Roath Community Chorus is an adult mixed choir of around 60 members who work towards performing a winter and a summer concert each year. Both are traditionally performed at our home venue of Minster Christian Centre, in Roath, Cardiff.
Everyone is welcome and there are no auditions required to join us. We are a community choir where meeting new people, having fun and being part of the community are key.
We perform music from a wide variety of genres, including traditional Welsh language pieces, Classical, World Music, Folk and Pop and Musical Theatre. We practice once a week on a Saturday morning, in a relaxed, fun, and learning atmosphere.
Ben Pinnow
Musical Director
A South Wales based choral conductor, accompanist and musical educator, Ben, who is originally from Dorset, completed his Masters in choral conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under tutors Neil Ferris, Sarah Tenant-Flowers and Simon Halsey. While there he received the Busenhart-Morgan-Evans Bursary awarded by the Worshipful Company of Singers. He studied piano with Richard Ormrod at Cardiff University and holds the ABRSM Diploma in piano performance.
Currently, Ben works as musical director for Côr Bro Ogwr, City Voices Bristol, Roath Community Chorus, Forget-Me-Not Chorus Calon and Opera in Situ.
He is pianist for the Forget-me-not Chorus and Lost Chord and is an alumnus of Live Music Now. He also works on educational and outreach projects with Welsh National Opera and National Dance Company of Wales. Ben also sings regularly with BBC National Chorus of Wales, is a fellow of the Guild of St Teilo and is an organisational partner of the FAKS Sings Festival in Croatia.
Judith Rose
Pianist
Judith Rose is a soprano, pianist, arranger, voice coach and singing teacher who lives in Cardiff. Originally from Walsall, Judith arrived in Cardiff many moons ago to study at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. At the college she studied voice with John Mitchinson, piano with Mary Rees and composition with Mervyn Burtch.
Judith enjoys a wide range of music, from Monteverdi to that of contemporary composers. Many of her former pupils now work in professional musical theatre, and current pupils benefit from training in vocal technique and a developing musicality, enhancing confidence and presentation in performance. Her approach to teaching and coaching is firmly rooted in the belief that music is good for wellbeing, and voices can be trained using many different musical styles and genres.
Judith has been pianist for Roath Community Chorus since the choir’s inception.
RCC Present
Roath Community Chorus has been running under its current name, and in its beloved home of Minster Christian Centre, since Spring 2012. Prior to the pandemic the choir had approx. 40-50 members.
During the pandemic the choir continued to rehearse digitally and have produced some digital performances showing our dedication during this time. When the restrictions were eased in September 2021, the choir were fortunate to be able to temporarily practice at Penylan Bowling Club, with reduced numbers, socially distanced and wearing masks, maintaining all Covid regulations are adhered to.
Since mid-2022 Roath Community Chorus were welcomed back to it’s original home of Minster Christian Centre, where the choir have been back rehearsing ever since. Our membership is back up to a very healthy 60 and we have had a successful Summer 2023 concert and sell-out Winter 2022 & 2023 concerts.
The choir celebrated their 10th Birthday in 2022.
Choir Past:
The choir has been running for around 14 years in various forms. It was originally started by Welsh conductor, composer and baritone Kelvin Thomas, around 2006. It’s first home was at Tredegarville Baptist Church, Roath, Cardiff and in its infancy the choir had around 40-50 members.
Later on, the choir was relocated to The Gate, (remaining in Roath), and renamed The Gate Chorus and Musical Director Ben Pinnow took over from Kelvin Thomas.
Eventually the choir moved to Minster Christian Centre, Roath, and renamed itself Roath Community Chorus in the Early Summer of 2012, and this is the choir that we are today.
Throughout the pandemic (2020 – Early 2022) the choir have remained practicing through Zoom rehearsals and digital performances during the various lock downs. The choir returned to practicing face-to-face temporarily at Penylan Bowling Club, who were kind enough to host the cohort.
The choir are happy to be back rehearsing at their natural home, Minster Christian Centre, Roath, since January 2022.
Sister Choir:
Roath Community Chorus has a sister choir, City Voices Bristol, which our Musical Director Ben Pinnow also works with. Some members from each of the two choirs join together to create the aptly named The Bridge Chorus. The Bridge Chorus travelled to Croatia in 2017, 2018 and 2023 to participate in the FAKS Sings Festival, an International Choral Festival held in Istria, Croatia. Concerts took place in various venues in town across the Istrian Peninsula, such as Vrsar, Rovinj and Pazin. The choir hope to come together again soon for some events based in Bristol and Cardiff and are looking forward to singing together at Usk Choral Festival.
Past Events
- ‘Followers’ Film 2014 – The choir took part in a short film ‘Followers’.
- Italian TV, Jan 2015 – An Italian TV crew joined the choir in Jan 2015 to create a recording of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau – Welsh national anthem, for an Italian programme about the Six Nations Rugby tournament.
- Casualty TV Series, Dec 2015 – Some members of the choir joined filming of a Christmas Casualty episode and were featured singing at the start of the episode.
- Barclays Bank, Oct 2017 – Barclays Bank invited the choir to perform on the banks of the river Taff outside the Principality Stadium as part of filming for a commercial.
Joint concert with Harmóniúkórrin, Jun 2018 – Icelandic Choir Harmóniúkórrin came to visit Cardiff in June 2018 and performed a joint concert together at Minster Christian Centre.
John Lewis, Dec 2019 – John Lewis invited RCC to perform in the Cardiff store to raise money for charity in Dec 2019.
Friendship Concert March 2023 – The choir joined with friends form Oregon, USA – Roseburg Concert Chorale to celebrate friendship with a wonderful concert at St Edward’s Church in Roath.
FAKS Festival 2017 / 2018 / 2023 – The choir took part in the festival on 3 separate occasions, joining with Sister Choir, Bristol City Voices, to form The Bridge Chorus.
Usk Festival 2024 – The choir joined again with our Sister Choir, Bristol City Voices, to form The Bridge Chorus, to perform at Usk Choral Festival on 1st March 2024.
The event hosted over 1000 singers across the weekend. It was particularly special for us, as it was St David’s Day, and allowed us to celebrate perfectly by leading the national anthem for all choirs and attendees at the end of the concert.
Linked Events
Roald Dahl’s The City of the Unexpected, Sept 2016 – Many of RCC’s members joined a massed choir, created to perform in the citywide celebration of 100 years of Roald Dahl. The event titled The City of the Unexpected took place across the whole weekend of Sep 2016 with events taking place across the city.
FAKS Sings Festival, May 2017, 2018 & 2023 – Some of the choir joined with City Voices Bristol, to create The Bridge Chorus, to perform at various concerts in Croatia as part of this festival. ‘Inspired with the aim of promoting lifelong skill learning and a love for involving all, FAKS is an international, cultural and entertainment festival centred around choral singing which places participation over competition. Despite the uncompetitive spirit, the festival is proud to be recognized by the European Festival Association (EFA) and been awarded internationally. FAKS Sings is focused on choral singing and welcomes both local and international choirs, with the events taking place in Vrsar, Pazin and Rovinj, where the festival takes place over two separate instalments.‘
Promise of Christmas, December Yearly – Many of our members have joined other choirs to participate in the St David’s Praise Choir, which performs at the yearly Promise of Christmas
With Joy My Soul Sings, Summer 2021 – Forget-me-not Chorus is one of Wales’ leading dementia charities. As part of the Forget Me Not charity’s 10th anniversary celebrations, over 450 choristers from across the UK, North America and the Far East united to rehearse and record the premier of a specially commissioned choral work ‘With Joy My Soul Sings.’ Many members of Roath Community Chorus participated in this massed choir, due to Roath Community Chorus’ longstanding friendship with Kate Woolveridge (Co-Founder of the charity), and because it is a great cause close to our hearts, a charity that is local to the choir and our community, and just to join for the sheer joy of singing.