The following was submitted by the Barrie Concert Association on behalf of Helga McPhie on September 30, 2026. (Source BarrieToday.com) On Saturday night, the Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir opened a new concert season for the Barrie Concert Association at Collier Street United Church. Under the expert direction of William Woloschuk and skilful piano accompaniment of Matthew Coons, the choir delighted a full house with beautiful melodies, rich harmonies and so much heart. Since 1995, the choir has serenaded audiences with the "achingly beautiful songs of the mountains and valleys of Wales." But to my surprise, their repertoire also straddled other traditions including Canadian folk, spirituals, operatic arias, show tunes and pop. The choir softened hearts with their clear Welsh diction, gentle harmonies and sensitive renditions of traditional Welsh tunes, but also of classics such as Rutter’s For the Beauty of the Earth, Lauridsen’s Sure on This Shining Night and folksy modern favourites such as We Rise Again and Lightfoot’s Song for a Winter’s Night. They thrilled the audience in rousing "anthems" such as I Dreamed a Dream and You Raise Me Up. And to our complete surprise, this Welsh male voice choir entertained us with humour and a flair for the dramatic as the audience eagerly joined in the "baseball version" of Sweet Caroline. "So good … so good," a definite crowd pleaser. Throughout the concert, I was struck by the choir’s bond, so evident in the joy on their faces and delight in each other’s talents. They even made the invitation for others to audition and join them. What Would I Do Without My Music was a lovely tune sung so confidently and almost as a personal anthem for the choir … "to give me hope so I can carry on." The choir’s finale, Lean on Me/We Shall Overcome, began in unison, then grew in its soulful gospel sound as the audience clapped to its catchy rhythms and embraced its powerful message of community and mutual support. Their message is simple: "the things we all share far outweigh our differences."