Cefin Roberts
Cefin Roberts and Glanaethwy choir are still standing
Ysgol Glanaethwy founder and choir conductor Cefin Roberts talks on S4C about the experience of competing on the BBC series Last Choir Standing.
Cefin reminisces with presenter Heledd Cynwal about his early work in show business and how his career has developed to include acting, singing, composing, theatre directing, writing and choir conducting.
After enjoying a clip of the Glanaethwy choir performing the Chicago musical number 'All That Jazz' on the BBC competition, Cefin tells Heledd about the gruelling routine the choir had to follow each week to prepare for the programme.
"We'd go back to the hotel on Saturday night, after making it through another round, and immediately had to pick two brand new songs. We'd learn them on Monday, and also rehearse two extra songs that we'd perform as a group. We'd perfect the vocals on Tuesday; the choreographer would come to see us on Wednesday; then we'd polish the performances on Thursday. We were back on the bus to London on Friday, before performing live on TV once again on Saturday," says Cefin, before catching his breath.
The Glanaethwy choir came second to another Welsh choir, Only Men Aloud in the BBC series during the summer of 2008.
Cefin gives an insight in to how the programme was produced, and some of their answers manipulated.
"Sometimes they'd ask us to answer the questions by saying, for example 'I'd be devastated if we went out of the competition this week' and I'd think to myself - no, I can't say that. There were some things that I just could not say on camera.
"We're all aware that these reality programmes have an element of manipulation," he adds. "But if we were to leave that competition at any stage, I wanted to go out smiling having enjoyed and had great pleasure from the experience."