Words are inadequate to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for having been honored as an honorary lady member of your distinguished choir! I was overwhelmed to the point of tears upon receiving notification of the award! Receiving this honorary membership is among the most significant and wonderful happenings of my life and it will always rank with "pride of place" among the events of my lifetime. It is beyond anything I would have ever imaginedl Our association with the choir and a possible tour to the United States all began as a dream and a vision. The first letter to then Conductor John Cynan Jones was like putting the traditional message into a bottle and tossing it into the ocean. Miraculously, it fell into the hands of someone who found it and forwarded it to its intended recipient, Mr. Jones, who was very kind to respond. Then began what came to be several years of planning, making contact with the choir, hoping, dreaming and eventually bringing the tour to life and fruition. Now, years later, after the shared experiences of the tour, and many new friendships forged and cherished for a lifetime, I am humbly honored and deeply appreciative to have been chosen as a recipient of your newest membership for women. It awakens the spirit of my own Welsh heritage, of which I am so proud. How I wish my mother, grandfather and great-grandparents were here to share in this celebration of our heritage! ! !
You are a very forward looking and venturesome organization to have taken the action to amend your by-laws to include honorary memberships for women. As is part of your tradition, you have raised the bar and set a standard, and there will surely be other male choirs of Wales following in your lead. It is especially meaningful to be among the first women to be recognized and honored with this new category of membership, and it is indeed humbling. and overwhelming to think of being included and honored among the ranks of the very talented musicians, soloists, accompanists, other tour organizers and all who have been inspired to share their talents and efforts with the choir through the years.
My husband, George, who travelled with us on the tour (he with the "Rodneys", and I with the "Deacons"), and who provided balance to the tour, as he does to all things in life, takes pride in the honor, as well. It meant so much to both of us to be involved with your first tour to the U.S., and we easily got carried away in wanting to share as much of our part of the country as possible with you in a short amount of time, despite the fact that you had a very heavy touring and performing schedule, which became apparent once we launched into it! It became quite overwhelming for the choristers, but you were all very good sports! You taught us a lesson in patience, good humor and endurance.
Your tour to the U.S. in 1991, has been one of the "life-changing" events of our lives, resulting in many continued friendships and a feeling of "connection" with the choir and the country of Wales. The choir will always remain very dear to our hearts, and a most significant part of the fabric of our lives, as we continue to cherish our friendships made within the choir.
In addition, the members of our own St. David's Welsh Society of Nebraska are excited at the news of this honor and share in the feelings of pride in the award having been bestowed upon one of their own members.
Please know and be assured that you, as individual choristers, and the magnificent sound of your voices joined in song, live with us always and hold a very special place in our hearts and lives.
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