After 30 years of singing and socializing, the Wollongong Welsh Choir will hold its final concert this December and disband due to dwindling membership. The choir's president, Paul Sharrad, cited a decline in Welsh migrants to the region and reluctance to sing in the Welsh language as key factors.
Dr. Sharrad noted that the choir once had over 40 singers, but now struggles to attract new members as older participants age. 'Holding the numbers was just a problem,' he said. The choir's constitution requires at least half of its songs to be in Welsh, which deterred potential singers.
The choir began in the early 1990s, driven by proud Welshman John Jones. Over the years, it performed at Celtic festivals, with other Welsh choirs, and twice at the Sydney Opera House as part of massed Welsh choirs featuring 400 singers from around the world.
The final concert will be held on Sunday, December 14, at Corrimal Uniting Church hall at 1:30 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door, with afternoon tea to follow. The program will include Christmas carols, community sing-alongs, and Welsh-language favorites.
