Choristers up Close - Ian Jenkins
Name: Ian Jenkins
Section: 2nd Tenors
Date of joining RMC: August 2024
How did you come to join Risca Male Choir?
Until about three years ago I had never sung. An old friend of mine is a member of a local choir which, following Covid, was aiming to recruit new members, having lost several during the epidemic. My friend asked me to give it a try. At first I demurred, but he was persistent and I went along. It was a most disappointing experience; I was hoping for some guidance, but this was not forthcoming.
However, when I found the advertisement for the MNDA project (in Risca Rugby Club) it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I enjoyed it immensely but did not make the move immediately to RMC. I had a busy Summer and joined in late August 2024.
We realise that you’ve only been with the choir for a very short time, but what are the elements you have most enjoyed so far?
I have been made welcome and although I feel my voice is still developing, I have not been made to feel wanting. Matt, the MD, strikes the right balance between pure enjoyment of singing, ambition for the choir and discipline during practice. It is great to be involved with something that gives me pleasure and, hopefully, to others.
What music have you particularly enjoyed singing and why?
I loved Fix You! Such an emotional piece both for myself and my family who came to the MNDA concert. Also Into the West is a joy, and singing it at a funeral brought a new dimension I had not felt before. I was intrigued to find Crossing the Bar in the repertoire as I remember the Tennyson poem from A Level English. I particularly enjoyed Infant Holy at the Christmas concert, doubly so, as it was my audition piece.
Ian with godson Bobby, and Bobby’s sister, Jennifer
What do you think you might look forward to in the future, perhaps having heard from longer serving choristers of memorable moments in the past?
It is daunting to join a choir, some of whose members may have known each other for 40 years and for whom the repertoire is second nature. Those I have spoken to have told me not to get disheartened, as it may take 2/3 years for one’s voice to develop and to become fully conversant with the repertoire.
Tell us briefly about your life outside of choir
I am a Newportonian and came to live in Risca, having married a Risca girl, Jennifer, in 1982. An accountant by profession and a biker! I was lucky enough to combine career and hobby when I acquired the bike dealership I worked for in the 1990s. I enjoy cooking and when I retired in 2009, I went to Crosskeys College and followed a Professional Cookery course.
Jennifer and I have travelled extensively and this is something we would love to continue in the future.
A final thought, if you have one
When I retired I was advised to find a passion, something to keep mind and body fulfilled in later life. I hope to have found mine in RMC.
