This weekend will see some of our finest young singers taking centre stage at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

Athena, Steffan Rhys Hughes and the choir from Ysgol y Strade in Llanelli are joining forces to perform at Ffwrnes on Friday.

Following the success of their recent new recordings, Steffan and Athena will perform songs featured on their brand new releases – ranging from popular classical pieces to contemporary melodies and popular Welsh favourites.

Athena, Wales’s first female classical crossover trio, features three sought-after Welsh artists – Gwawr Edwards, Sioned Terry and Ellen Williams.

Athena have performed in harmonious union all over the UK at events ranging from a prestigious awards dinner for the Wales Football Association at Hensol Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, to performances at concert venues in London.

Most recently, Athena performed at The William Aston Hall in Wrexham alongside the renowned Fron Male Voice Choir.

Their debut album, Encore, was released at the end of 2018, marking their first year together as Athena.

TV appearances on S4C include Noson Lawen and Heno.

Steffan Rhys Hughes released his debut album, Cana o dy Galon, at the age of 12.

He featured on the Christmas Spirit album with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and duetted with Katherine Jenkins for her sixth studio album, Sacred Arias, which reached No5 in the UK album charts.

Steffan is one of the eight members of Classical Brit award-winning vocal group Only Men Aloud, who were crowned the BBC’s Last Choir Standing.

As well as touring the UK, his highlights include performing in Mumbai, India, a summer tour with the British Proms and entertaining the crowds at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff during the Six Nations series.

Steffan released his eagerly-awaited second album in November 2018 – a self-titled eclectic mix of Welsh and English songs, including an original track by himself and a new song written by Caryl Parry Jones.

Styles include folk, musical theatre, classical-crossover and gospel.

Following the successful release of their recent album Seren ein Bore on the Sain label, Athena and Steffan are delighted to be able to share the stage the Ffwrnes stage with the choir from Ysgol y Strade School.

This week has seen some good news for Côr Merched Tybie.

Many weeks ago, this column reported the choir was looking for a new musical director.

Well, now the search is over.

Colin New has taken up the baton, saving the choir from collapse and enabling the choristers to continue their musical journey.

Colin has an impressive CV, with a music degree from Liverpool University, extensive experience in musical directorship, and a history of playing professionally with some notable orchestras.

He is a talented musician who not only plays piano but also double bass, bass and six string guitar.

He is also an accomplished composer; his main claim to fame being having composed the music for the BBC documentary Archangel.

A spokesman for Llandybie-based Côr Merched Tybie said: “We are very fortunate to have him join us! We also have another possible MD/accompanist interested in joining us, and we will have more information at the end of this month, so watch this space!

“This wonderful news also enables us to happily announce that we are now in a position to accept new members and if you are interested in joining the choir, please email us at cmtybie@yahoo.co.uk.”

In other news, there’s a big concert coming up at The Lyric in Carmarthen next month.

A Choired Taste will be marking their fifth anniversary with a concert featuring guest stars Only Men Aloud.

It’s at The Lyric at 7.30pm on Friday, June 28. Tickets are going fast.

Burry Port Town Band will stage an evening of ‘Music from the Stage and Shows!’ at the Memorial Hall on Saturday, July 20, 7pm.

The concert will feature the Senior Band, the ever-growing Junior Band and a very special guest artist, Samuel Wyn-Morris.

The Gwyl Cerdd Dant Cymru this year is being held in Llanelli.

Fundraising is gathering speed to ensure its success. Recent weeks saw a three-night series of Noson Lawen events at Llanelli Leisure Centre.

The chair of the Gwyl Cerdd Dant Llanelli a’r Cylch is Catrin Hughes, who is also a music advisor and trustee of the Loud Applause Rising Stars (LARS) charity.

In support of their fundraising, LARS is organising a big Gala Concert at Llanelli’s Greenfield Baptist Church on Friday, July 12.

The evening offers a feast of choral music and there will be four choirs –

Côr Lleisiau’r Cwm and Harmoni, both under the baton of Catrin Hughes, Côr Meibion Llanelli and Côr Ysgol Dewi Sant.

The concert will feature some excellent young soloists, including award-winning tenor Osian Bowen from Burry Port, now studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

Also on stage will be five singers from LARS – mezzo soprano Nikkila Thomas, who is at the RWCMD in Cardiff, and Ysgol Y Strade pupils Lauren Fisher, James Oakley, Daisy Owens and Jack Owens. They will be accompanied by Catrin Hughes and Andrew Pike.

The organiser are anticipating a big demand for tickets, which are available from choir members, Cadno Music in John Street, Llanelli, or by contacting tickets@loudapplauserisingstars.co.uk or Cerith Owens 07854 303918.

In other news, Bridget Radford’s two choirs, Lleisiau Hardd and Lleisiau Hardd Bach, will be staging their annual concert at St Mary’s Church, Burry Port, on Friday, July 12, 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 and available from choristers.

The choristers from Llandyfaelog-based Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi are getting ready for their annual concert.

It will be at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly on Saturday, October 12, 7pm.

The choir will be joined by Gwendraeth Valley’s Côr Meibion Mynydd Mawr.

The evening will also feature special guests Pantel and Trio.

The compere for the evening will be Eirian Wyn.

If you have news about the choral scene in Llanelli, email robert.lloyd01@walesonline.co.uk or rlloydpr@btinternet.com

Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director D Eifion Thomas has taken his last bow with the choir.

One of the longest-serving musical directors in Wales, Mr Thomas has completed 44 years conducting the internationally-renowned choir.

“It’s the right time to move on,” Mr Thomas said this week. “I have cherished memories of some wonderful experiences with the choir, both at home and abroad.

“But it’s now time to say, ‘thanks for the memories’, and move on.”

Côr Meibion Llanelli chairman Tony Crossman wished Mr Thomas the best for the future. He also praised the musical director for his work.

“It is widely acknowledged that Eifion is a supremely accomplished musician who achieved a great deal with Côr Meibion Llanelli,” Mr Crossman said. “I am sure I speak for all choristers in acknowledging the years of hard work Eifion has put into the choir throughout a distinguished career in music.

“He has championed the cause of the Welsh choral tradition at every opportunity and has contributed so much to the cultural life of Llanelli and Wales.”

Under Mr Thomas, Côr Meibion Llanelli have been successful at all the major choral competitions that Wales has to offer. The honours list includes five National Eisteddfod first prizes – at Lampeter in 1984, Fishguard in 1986, Llandeilo in 1996, Bridgend in 1998 and Llanelli in 2000.

Mr Thomas initially served as accompanist to the Choir from 1965 until 1974, under the direction of founder-conductor Denver Phillips.

Mr Thomas helped spread the name of Llanelli across the world, with successful tours and visits to Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, and England. Mr Thomas has had the honour of conducting the North American Welsh Societies National Gymanfa Ganu on four occasions – Vancouver (1980), Victoria, Canada (1990), Seattle (1994), and San Jose (2001).

As a result of his work in the sphere of music in the community, Mr Thomas was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship by Rotary International and was inducted into the highest level of Wales’s Bardic Circle in 2007.

In 2000, Mr Thomas was the conductor of the National Eisteddfod Choir when the Festival was held in Llanelli. The Eisteddfod Choir’s singing, under his direction at the Gymanfa Ganu, of the anthem “Dyn A Aned O Wraig” still remains as one of the most memorable occasions in the Eisteddfod’s history.

Mr Thomas is also a fine tenor soloist and has appeared as soloist in performances of Handel’s “Messiah”, Haydn’s “Creation”, and “Mass in Time of War”, Stainer’s “Crucifiction”, Maunder’s “Olivet to Calvary”, Coleridge-Taylor’s “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast”, and Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” and “Lobegesang”.

Perhaps one of the most memorable choral experiences was the choir’s appearance at The Brit Awards in 1993 – sharing the stage with such musical giants as Take That, Elton John, Meatloaf and The Pet Shop Boys.

Mr Thomas is an honorary member of Cor Meibion Llanelli’s twin choir in Germany, the 1870 Singverein of Laudenbach.

Mr Thomas said: “I should also like to take this opportunity of expressing thanks to my family. “Any list of achievements could not have been achieved without the support of my wife Susanne, and daughter Sophie.”

Aled Maddock, the choir’s accompanist, has also stepped down.

The choir has started the recruitment process for new musical director and an accompanist. Anyone interested can email the choir committee on llanellimvc@gmail.com

The choir rehearses twice weekly on Monday and Thursday evenings at Furnace Community Hall, 7pm start. Visitors and new members are welcome.

One of Llanelli’s most prominent citizens, the architect Wynford Lewis, has died at the age of 83.

Mr Lewis had a long and distinguished career as an architect, working on projects in Llanelli and further afield.

He cared passionately about the community of Llanelli and was actively imvolved in charitable causes and local organisations.

He celebrated his 83rd birthday on March 16 and his passing came as a shock to family and friends.

His son Philip said: “His last birthday was celebrated with the usual family gathering, where he surprised everyone by rising to his feet and making a little speech thanking Val for all their years together and saying how proud he was of his children and grandchildren. This made everyone very emotional, to say the least.”

Mr Lewis and his son Philip were the twin pillars of the firm of Lewis Architects, of Park Crescent, Llanelli.

Mr Lewis was born and brought up in Seaside, Llaneli. His family worshipped at St John’s Church. His father was a partner in an electrical contracting firm, namely Lewis & Rees.

Mr Lewis was educated at Copperworks Infants and Boys Primary Schools, followed by Llanelly Boys Grammar School.

He was an accomplished pianist and tennis player in his young days.

In 1954, he graduated from the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff with distinction after winning a number of in house awards. From there, he went to work for Carmarthenshire County Council’s architects department for two years but was then approached by W Griffiths and Son, Architects and Surveyors in Llanelli.

He started work in September, 1961, a month after getting married to Val, who had been part of his life since 1955.

He was eventually made a partner and remained there until the end of 1994.

In 1995 he and his son Philip, who by now had graduated from Cardiff and joined the firm, started up their own business, where he remained until the present day.

Son Philip said: “He loved to be in the hub of things and keeping his mind active.”

He spent 58 years as a practising architect, during which time, after being approached by the then Clerk to the Town Council, Mr Selwyn Samuel, in 1978, he served as Llanelli Town Council’s Consultant Architect for many decades.

He was a member of Llanelli Rotary Club, eventually becoming President and Club Secretary.

In his younger days he was a Freemason. He was awarded the Order of St John for services to the town.

Tom Lewis, a local magistrate and businessman got him on board to fight for a Hospice for Llanelli and in the mid 90s he played a big part in the design of the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice.

He served on the St David’s Diocesan Board for a number of years as their consulting architect.

At one time he was a member of the Brin Isaac sports charity organisation.

Family came first and he was very proud of his children and grandchildren. He had many interests, including classical and contemporary music and sports including rugby and cricket. The funeral wil be held at Llanelli Crematorium at 11am on Friday (May 3).

Fans of motorsport will have to wait another year for the first Superprix of Wales.

The high-octane motorsport extravaganza was scheduled for Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli on the weekend of June 7 to 9.

But it has now been postponed a year.

The mastermind behind the project, retired international racing driver Tim Matthews, has fallen ill.

“It’s unfortunate, but we are confident the event will take place in 2020,” said Superprix of Wales spokesman Simon Griffiths.

“Nobody could have foreseen what’s happened with Tim – but the 12-month delay will enable us to produce a bigger and better show in 2020.

“The Welsh Government and Carmarthenshire Council have been fully behind the event from the outset.

“We’ve also had huge support from Parc y Scarlets.”

Mr Griffiths added: “We appreciate that this will be disappointing for motorsport fans as we know from the initial feedback we received that everyone was looking forward to the event, which was originally scheduled for June this year at Parc y Scarlets.

“We are also grateful to those who have sent messages of support and ‘Get Well Soon’ to Tim.

“He appreciates everyone’s thoughts and hopes to be back to full fitness over the coming months.”

The motorsports extravaganza will run for three days on a specially-designed course that will see cars power around the outside of the ground and then through the middle of the stadium.

There will also be demonstrations, displays, a motor show, trade stands and a food village.