The latest On Song column from the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star

The latest On Song column from the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star, by Robert Lloyd

Tickets for Loud Applause Production’s Night with the Stars concert in Llanelli in November are selling fast.
The concert, at Ffwrnes Theatre, is at 7pm on Saturday, November 4 and will feature popular Welsh tenor Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, who hails from Pembrokeshire.
Trystan was 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 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.
The Night with the Stars bill also includes Côr Meibion Pontarddulais, Côr Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion, Charlie Lovell-Jones (violin) and members of Loud Applause Rising Stars.
BBC and S4C TV and radio personality Garry Owen will be the compere.
Tickets are available from all Carmarthenshire Theatres Box Offices – 0845 226 3510
Meanwhile, there’s good news for young performers in South West Wales with the announcement of new bursaries to help young talented singers and instrumentalists.
The Trustees of the Loud Applause Rising Stars (LARS) have announced that the charity intends to offer a number of bursaries to individual members of the mentoring scheme.
Loud Applause Rising Stars chairman Cerith Owens said: "Since LARS was set up as a charity just over a year ago we have been amazed at the goodwill and praise we have received from both the Friends of Loud Applause Rising Stars and the wider community, who have enjoyed the quality performances delivered consistently by our talented young performers.
"This success has led to our ability to set aside surplus income generated this past year to enable us to offer financial assistance to singers and instrumentalists.
"It is our intention to continue to offer bursaries annually for youngsters who require (and are deserving of) additional support and are able to demonstrate that they meet the scheme’s criteria.
"We see this as an exciting opportunity to support our young performers in their quest to develop their talents further and the awards will be made based on merit, the quality of the application, details of how the money will be used and the expected outcomes that arise for the individual from such an award."
Mr Owens added: "Not only are we able to implement a LARS-sponsored bursary this year, but we are also proud to have received additional bursary opportunities through the generosity of the St Elli Masonic Lodge and the Llanelli Grammar School Old Boys and Graig Former Pupils Association.
"We are indebted to these organisations for the recognition they have shown to the work and success of LARS by offering their own bursaries that will be administered by the Loud Applause Rising Stars Trustees."
The Honorary Patron of Loud Applause Rising Stars is Huw Tregelles Williams OBE.
The Trustees are - Hywel Bassett, Carol Collier, Catrin Hughes, Alison Owens, Cerith Owens, Andrew Pike, Susan Roberts, Rhiannon Williams Hale.
The Loud Applause Rising Stars team currently consists of -
Vocalists - Benjamin Anthony, Stephen Davies, Daniella Difede, Callum Howells, Sophie Maliphant, Keely Morgan, Samuel Morris, Nia Rees.
Instrumentalists - Ffion Elin Williams (harp).
Aspiring Loud Applause Rising Stars are - Callum Rhys Williams, Dylan Morgan, Thomas Bytheway.
Other events -
Ffwrnes will see the Clare Hammond Piano Recital on April 29.
Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s ‘Young Artist Award’, pianist Clare Hammond gives a recital that warrants her “reputation for brilliantly imaginative concert programmes” (BBC Music Magazine).
Join her in exploring an enriching, inspiring music experience by Beethoven, Debussy, Fauré and Stravinsky alongside gems by Dutilleux, Jacquet de la Guerre and Kim Ashton.
May 4, at Ffwrnes, sees SnakeStrings.
This is a ground-breaking collaboration between sax maestro Snake Davis and an outstanding British string quartet, featuring peerless sax melody and classical strings in a fresh and innovative crossover of classical, pop, soul and jazz.
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s foremost saxophonists, the go-to guy for session work with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, M-People and The Eurythmics, Snake Davis explores the emotive and uplifting registers of tenor, alto and soprano sax, shakuhachi and wood flute, in a glorious classical fusion.
Together, SnakeStrings bring a performance which is powerful, moving, and a delight to the senses.
The Last Night of the Proms 2017 takes place at Ffwrnes on June 24.
It’s a case of get your flags ready!
Join the 250-plus massed voices and musicians starring the massed choirs of Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, Angelicus Chorale, Morriston RFC Choir , Llanelli Choral Society, British Sinfonietta, all under the legendary baton of John Hywel Williams MBE, for Wales’ exciting flag-waving extravaganza Last Night of the Proms.

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