This week, get ready to have a Wales of a good time.
Thursday marks the return of St. David’s Day, a Welsh holiday that has been part of the Flint Hills for 119 years. It’s not a time for shamrocks or parades like St. Patrick’s, though— just good tea, good history and good music. Especially good music.
The Welsh have long been known as singers — think Charlotte Church, Petulah Clark or even Catherine Zeta-Jones --and each year the Flint Hills does its best to hold up the honor with a Sunday choir concert. This year’s St. David’s Concert will start at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Emporia Presbyterian Church West Campus, 1702 W. 15th Ave.
For those wanting to celebrate on the day itself, a Welsh tea will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lebo United Methodist Church. Norma Jones, Jean Rowley and Paula Evens will serve warm Welsh cakes and hot drinks, while special music will be provided by Welsh tenor Geraint Wilkes.
If a Welsh celebration in eastern Kansas sounds odd, it shouldn’t. Names like Jones and Evans and Lewis show the connection. Emporia, Lebo, Reading and many other towns can claim their fair share of Welsh settlers. One 19th-century pioneer even started a Welsh-language newspaper just five miles north of Lebo.The local St. David’s Concert will be led by Wilkes, who is now in his 15th year of performing with the choir. Born in Aberystwyth, Wales to professional singers, Wilkes became both a singer and a teacher of music. He moved to Milwaukee with his wife in 1990Wilkes will sing “My Little Welsh Home” and “Count Your Blessings.” Other featured artists will include countertenor Dylan Evans, singing “The Gentle Dove,” and harpist Abby Triemer.
In addition to popular hymn tunes, the chorus will perform two special numbers: “St. David’s Day” which tells how the Welsh army came to wear leeks as a badge to distinguish itself from the Saxons, and “Emporia,” composed in the 1920s by Welsh-American hymn writer Daniel Protheroe. Diane McCarty will accompany the concert on organ and piano.
Opening remarks will be given by president Evora Wheeler. The invocation and benediction will be given by the Rev. Mike Sorsen.
After the concert, bara brith (literally “speckled bread”) and tea will be served in the fellowship hall and Welsh memorabilia will be on display. Welsh-American hymnals and copies of “Our Welsh Heritage” will be for sale.
The concert is free.