Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi, TRIO, Joy Cornock, Dawnswyr Talog - Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi annual concert at Gwenllian Centre, Kidwelly. There’s a Welsh word that sums up this concert staged by Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi. It is ‘bendigedig’, meaning splendid. You could throw a few other Welsh words into the mix – ‘gwych’ and ‘ardderchog’, for example, and you would get a decent idea of how it all went. Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have a fine reputation as one of the smaller male voice choirs in Wales. Indeed, they only fielded 19 choristers on Saturday night, but, rather like the Welsh football team, they are a great team unit and #TogetherStronger. Special guests included TRIO (a male vocal group from Snowdonia, North Wales), the harpist and soprano Joy Cornock and Dawnswyr Talog, Carmarthenshire’s traditional Welsh folk dancers. TRIO, formed by renowned pianist/accompanist Annette Bryn Parri, features Emyr Wyn Gibson, tenor, Bedwyr Gwyn Parri, baritone, and Steffan Lloyd Owen, bass-bar...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star newspaper - Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi (Vale of Towy Male Voice Choir) will be recording a new CD during their busy autumn schedule. The Llandyfaelog-based choir are having a memorable year, having recently staged a very successful anniversary concert at the Princess Gwenllian Centre, Kidwelly. Derrick Rowlands, the choir secretary, said: “2015 is proving to be a very busy year, but the choristers are enjoying their singing and we are always looking for new members to swell our ranks.” The choristers are led by Musical Director Mrs Davinia Harries Davies, with accompanist Maureen Chapman on keyboards. Current concert engagements include – Sat 29th August, Castell Cydweli. Sat 12th September, Pontyberem Workingmen’s Club. Sat Oct 3rd, Concert with Bois Bara Brith ( Sir Fôn, Anglesey) and Catrin Jones, Llandyfaelog. Tickets £6 from 01269 860996. Sat Oct 10th, CD Recording, Llandyfaelo...

It was a big week for members of Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi as they completed a tour of the Isle of Wight under the baton of musical director Davinia Davies. One of the highlights was singing at Holy Trinity Church, Bembridge, in a special tribute to the late Cliff Morgan, the former Wales rugby icon and TV and radio commentator and personality. The tour ended with a grand concert at a packed St Saviour’s Church in Shanklin, with the choir performing alongside Newchurch Male Choir from the Isle of Wight. Website - http://www.cormeibiondyffryntywi.co.uk/

Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi's annual concert will be held on Saturday June 8 at 7 pm in the Princess Gwenllian Centre Kidwelly. Guest artists are Hogia'r Wyddfa (above), who this year are celebrating 50 years of singing together, mezzo soprano Eirlys Myfanwy Davies (top), Ifan and Tomos Gwynedd (clarinet). Hogia’r Wyddfa is a five piece band which has been at the forefront of Welsh language entertainment for more than 40 years. After many EP recordings for DRYW, they recorded their first album with SAIN in 1974. They were among the first SAIN artists to receive a Gold Disc for record sales and their CDs are still very much in demand. The close-harmony singing group from Llanberis, the village at the foot of Snowdon, is the most successful ever in the history of Welsh popular music. Eirlys Myfanwy Davies is a 24-year-old mezzo-soprano from Llanelli. Eirlys is currently at The Royal Academy of Music in London, having previously studied at The Royal Welsh College of Music a...