Eifion's Cultural Weekend . . .

Llanelli's Eifion Thomas was featured in the Western Mail's My Cultural Weekend column yesterday. Here is what he had to say . . . 

As any musical director knows, there is a balance between what you would like to happen and what actually happens. So it is with a cultural weekend . . .
One Saturday morning you are busy putting together Handel’s Messiah with three choirs - Côr Baroc Llanelli, Llandudno’s Côr Cymysg Dyffryn Conwy and Côr Glandulais from Pontarddulais. The next Saturday, you find you have a free weekend and you wonder what to do with it . . .
Weekends are rarely ‘free’. In fact, last night (Friday) I was busy immersing myself in our rich Welsh musical heritage by performing at a Gymanfa Ganu at Grove Place Chapel in Port Talbot.
Rest and relaxation on Saturday starts with a stroll around Parc Howard in Llanelli, a short walk from my front door. The historic park mansion house contains a museum which may be Llanelli’s best-kept secret. Check out the harmonium with mouse-proof pedals!
Saturday night falls under the ‘and now for something completely different’ category with ‘Sinatra’ at Swansea’s Grand Theatre.
Stephen Triffitt claims to be the definitive tribute to Frank Sinatra. When you’ve not seen the original, you are bound to wonder: does he really match ‘old blue eyes’?
Sadly, I’ve just missed the excellent exhibition at Aberglasney House and Gardens by Llandeilo wildlife artist David Cowdry.
But there is some compensation in the fact that Angela Kingston has just started a new show at Aberglasney.
‘Moments in Time’, which runs until April 19, is based on a visual stimulus of organic forms and Angela’s response to the immediate personal world around her.
Viewing art makes a change from reading a musical score. But it’s all very entertaining.

Eifion Thomas is musical director of Côr Meibion Llanelli and Côr Baroc Llanelli. He is also a tenor soloist.