Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have put together an exciting line-up for their annual concert on Saturday, July 21, at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly.
The evening will feature the popular North Wales act Piantel.
Piantel are pianist Annette Bryn Parry and harpist Dylan Cernyw. They are described as ‘a magical musical experience not to be missed!’
The concert will also feature the much-acclaimed Tywi Valley musical duo, the husband and wife team of Aled Edwards and Eleri Owen Edwards.
They are already two of the most popular and successful singers in Wales.
Last year, Aled and Eleri launched a new CD of uplifting and inspirational duets, “Dau fel ni” (Two like us).
Home for Aled and Eleri is in Cilycwm, Llandovery, on a farm well-known for its pedigree herd of Limousin cattle.
Balancing a busy farming life in the picturesque Tywi Valley and their musical careers is now second nature to the couple.
“We love singing – and we love entertaining,” said Eleri.
The mezzo-soprano and baritone are both Blue Riband (David Ellis Memorial Prize) National Eisteddfod winners.
Aled triumphed at the National Eistedddfod held at Bala in 1997 and Eleri in 2013 at the National Eisteddfod at Denbigh.
They are the only married couple to have both gained the coveted Blue Riband.
Eleri is originally from the renowned cultural village of Llangernyw in the Conwy Valley.
A former bank manager in Conwy and a keen supporter of the local and national Eisteddfod throughout Wales, she now shares responsibility for the running of the family farm, while she also teaching children and youngsters to sing.
Aled’s development of the family’s prized herd of Limousin cattle is recognised internationally. Aled served a eight-year term as President of the International Limousin Congress.
The CD was recorded at the famous Acapela studio in South Wales, a venue made famous by harpist Catrin Finch and her husband.
Both Aled and Eleri have praise for their vocal coaches.
Aled has studied singing with Ken and Christine Reynolds, of Aberystwyth, and Eleri’s voice coach is the well-known composer and musician Brian Hughes, of Gresford. Brian has also composed two songs for the CD “Cariad Cyntaf” and “Mae’n Wir”.
The couple both started singing individually as children in chapels and village halls.
They have since travelled extensively as guest soloists to countries all over the world, particularly Europe and North America.
Further afield, Eleri was invited to Melbourne, Australia as guest soloist at the St David’s Day celebrations in 2014
The compere for the Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert will be Eirian Wyn.
On the same night (July 21), Burry Port Town Band are scheduled to stage their annual summer concert.
The band’s special guests will be Tenovus Cancer Care Swansea Sing With Us Choir and Burry Port Junior Band.
Curtain up is at 7pm on July 21, with tickets £10, under 16s free.
The Burry Port Town Band will be looking to perform an entertaining programme featuring popular classics and music from the stage and screen.
They will also feature their Eisteddfod programme ahead of the Royal National Eisteddfod at the Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday, August 4.
It has been a successful year for Burry Port Town Band, reaching the semi-finals of S4C Band Cymru and again qualifying to represent Wales at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain taking place on September.
The compere for the Burry Port concert will be Robert Lloyd.
This weekend, there will be a special fundraiser for the Llanelli and District Twinning Association at Llanelly House.
Christian Moulie, a renowned singer from Llanelli’s twin town of Agen, will be the featured soloist at the event, which starts at 7pm. Tickets are £10 and are available from Paolo Piana, email pianapaolo@hotmail.com
Looking further ahead, Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin Carmarthen Male Choir’s 60th anniversary concert will be held at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on Saturday, October 13.
The choir will be joined on stage by four other choirs – Mynydd Mawr, Burry Port, Dyffryn Tywi and Dyffryn Aman.
This will create a combined choir of around 150 voices under the baton of Wyn Maskell, musical director of Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin.
Also taking part will be well known soloists: Jessica Robinson, soprano, and Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, tenor.
Finally, another date for your diary for later in the year – The Annual Royal British Legion Charity Gala Concert will be held at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on October 27 (7pm).
This year, 2018, marks a significant year for our Armed Forces. It is the centenary of the end of The Great War (First World War) and also commemorates 100 years of the Royal Air Force.
The prestigious annual Royal British Legion Concert has become one of the landmark events in the calendar of South West Wales, providing a platform for the Royal British Legion to pay tribute to the fallen of current and past conflicts.
It also helps the British Legion launch the Poppy Appeal in South West Wales.
The concert features leading soprano and TV and radio personality Shân Cothi, one of Wales’s premier choirs in the form of Dunvant Male Choir, the highly popular Carmarthen-based mixed youth choir Côr Seingar, Swansea-based Dancerama performing arts group youth choir, the stirring sounds of the City of Swansea Pipe Band and the unforgettable Corps of Drums of the 215 City of Swansea Squadron.
The compére will be Brian Sullivan and the guest accompanist Jeffrey Howard.
The evening ends with the poignant Tribute to the Fallen and a Service of Remembrance.
The Royal British Legion is being supported with this event by Loud Applause Productions, the production company run by Llanelli’s Cerith Owens.
Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk
If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com
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