INTERESTED in pop, rock and opera? Then, the popular musical duo called Zirenz have something which is just up your street.
Zirenz are Bex Hazard and Cat Llewelyn, two singers and musicians based in the heart of the Gwendraeth Valley.
They are already making an impression on the local scene with their unique blend of opera and trance music.
Now they are launching special workshops in Kidwelly.
The POP 2 OPERA vocal workshops are open to all levels, beginners to advanced, for teenagers 13–17 and Adults 18-plus.
The workshops consist of a three-hour group session.
All participants will work together as a group and, during the three-hour session, they will learn a collection of vocal warm-up exercises to develop a strong grounding in vocal technique followed with group song coaching of pop, rock and opera styles.
Lyrics and music will be provided for each student to pre-download as well as a sample of the POP 2 OPERA vocal workout for vocal exercising so that participants can develop vocal technique and begin to discover the potential in their voices.
The POP 2 OPERA vocal workshop is on Saturday, February 17, 6-9pm at St Mary’s Church, Kidwelly.
As Zirenz, Bex Hazard and Cat Llewelyn kicked off their career together by winning an Honourable Mention Award from the world-renowned John Lennon songwriting competition USA in 2003.
Their music has been influenced by a plethora of composers from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini , Gustav Holst, Ennio Morricone , John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman, along with the dance influences of Armin Van Buuren and electronic pop Max Martin, Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre and the legendary Vangelis.
In 2021, their track “Edge of Space” was part of Trance music history when included in A State Of Trance All Time TOP #1000 list by the five-time Ranked World No1 DJ Armin van Buuren.
As Radio DJ’s Zirenz for several years hosted the Afterworld Sessions Radio show focussing on the best of Trance music which broadcast weekly on Romanian Radio Cluj Public broadcasting station, covering several counties in Transylvania, on 909, 1404 and 1593 (AM). In Cluj-Napoca 95,6 FM, Sibiu 95,4 FM & Satu-Mare 87.9 FM. and syndicated to several award winning online digital radio stations broadcasting from UK, USA, France, Holland, Greece, Ireland and Mexico to thousands of listeners each week.
Cat Llewleyn of Zirenz was a member of the Youth choir of Wales and Youth Orchestra of Wales, performing on Welsh TV and Radio. Cat gained a Masters degree in Computer Science at Swansea University. As a vocalist she went on to study privately in London with Bex Hazard and the theatrical and pop vocal coach Mary Hammond.
Bex Hazard started her music journey at the age of 10, composing her first choral piece for her school choir for a BBC carol competition. Bex continued song writing playing guitar and piano and went on to winning an opportunity to record and perform at BBC Pebble Mill Studios Birmingham.
Her vocal training began when she joined the Award Winning Cantamus Girls Choir under the direction of Pamela Cook MBE, she then gained an entrance scholarship to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music London for several years graduating with Hons in Voice and OPERA Performance.
While at the RAM Bex studied with world class Opera singers Yvonne Minton CBE , ENO Voice Consultant Josephine Veasey CBE and the Italian Soprano and Opera producer Graziella Sciutti.
Zirenz are working extensively in the Studio and Stage on their “pOpera project” a project that brings together all of Zirenz music diversity and knowledge which they have acquired and developed over the last 25 years.
You can find the latest details about all Zirenz releases and performances on the official zirenz website –https://zirenz.com
You can also find out more about the planned workshops.
This week, the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen welcomes back Carmarthen Youth Opera.
This year, the spotlight shines on the award-winning musical Our House, featuring iconic hits from the legendary band Madness.
Our House is a romantic comedy based on music by Madness and a compelling book by playwright Tim Firth.
Set against the backdrop of ‘80s ska beats, the musical delves into themes of love, family values, responsibility, and the journey of growing up, all through the lens of Madness’s timeless songs, including chart-toppers like Our House, Baggy Trousers, and House of Fun.
The narrative unfolds on a summer’s evening in London, following the adventures of Camden lad Joe Casey. As Joe navigates love, friendship, and pivotal life decisions, the audience is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with a dual narrative guided by the ghost of Joe’s deceased criminal father.
Director Dan Williams ensures a high-octane performance, promising audiences an unforgettable experience.
The immensely talented ensemble is backed by a West End standard orchestra, delivering a musical feast that captures the energy and spirit of Madness’s greatest hits.
The choreography, staging, make-up, and lighting are meticulously crafted, rivalling any professional theatre production.
Performances are scheduled from Wednesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 17, with evening shows at 7.30 pm and a special matinee on Saturday at 2.30 pm.
Tickets are available at the Lyric Theatre box office or online at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk.
Meanwhile, a Llanelli-based company called Scarlet Musical Theatre Productions will be making a much-anticipated debut this month.
The classic coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening will be the first full-scale production for Scarlet Musical Theatre.
The show is being staged at Stiwdio Stepni at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli on February 22 and 23.
With music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater, Spring Awakening is based on the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind.
Spring Awakening contains partial nudity and sexual content, as well as explicit language. It is recommended for an audience of 16 and over.
Tickets for the February performances in the intimate Stidwio Stepney space are £12.
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