A new theatre piece (a multi-media event about World War One and commemorating the signing of the Armistice) will get its premiere in Neath next month (June).

The Armistice Suite is written, edited, collated and produced by Gruffydd Harries, a musician, arts administrator, writer and producer of critically acclaimed documentaries for ILR and a script-writer for HTV.

Original music has been composed by BAFTA winning, EMMY nominated Welsh musician – Mark Thomas.

It will be performed live in performances by the finest professional musicians from The Chamber Orchestra of Wales.

There will be a continuous slide show of relevant images and video, synchronised to the words.

These include rare photographs and film of people, places and events alongside works by notable war artists such as Sir Frank Brangwyn.

Readings, poems, quotes and enactments from diaries, letters,documents etc. relevant to the different wartime scenarios under examination, are presented and performed by three eminent and popular Welsh television and stage personalities.

The Armistice Suite suite “stirs the emotions” as only words and music can, with moments of poignancy and sadness but also with “feel good” moments and humour. It is certainly not full of blood, gore and destruction – although elements of such can not be totally avoided.

The story of one of the most notable events of the 20th Century cannot be covered in just one evening’s presentation. Therefore, a series of chronologically important, fascinating and interesting events – many with particular relevance to the Principality – are examined and the human aspects of these are explored.

The Armistice Suite will get its first performance in Neath – at the Little Theatre on Friday, June 8.

It will also feature at the Gower Festival on July 14 – www.gowerfestival.org   

The show is also being booked into Llanelli in September and Blackwood in October. More dates are being added all the time.

About The Armistice Suite 2018:

A century ago, this country was involved in the Great War. This was a conflict on a scale hitherto unknown on this planet. A total of 32 countries were involved and although estimates vary, at least twelve million people were killed and countless more injured. The number of individuals and families adversely affected cannot be quantified. The First World War has passed out of living memory now but should never be forgotten. It seems therefore appropriate in 2018 to bring the story to the widest audience possible, using the arts. 

The Armistice Suite is a multi-media performance piece consisting of words, music and visuals, to commemorate the centenary of the end of the Great War and the signing of the Armistice, in November 1918. It is available to tour in either English or Welsh during the whole of 2018. Being “self-contained”, the Armistice Suite is suitable for all venues – theatres, halls, schools, colleges, churches, chapels etc. – from the smallest to the largest. The project has a strong Welsh bias. Stories from towns and villages throughout the Principality are recounted and the lives of the populace – including recruits and serving military are considered and re-enacted in various scenarios. The significant contribution of Welsh women certainly isn’t forgotten. The fortunes of the military units serving under the Welsh banner are used to illustrate relevant chapters and the legacy of the conflict in Wales is examined. 

The Armistice Suite has provision for information pertinent to a particular area, or to the age/structure of an audience – to be added to every performance thus making it unique and relevant. There are no graphic descriptions or images of death or violence and the performance is suitable for all age groups. Services of an experienced “signer” for special signed performances can be available.

For theatre bookings for The Armistice Suite 

Contact Ian Parsons on 07875461823 or 01639 770973 

You can follow The Armistice Suite project on Twitter – @armistice_suite

YouTube trailer –

Tadhg Beirne is enjoying something of a magical week and that’s still plenty more to come!

On Friday night the Dublin born loose forward featured in Scarlets’ emphatic Guinness PRO14 semi final victory over Glasgow Warriors to make their way to a second consecutive final, Saturday night he was named Fans’ Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season as well as receiving the award for Try of the Season at the region’s end of season celebrations.

Monday saw his try against Bath in round 5 of the European Rugby Champions Cup campaign shortlisted for try of the season by EPCR.

Wednesday saw his long-awaited call-up to the Ireland squad; he will tour with Joe Schmidt’s 32-man squad to Australia this summer.

The week, and his tenure at Scarlets, will draw to a climatic finish on Saturday evening as he lines up against his former side Leinster in the Guinness PRO14 final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Reflecting on Beirne’s contribution to the Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac said; “He’s been fantastic. For a player that was sitting there languishing, looking like he didn’t have a contract, and he was the last position for us to do. We didn’t have a lot of money and had a good look around to see what was available. We did a bit of research and we took Tadhg on board. He’s repaid us tenfold, he’s been superb!

“He’s played second row, 6, 8, he’d even play on the wing if you wanted him to. He’s a great team man. He’s great off the field and works very hard at his game. He’s contributed really well.

“He’s been superb, I can’t say enough about him. He’s done very well.”

Leinster v Scarlets, Guinness PRO14 final, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, KO 18:00. Live on Sky Sports and S4C

Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. Website – www.philevans.co.uk

………………………….

On Saturday mornings, when I wander around the millionaire’s playground of Ammanford, I visit the same places in theexactsame order every week, otherwise I feel unsettled.

Don’t laugh. We allhave our funny little ways.

You’ve just remembered what yours are, haven’t you?

First thing on Saturdays, I fill up at the petrol station – they have a wide selection of hot snacks and pastries – before shopping at the supermarket.

Then I stop at the newsagents for my newspaper, before buying cod and chips at the chippy.

Obviously, if I did these things in the wrongorder, I could end up eating fish and chips out of my newspaper while pushing a supermarket trolley.

But on May 19th, I feltreallyunsettled.

I was the only customerat the petrol station. On a Saturday!

The supermarket had so few shoppers, the unoccupied check-out girls were gossiping and yawning. That gives you some idea how exciting their gossip was.

I also felt unsettled at the usually busy chippy, because there was only one other customer and he wore a Union Jack top hat, Union Jack suit, Union Jack bow-tie and Union Jack boots.

Okay, he might have been in some weird Spice Girls ’n’ Slademash-up tribute band, but I decided not to ask and hurried home with my cod and chips.

I felt I was missing out on something important that was keeping people at home, which I found very frustrating.

But not as frustrating as the traffic on the M4 later in the day as I drove to a gig just outside Windsor.

It took me more than four hours to get there.

I don’t usually like performing at wedding do’s – but the happy couple and their families gave me a right royal reception.

As for their house? Honestly, it was like a palace . . .

——————

Isn’t this time of year uplifting?

It’s much easier to wake up in the morning when the sun is streaming through the window and the birds are singing.

Having said that, it’s not easy getting a good night’s sleep in a strange bed.

This week’s column comes to you from a hotel room a long way from home. Life on the road is far from glamorous.

Last night, the maid in my hotel room just turned my bed down. She’s not the first woman to do that either.

Traveling and being away from home has become a way of life, but modern technology has helped in such a way that staying in touch with family and friends is easier than ever.

I regularly Skype call my Cocker Spaniel when I’m away.

How times have changed over the past 20 years . . .

Think about it, we didn’t have all this technology back then. It was so much harder to stay in touch. Or was this a good thing? Did we talk more face to face?

Technology may be moving on, but things are far from perfect.

The traffic in our towns and cities remain a battleground and seem to be getting worse.

Swansea, Llanelli and even Ammanford have turned into a war zone recently and there are many frustrated drivers, including myself, close to breaking point.

I remember my grandad always used to say, “You’ve got to pick your battles.”

Which is why he was dishonourably discharged from the Army.

——————-

You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales and www.philevans.co.uk

Please again include www.philevans.co.uk

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.

The Piantel duo Annette Bryn Parri and Dylan Cernyw have been performing as soloists on piano and harp for many years.

In 2005 Annette and Dylan decided to combine their musical talents to form Piantel.

Both Annette and Dylan are extremely well known throughout the land for their individual style and performances, accompanying and performing alongside some of our biggest stars – Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Hayley Westenra, Rhys Meirion, Shan Cothi and Gwyn Hughes Jones, to name just a few.

Between the two of them, they have recorded five solo albums with their record company Sain and three Piantel albums and they have both appeared on many more recordings as accompanists.

One of their most popular recordings is Un Enaid (One Soul).

Engagements have included recitals at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and performances alongside Hayley Westenra in June 2006 at Venue Cymru, The National Eisteddfod of Wales Pavilion on many occasions and The Royal Albert Hall in London.

As well as stage performances, they have appeared on many BBC broadcasting TV programmes as well as live radio shows.

The duo’s Scott Joplin Medley has become a signature Piantel piece and is often played at the end of a concert or recital much to the enjoyment of the audiences

Dylan Cernyw performs on a Lyon and Healy Silver Silhouette Electric Harp, a Salvi Aurora Harp, a Venus Paragon Gold Harp, Folk and late Erard Gothic Harps, depending on the occasion and recital mood.

Originally from Llandudno he now resides in Colwyn Bay. He was educated at Ysgol Y Creuddyn School in Llandudno and received tuition from many recognised harp tutors in Wales – Gwennant Pyrs, Dafydd Huw and Robin James Jones.

Dylan has won at the National Eisteddfod in 1989, 1991 and 1994 and was also a winner at the Cerdd Dant Festival in 1992.

Dylan is the resident Harpist for Bodnant Gardens in North Wales, The Imperial Hotel in Llandudno and at Plas Tan y Bwlch Maentwro – three very popular and award-winning venues.

A well-known concert entertainer in Wales and further afield, he has also travelled abroad, playing in France, Germany, Holland, Canada, Prague, Switzerland, Paris and Ireland as a harp soloist and accompanist.

Dylan has appeared in the 1,000 Voices Festival at the Royal Albert Hall where he was a guest soloist in 1997, and shared a platform with Soprano Rebecca Evans.

Dylan has also accompanied soprano singer Kathryn Jenkins and X Factor star Rhydian Roberts at concerts around the UK.

The compere for the Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert will be Ioan Hefin

On the same night (July 21), Burry Port Town Band are scheduled to stage their annual summer concert.

Further details about this concert will follow in future editions of this column.

Llanelli concertgoers can look forward to seeing the Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers in the spectacular Last Night of the Proms at Ffwrnes Theatre on Saturday, June 2.

This year’s mad, fun, flag-waving extravaganza includes an amazing 200-plus massed voices.

The evening features the symphonic sounds of the British Sinfonietta Orchestra and an army of massed voices of the Hywel Choirs, the TV acclaimed Angelicus Celtis, the mighty Pontarddulais Male Choir and the Llanelli Choral Society and special guest artists – all under the baton of John Hywel Williams MBE.

Highlights of the night will include Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia, Nimrod, Welsh favourites, music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List and a special tribute to World Ware One and Her Majesty’s Armed Forces and Veterans, including the Dambusters March, the Armed Man, Pack up your Troubles, Hymn to the Fallen, Jerusalem and a poignant Abide with Me.

Looking to the autumn, 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.

The MC for the evening will be television and radio personality Garry Owen.

Soprano Jessica Robinson is from Pembrokeshire and graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with a first class Honours Degree.

As a student at the RWCMD, Jessica studied with Beatrice Unsworth and Jeffrey Howard, winning the Aneurin Davies memorial award, The Mansel Thomas prize, The Margaret Tann Award and the Elias Soprano award.

Throughout her studies, Jessica has been fortunate to participate in master classes with artists such as Michael Pollock, Simon Lepper, Adrian Thompson, Simon Keenleyside, Donald Maxwell and John Fisher. Jessica was also chosen to sing as part of an octet for HRH the Prince of Wales.

Her singing life started at a young age as a competitor in local eisteddfodau in her home county of Pembrokeshire.

She went on to gain success nationally in the Urdd and the National Eisteddfodau.

Jessica has represented Pembrokeshire in the Young Farmers Eisteddfod winning the under 26 solo in 2008 and again in 2012. She was awarded Vocalist of the Year in the Pembrokeshire Chevron Music Awards and Musical Student of the Year in her secondary school, Ysgol y Preseli, Crymych.

as an oratorio and concert soloist, Jessica has performed in venues such as the Wales Millennium Stadium, The National Museum of Wales, Dorking Halls and The Dora Stoutzker Hall. She regularly appears in concerts all over the UK as guest artist with many of Wales’ most renowned Male Voice Choirs such as Blaenavon, Bridgend, South Wales and the London Welsh Male Voice choir. A personal highlight for Jessica was being asked to perform to the Welsh rugby team at the Welsh Assembly during the champagne reception celebrating their success in the Six Nations Championship and also alongside Paul Potts in a Charity concert for the Philippines disaster.

Recent oratorio performances include Handel’s Messiah ( Symffonia Tywi and The Mega Messiah), Vivaldi’s Gloria, Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Karl Jenkins’ Peace Makers and Joseph Parry’s Emmanuel (Côr Bro Ogwr). Jessica performed her first operatic role as the Spirit in ‘Dido and Aeneas’ by Purcell with ‘Opera’r Ddraig’, scene credits include Despina (Cosi fan Tutti), Violetta (La Traviata) and the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro).

Jessica is an artist on the prestigious Live Music Now scheme and also performs regularly as an artist with Music in Hospitals.

Jessica performed in China in March as part of a Welsh Government Scheme; she toured around the country introducing Welsh music. Then toured with the Harry Ensemble as their soprano soloist around New York in May.

Welsh tenor Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, who hails from Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire, is a popular concert soloist throughout Wales and further afield.

One of the first recipients of a Study Award from the Bryn Terfel Foundation, he was named the Voice Of Wales by Decca Records in 2012 in an S4C TV series.

Trystan studied initially at University of Wales Trinity Saint David for a Theatre, Music and Media degree. He subsequently completed an MA degree in Vocal Studies at the Royal Academy of Music and a further postgraduate degree in Opera Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He has recently completed his studies as a Trainee at the National Opera Studio in London.

Prizes and awards include: Ian Stoutzker Prize 2014; Richard Van Allan Award 2014; Bruce Millar Gulliver Singing Prize 2014; RWCMD HRH Prince of Wales Scholarship 2013; Dunraven Welsh Young Singer of the Year 2013; MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Prize 2012; Sybil Tutton Award 2012; London Welsh Young Singer of the Year Prize 2011; W. Towyn Roberts Scholarship 2011; Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize 2009.

Concert highlights include appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, Hay-on-Wye Festival with Bryn Terfel, the Brynfest at the Southbank Centre, a concert performance of Tristan und Isolde with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and recitals at St Martin-in-the- Fields and the Cardiff Music Festival.

He took the role of Carlos in a recording of Le Duc d’Albe with the Hallé Orchestra for Opera Rara and during summer 2015 received a scholarship to attend the Mozart Residency at Festival d’Aix-en- Provence.

Trystan made his first professional operatic début in the role of Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte on tour with Scottish Opera.

Finally, here’s 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

‘A Volatile Nile: 6,000 Years of Environmental Change in Northern Sudan’

Aberystwyth University alumnus and Professor of Physical Geography at Manchester University, Professor Jamie Woodward returns to his alma matter this week to deliver the latest Department of Geography and Earth Science Centenary lecture.

Professor Woodward, who graduated in Geography from Aberystwyth University in 1986, will lecture on ‘A Volatile Nile: 6,000 Years of Environmental Change in Northern Sudan’.

Open to all, the lecture takes place in A6 in the Llandinam Building on the Penglais campus at 6pm on Wednesday 23 May 2018.

Professor Paul Brewer, Head of the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences said: “It is always a pleasure to welcome back to Aberystwyth alumni who have made a significant contribution in the field of Geography and Earth Sciences, particularly as we celebrate our centenary. In a world challenged daily by the consequences of environmental change, understanding how changes to the environment over thousands of years have affected the cradle of humanity will be both fascinating and pertinent to the world we live in today.”

Professor Woodward is ageomorphologist with particular interests in the nature and impacts of environmental change in the Mediterranean region and the Nile basin.

He is currently working on two projects in the Nile Valley of Northern Sudan with archaeologists from the British Museum exploring the relationship between human activity and environmental change over the last 10,000 years.

The work, funded by the Australian Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust, also sees him collaborate with colleagues at Aberystwyth University and the universities of Adelaide, Durham, Bergen and Manchester.

Professor Woodward is Editor of Geoarchaeology: An International Journalsince 2007, and in 2016 published The Ice Age: A Very Short Introductionwith Oxford University Press.

Links:
Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
https://www.aber.ac.uk/cy/dges/

Professor Jamie Woodward
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/jamie.woodward.html

Geography and Earth Sciences Centenary Lecture series
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/dges/about/centenary/events/centenarylectureseries/

Carmarthenshire Council environmental health officers will be out and about in the county raising awareness of excessive dog barking as part of Noise Action Week (running through to May 26).

Excessive dog barking is the number one noise complaint dealt with by Carmarthenshire County Council’s environmental health team.

Officers will be visiting attractions popular with dog owners to raise awareness of the issue and handing out leaflets about what can be done to help minimise dog barking.

This week officers will be at:
Parc y Bocs Farm Shop, Kidwelly, Thursday, May 24 from 2pm-4pm
Llansteffan Beach, Friday, May 25, from 9am to 11am.

Executive board member responsible for public protection, Cllr Philip Hughes, said: “Excessive dog barking is our number one noise complaint, in terms of volume, so as part of Noise Action Week our officers will be out raising awareness amongst dog walkers and owners of the problems excessive dog barking can cause.”

The council has a team of officers, who have recognised specialist qualifications in the field of acoustics and noise control, who deal with around 900 noise complaints every year.

Make a complaint about excessive dog barking –

https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-services/environmental-health/noise-complaints/#