The LMC has returned from its 1st European tour, having captured the 2nd Prize (Male Voice Choir division) in the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, North Wales, UK, widely esteemed as the "Olympics" of choral & folk music. Our 34-voice chorus placed second to the 60-man award-winning Cor Godre-r Aran Men's Chorus of Wales. We were the only American male voice choir admitted to the festival this year; other competitors included one from Sardinia, two choirs from England and another from Wales. As one of its Folk Song competition pieces, LMC sang an arrangement of the spiritual Deep River, by Douglas Belland who, with LMC's Steve SeGraves and Roger Smith, was a student of Dr. Langsford.
During our 12-day tour we were proud to be invited to sing in St. Paul's Cathedral, London; Great St. Mary's Church in Cambridge University; St. James' Church in Barton-under- Needwood & The National Memorial Arboretum, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire; Holy Trinity Church & the Methodist Central Hall, Coventry and, with two other Eisteddfod choirs, we sang in the Methodist Church in Llangollen, including Steven SeGraves' arrangement of the Welsh National Anthem.
The LMC was founded in 1999 to carry on the musical legacy of the late Dr. Harry M. Langsford, much-loved and a near-legend in Wales, where competitive singing is as closely followed as cricket, rugby and Cardiff City Football. In ten Eisteddfods from 1965 to 1992, Dr. Langsford's choirs from Wayne State University won 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes three times each and to this day Doc Langsford remains the only American conductor to ever direct his Men's Glee Club to three First Prizes. Other noted Michigan conductors who are WSU Music Dept. alumni include Gordon Nelson (Detroit Concert Choir, an Eisteddfod Choir of the World), Dr. Milton Olsson (Michigan Technological Univ.), and G. Kevin Dewey (Vanguard Voices & Henry Ford Community College).
The LMC post-tour Victory Concert took place Sunday, July 27 at North Congregational Church, Farmington, where Dr. Langsford directed for decades. LMC's Spring Concerts this past May were well received, at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Rochester (special guest artist Dave Wagner, organ) and Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church Bloomfield Hills (special guest artist George Shirley, tenor). Both Mr. Wagner and Mr. Shirley are alumni of Dr. Langsford's WSU Men's Glee Club.
The LMC is accepting donations from $100 to $10,000 and above. Anyone wishing to contribute, either in honor of Dr. Langsford, to commemorate a Langsford alumnus, or otherwise, please contact LMC President Gary Reggio, GJRATR@aol.com, phone 1-248-288-4995, or Immediate Past President Ron Muresan, ronmuresan@hotmail.com, phone 1-248-202-5665.