We enjoyed a busy week on the Maes at the National Eisteddfod – chatting with visitors to our Stand (which we shared with six other national partners) and presenting work on the Encore stage, and (to our great excitement) in the Pafiliwn, for the inaugural Tlws y Cyfansoddwr.
As part of a fruitful and ongoing relationship with Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, we co-presented two Discover Welsh Music events, curated by our close RWMCD collaborator, pianist Zoë Smith with students Lleucu Parri, Rhys Archer and Clara Greening, who performed repertoire by a range of Welsh composers.
We’ve collaborated with the Eisteddfod on Affricerdd, a pathway for musicians of colour since 2021 – enabling the creation of new songs in the Welsh-language. This year Asha Jane and Frances Bolley performed their brand new songs, alongside their mentor Eädyth, who also performed. Artist Adjua made a guest appearance, singing Hiraeth, a song written under the scheme in 2023 and now available on our own artist-led label, Sionci.
Our Bwthyn Sonig event (follow the new Insta here) in the Encore tent was a joy. The concert of music by learning-disabled music-creators who have participated in the scheme included an accomplished set by pianist Llŷr Griffiths (joined by Elin Taylor on cello) and an exuberant range of songs by Bwthyn Sonig’s ‘south-wales jammers’.
Our Eisteddfod ended with Tlws y Cyfansoddwr – the culmination of a six-month process in which composers Tomos Wiliams, Lowri Mair Jones, and Nathan James Dearden created brand new works, with the support of Tŷ Cerdd, four musicians from Sinfonia Cymru, and mentor composer John Rea. All three new works were performed on the Pafiliwn stage, and Nathan James Dearden was awarded the Tlws.
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