Trinity Festival high hopes
“How do you follow that?” That’s a question to wrestle with for the director of the annual Trinity Festival, Eilir Owen Griffiths.
The 2009 festival produced a host of memorable moments, including the world premiere of a Karl Jenkins composition.
“It was a quite outstanding festival and one which will live long in the memory,” said Mr Griffiths.
“Every year we seem to raise the bar higher, but the great thing is that we are starting to win greater recognition for the festival throughout Wales and Britain.
“Yes, the challenge always has to be to work out ways to improve the festival and make it an even bigger cultural attraction for next year. But we have a good team behind the festival and we are confident next year’s event will make its mark in its own unique way.”
Mr Griffiths said he had many personal highlights from 2009’s festival.
“The final concert featuring ‘O Beata Trinitas’, a choral work by someone recognised as Britain’s most famous composer, Karl Jenkins, was an obvious highspot.
“The orchestration really brought the piece alive and it was a wonderful climax to the festival.
“Another personal highlight was the performance of soprano Fflur Wyn, who featured in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. She is a real gem and was absolutely wonderful in the concert.
“On the night, we had a 150-strong concert choir made up of Côr CF1, Côr Godre’r Garth and Côr y Drindod, and it was a personal treat to be able to conduct Y Tangnefeddwyr.”
The festival director added that the Stuart Burrows International Voice Award, the competition part of the cultural extravaganza, was again a huge success.
“It is really gaining momentum as a competition for young student singers and we are getting interest worldwide in the event.”
The winner was Welsh mezzo soprano Caryl Hughes, 29 from Aberdaron.
She won the top prize of £4,000 to become the fourth winner of the Stuart Burrows award.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Medwin Hughes said after the event:“We congratulate the finalists for providing a tremendous competition which is a highlight of the Trinity Arts Festival and we are grateful to both Brian Hughes and Beatrice Unsworth, who have both judged this competition in the past, for their support.
“It has been a wonderful festival that has drawn world class performers to Carmarthenshire. It has also given our students the opportunity to take part in some of the main events and also to organise and perform in a Fringe Festival. Trinity University College is central to the development of bilingual opportunities within the arts and culture in the region and we look forward to taking this initiative forward in years to come”.
The 2009 festival produced a host of memorable moments, including the world premiere of a Karl Jenkins composition.
“It was a quite outstanding festival and one which will live long in the memory,” said Mr Griffiths.
“Every year we seem to raise the bar higher, but the great thing is that we are starting to win greater recognition for the festival throughout Wales and Britain.
“Yes, the challenge always has to be to work out ways to improve the festival and make it an even bigger cultural attraction for next year. But we have a good team behind the festival and we are confident next year’s event will make its mark in its own unique way.”
Mr Griffiths said he had many personal highlights from 2009’s festival.
“The final concert featuring ‘O Beata Trinitas’, a choral work by someone recognised as Britain’s most famous composer, Karl Jenkins, was an obvious highspot.
“The orchestration really brought the piece alive and it was a wonderful climax to the festival.
“Another personal highlight was the performance of soprano Fflur Wyn, who featured in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. She is a real gem and was absolutely wonderful in the concert.
“On the night, we had a 150-strong concert choir made up of Côr CF1, Côr Godre’r Garth and Côr y Drindod, and it was a personal treat to be able to conduct Y Tangnefeddwyr.”
The festival director added that the Stuart Burrows International Voice Award, the competition part of the cultural extravaganza, was again a huge success.
“It is really gaining momentum as a competition for young student singers and we are getting interest worldwide in the event.”
The winner was Welsh mezzo soprano Caryl Hughes, 29 from Aberdaron.
She won the top prize of £4,000 to become the fourth winner of the Stuart Burrows award.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Medwin Hughes said after the event:“We congratulate the finalists for providing a tremendous competition which is a highlight of the Trinity Arts Festival and we are grateful to both Brian Hughes and Beatrice Unsworth, who have both judged this competition in the past, for their support.
“It has been a wonderful festival that has drawn world class performers to Carmarthenshire. It has also given our students the opportunity to take part in some of the main events and also to organise and perform in a Fringe Festival. Trinity University College is central to the development of bilingual opportunities within the arts and culture in the region and we look forward to taking this initiative forward in years to come”.
Comments