WHEN a few men and women answered the call to join a new 'elite' choir in Penarth some 25 years ago, few would have imagined the musical journey that lay ahead.

Founded in 2001, Spectrum Singers has grown from a small group of handpicked choristers into an ambitious ensemble, which has featured on BBC Radio 3 and collaborated with international artists, taking part in an installation at the Serpentine Gallery in London.

Spectrum's current co-directors, Benjamin Gait and Emily Gait-Scaglioni, joined the choir as newly-weds a decade ago. Now both singing and conducting the choir, Ben admits he 'mostly enjoys just waving his arms around' but has turned his talents to arranging Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 Op.73 (Movement 2) especially for the choir on its 25th anniversary.

'Spectrum Singers has always been an unaccompanied choir. This piece celebrates that as the voices take on the orchestra's role in accompanying the piano solo rather than the other way around,' he said.

The piece will be premiered at a special anniversary concert celebrating 25 years of singing beside the seaside. The programme features contemporary choral music by Arvo Pärt, Ēriks Ešenvalds and Caroline Shaw. Audiences can also expect to hear a glittering mix of close-harmony jazz, pop and Disney, all sung a cappella. 'Silver' will take place on Friday 12 June 2026 at Penarth Pier Pavilion, bringing together singers past and present for an evening of musical sparkle.

Founder member Helen Turner, who has sung alto with the group since its beginning, said Spectrum Singers has remained a constant.

'I took my newborn baby daughter to Spectrum's first rehearsal. She's now married and singing herself as a worship leader. We've gone from rocking up to rehearsals and sight-singing whatever we were given, to planning and running the whole choir,' she mused.

There have been severe challenges to overcome, most of all the sudden loss of Spectrum's founder Stuart Edwards in 2013. The pandemic and lockdowns also made a negative impact, persisting far longer for choirs than most other groups. The choir's longevity over 25 years, she added, shows 'that people really value being part of a small, supportive team working together to make something beautiful, which we share with the community and help good causes.'

Soprano Emma Loyns joined Spectrum Singers last year and is the choir's newest member.

Describing herself as 'more of an instrumentalist' at that time, she said she loves the choir because she is simply one of the team.

'I call Spectrum my "secret choir" because I wanted to do something that was just for me. Having previously been MD of other local choirs and as owner and principal of Monkey Music and the Tiny Treehouse, I'm always the one in charge, but here I'm very much part of the team.

'I make quite a journey to be incognito, but I've very much been accepted as part of the choir family. As a professional flautist and pianist, I'm frequently called upon for my musical services, something I couldn't keep secret from the choir! My musical kit is coming in handy. I played jingle bells and coconut shells at Christmas. Then there are tuned water glasses and a trumpet in the next concert.'

Tickets for 'Silver' are currently on sale from TicketSource: Silver — 25th Anniversary Concert at Penarth Pier Pavilion event tickets from TicketSource

The celebrations continue with appearances at Cardiff Museum for Make Music Day on Sunday 21 June. The following month Spectrum Singers will perform at the Usk Choral Festival over the weekend of 4-5 July.

Spectrum Singers | chamber choir in cardiff