently a member of no less than three choirs!
Other committee members
Vice Chairman & Wardrobe Mistress: Sorrel Crompton
Treasurer: Linda Morrell
Librarian: Helen Lycett
Website & programmes: Jane Dards
Venue coordinators: Wendy Lambourne & Diana Mackintosh
Committee Member: Mona Davies
Gay co-founded the choir with Mair O'Gorman in 2001, and was Secretary until she
retired from the post in February 2011.
Gay's musical heritage stretches back to 1784: she is a direct-line descendent of
Harpist Evan Jones (the "Blind Harpist of Waenoer") who was born in Garthbeibio
and was, by all accounts, an excellent exponent of the triple-stringed harp, regularly
playing for the Earl of Powis and his guests and accompanying well-known Banwy Valley
penillion singers of the day.
Gay's parents and sister were very active musicians and singers in their home village
of Llanfair Caereinion, and through their influence music, particularly singing, has
always been Gay's passion. Her training and experience were carried out in London under
the tutorage of Professor Joseph Hislop at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama,
subsequently being successfully auditioned for Sadlers Wells Opera Company.
Gay has been very proud of her role in Côr Merched Maldwyn and gives thanks for the
day that Ruth, "our inspirational conductor", was introduced to the choir and
that she agreed "to take us on" for what has been, and is, a very fruitful and
rewarding conductor/choir relationship.
And the choir is very grateful to Gay for all the hard work that she put in over the
course of 10 busy years, making the choir and the concerts such a success. Without her,
the choir would not be what it is today.
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