Choristers up close - Martin Mathieson
Name: Martin Mathieson
Section: 2nd Tenors
Date of joining RMC: May 2024
How did you come to join Risca Male Choir?
I took part in the charity concert last year to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, then immediately joined the main choir in time to prepare for the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd.
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’m grateful for help from experienced choristers. In several cases, they’ve given me their copy of older arrangements they say they couldn’t forget if they tried.
Informal mentoring has worked well for me – Wyn Cable (2nd tenor) has patiently helped me a lot these past months.
And of course, I appreciate MD Matt’s musical leadership, ambition and enthusiasm!
What music have you particularly enjoyed singing and why?
I have honestly enjoyed most of the music we’ve done. There is a lot of satisfaction in learning together as a choir – growing our understanding and appreciation of a piece until we can polish and perform it. Later, it’s also interesting to dust it off and briefly hear it again, more as an audience will.
I’m fond of all 3 pieces that we sang for the Eisteddfod last year. Am enjoying Crossing the Bar and Harriet Tubman – those two in particular were shaped in rehearsal as we all got to know them together. And as a Scotsman, it was interesting to learn the popular, traditional Welsh songs we did recently at the rugby international (Calon Lân, Llef & Yma o Hyd).
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?
I look forward to improving as a chorister over time – I had not really done any singing until last year, and I hope to perform more often as more of the repertoire sinks in. Am also looking forward to the process of taking what we’ve learned and peaking again for competitions.
Tell us briefly about your life outside of choir.
I grew up in Fife, but have lived almost as long in Newport now with my wife, our two youngest children, and Tortie the tortoise. I work as a software engineer (on telecoms test equipment) from home.
I still try to lift weights when time and my body allows it. For over 20 years, I’ve been an enthusiastic contributor / core-developer to Wireshark - an open-source software project / community for analyzing / understanding computer network traffic.
A final thought, if you have one
When you look at the many pictures of RMC on the walls, you realize it is never quite the same choir twice. I hope to learn as much as possible from those around me (and indirectly, from those that came before them) while we also try out newer technologies and ideas.
