Colour and excitement, drama and reflection are just some ingredients of the rich and varied feast of music coming to Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Saturday, 25 April.

Headlining the concert by Aberystwyth Choral Society is Poulenc’s hugely popular ‘Gloria’ - a wonderfully vital work, contrasting hauntingly atmospheric passages for solo soprano with catchy, rhythmic music for choir and orchestra.

Determined to be direct and accessible, Poulenc was even accused of irreverence. He had an answer: “ I was thinking of those frescoes by Gazzoli with Angels sticking out their tongues!”

The ‘Gloria’ provides soprano soloist, Llio Evans, with wonderful opportunities to display the rich lyricism of her voice. An outstanding talent and one of the finest Welsh singers of her generation, she’s certainly kept busy with principal roles for leading opera companies, including Welsh National and English National Operas.

Concert work has recently taken in acclaimed appearances at St John’s Smith Square and the Three Choirs Festival. No stranger to Aberystwyth, either, Llio recently made a great impression as soprano soloist in the Choral Society’s post Lock-Down ‘Messiah.’

Making the most of Llio, the concert also includes a set from the ‘Songs of the Auvergne’. Canteloube’s ravishing arrangements, written some 100 years ago, became enormously popular during the 1970s an ‘80s and have remained so ever since. Showcases for the orchestra, as well as the soloist, the most famous is undoubtedly ‘Bailero - The Shepherd’s Song. Unforgettable, this will be featured - of course.

Another French gem also appears in the programme. Faure’s dream-like ‘Pavane’ will be be performed with the composer’s rarely-heard choral additions. A favourite of conductor David Russell Hulme, partly on account of personal association. He’s never forgotten his mentor, Sir Adrian Boult, recounting a vist to Faure’s home in which the veteran composer held his listeners spellbound while he played his Pavane, written decades before, as though he’d dreamt it up there and then.

David will be at the helm of the society’s regular orchestra, Sinfonia Cambrensis. This brings together outstanding players from near and far - many from Britain’s leading orchestras, with a regular membership always happy to be part of what they know will be something special. This concert, in particular, gives them plenty of scope to display their talents in music by virtuoso masters of orchestral writing, including William Walton, whose genius for this is nowhere more evident than in his film scores. His music for Laurence Olivier’s film of Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V’ is superb - a classic. A set of sequences from the score - which also includes choir at key moments- opens the concert in great style.

Choral Society concerts are great live music events - highlights in the musical calendar. Nothing beats the immersive experience they offer - a large choir, an accomplished full orchestra and top international soloists giving their all to bring alive the most wonderful music. Concerts are about sharing music with as many people as possible. Don’t miss out. This will be a great night.

See Aberystwyth Choral Society on Saturday, 25 April, at 7.30pm.