Welsh choir's tour features local vocalist

Pendyrus Male Choir is on tour for two weeks in America.
By NANCILYNN GATTA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Megan Elizabeth Morris prepared her entire life for this moment in the spotlight. Currently, she is the featured soloist with the Pendyrus Male Choir from Wales.
Morris' initial contact with Welsh culture came from her grandmother, who is a member of the Women's Welsh Club of America.
"Since I was little, we've been going to these dinners and these musical performances. At a certain point I started singing at them. It just sort of happened that way," said Morris. Recently, she was the guest soloist at the Annual Gymanfa Ganu Welsh Hymn Festival at the McKinley Memorial Auditorium in Niles.
Pendyrus Male Choir is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a two-week tour of America. The 60 members will perform traditional Welsh favorites in English and Welsh as well as opera chorus selections and show tunes. This is Morris' first tour.
"This choir performed at The White House and the Kremlin. I only have the recordings, but I've heard that listening to them live is even better," said Morris. She didn't meet the choir until her first rehearsal in Harrisburg, Pa., which was the site of their first performance.
Morris performs eight selections during the concert. Three of the pieces are with the choir. Her repertoire is also varied in style.
"Basically my parts of the program is to give them a break," she said.
Getting started
Morris' friend, who is involved with Welsh organizations around the country, recommended her to the group. The choir trusted his opinion.
While trying to schedule a meeting with Pendyrus members who were in the country setting up the tour logistics, fate stepped in.
"It just so happened that they planned to go to an event that I was singing at. They didn't even realize that I was singing there," said Morris.
To help support her performance career, Morris opened a graphic design studio. She created the concert programs, posters, handbills and tickets.
"I can take this work with me while I'm on tour. I've got a mobile office, and I can use some of that downtime to work," said Morris.
Loves to perform
Though born in Pittsburgh, she's lived most of her life in the Mahoning Valley. She graduated from Ursuline High School, where she discovered her love of performing.
"My father got me interested in musical theater. We sang show tunes in the car. When I started high school, I auditioned for all of their musical theater productions. When I was doing all of those performances I figured that was what I wanted to do. I started studying voice [Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music] before I was out of high school. By the time I finished high school, I was pretty keen on opera," she said.
As a vocal performance major at YSU, she continued to appear on stage in numerous opera productions. Last autumn, she portrayed Azucena in the Valley Lyric Opera presentation of "Il Trovatore."
"I really enjoy it. I have an easier time singing than I do talking in front of people," said Morris.
Experience on tour
Another aspect of touring is working and traveling with her fellow performers.
"The two fellows that I met from the choir are probably the nicest people that I have ever met in my entire life. There's something about Welsh people that is just so friendly," she said.
As she gains additional performance experience with one of the premiere choirs in the world, Morris realizes how special this opportunity is.
"I'm just so honored and excited. I'm going to burst," she said.