The choral ensemble Kanerien Sant Meryn, “the singers of Saint Meryn”, was created in 1983 on the occasion of the twinning of Plomelin (Quimper region) with Crymych in Wales. Saint Meryn, patron saint of Plomelin, gave it its name.
It has asserted itself in its repertory over the years, and performs mainly in Cornouaille, but also throughout Brittany. It could also be appreciated in some Celtic countries, like Ireland, Wales, Galicia…
Based in Plomelin, it presents traditional songs harmonized for four voices, as well as creations bringing a new dynamism to the choral repertory by underlining the musicality of the Breton language.
This choir is a member of the Kanomp Breizh Federation which gathers about thirty Britton-speaking choirs from the 5 Breton departments and of the Chant Choral en Finistère Federation, with 90 Finisterian choirs.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR : JEAN YVES LE VEN
After classical and folk guitar, bass guitar, rock, collecting, festoù-noz, accompaniment of Celtic circles within the groups Galouperien and Ferobriz, he devotes himself to composition and harmonization for choirs and instrumental ensembles. He wrote the choral parts for the show AZELIZ IZA created by Bagad Kemper in 2000, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the group.
In 2004, his first oratorio, PINIJENN AR ROUE GRADLON on a libretto by Jeva Omnès, was acclaimed by the public of the Cornouaille Festival. IZILD A VREIZH, his second oratorio, on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, also created at the Festival de Cornouaille in 2009, was awarded the Kanomp Breizh’s Creation Prize. It was recorded at the Centre Culturel Les Arcs in Quéven in 2013.
The following years were devoted to the harmonization of traditional Breton themes, previously inaccessible to choirs. This is particularly the case of the tunes of Aven, melodies, marches and dances, grouped on the album called BALAVEN, recorded at the Cultural Center Le Nautile in La Forêt Fouesnant in 2016.
With NEVEZADUR, a work for choir and orchestra illustrating the cycle of the seasons, he won again in 2016, the prize of the Breton’s Choirs Creation.
The Kanomp Breizh Federation published in 2017 PEDER VOUEZH, a collection of thirty-eight scores among the hundred or so that Jean-Yves Le Ven composed and harmonized.
In 2018, he composed the sung parts of the play GALNYS, written and directed by Yann-Fulub Dupuy.
In 2019, the integral for choir and orchestra of Nevezadur was performed at the Cathedral of Saint Corentin in Quimper on May 17, 2019 as part of the Gouel Breizh.
In 2020, with Tanon, Tanie ha Tasie, he pays tribute to the Goadec sisters, a mythical trio of singers from Central Brittany, in a choral suite featuring ten melodies and dances from their repertory.
THE CHORISTS
An ensemble of about sixty choristers from Quimper and its region, some of whom are British speakers, divided into four sections: sopranos, alti, tenors and basses.
As heirs of the Breton culture and language, we are the bearers of the oral, sung and written tradition.
We meet every week on Thursdays for 2 hours of rehearsal at the Maison pour tous in Plomelin, as well as on certain weekends during the concert period, and we welcome everyone, whether they are Breton or not, beginners or experienced musicians, who wishes to get involved with us. All you need is to like choral singing in Breton.
THE MUSICIANS
Although most often performing a cappella, depending on the needs of the repertory, Kanerien Sant Meryn also calls upon the skills of professional and/or amateur musicians, some of whom come from the region’s conservatories.
The musical instruments are partly of the Celtic tradition, such as the uilleann pipes, the bombard, the bagpipes, the Celtic harp, or classical instruments such as the violin, the viola, the cello, the flute, the percussions….
Let us quote the string quartet Ponticelli, the duos Nijadell (Fabrice Lothodé and Jérémy Simon), André Le Meut and Philippe Bataille, Daniel Le Féon and Michel Boëdec, the ensemble Lirzhin…