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

A historic reunion of past choristers of Llanelli’s Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers took place at the weekend with great enthusiasm and media attention. The black-tie reunion event held in the beautiful surroundings of Stradey Castle saw a battalion of choristers spanning six decades gather for the first time as a Reunion Chorus. Television cameras filmed the event as part of a documentary feature on the Hywel Choir. The event was the inaugural gathering of the Reunion Chorus of past members of the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers who later this Autumn will be preparing for a unique and spectacular performance as 160 singers will unite for a performance with the symphonic sounds of the British Sinfonietta Orchestra at Y Ffwrnes. The Great Christmas Fantasia, the Winter Performance of the Hywel Choir, will be held on Saturday 19th December is already a sell-out and will also feature the Llanelli Choral Society, soprano Gwawr Edwards and Eurovision Song...

Past songsters who have travelled the world spreading the joy of Welsh choral singing will reunite in their home town of Llanelli for a historic and televised reunion. This Saturday (Sat 5 September) will see throngs of past choristers from Llanelli’s famous Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers will unite in the beautiful surroundings of Llanelli’s Stradey Castle. The giant chorus of Welsh singers are uniting from across the world for a unique and historic reunion performance – a reunion sadly catalysed by tragedy. Past-members of Wales’ famous children’s choir, Llanelli’s Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, have been stirred into a giant reunion performance after the recent shock and tragedy which saw their founding conductor and pianist involved in a car crash within minutes of a standing ovation and leaving the concert stage. Conductor John Hywel was seriously injured in the crash and sadly his wife and pianist Jean Hywel was killed. The event is the inaugural ...

Llanelli is set to welcome Christmas in big and dramatic style as the town presents a full-scale re-enactment of the Nativity with massed choirs, orchestra, narration, actors and even livestock – all at the heart of the town. Under the creative baton of conductor John Hywel Williams, the massed voices of the Llanelli Choral Society and Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers and the new Hywel Octet will join forces with the symphonic sounds of the British Sinfonietta Orchestra, award winning soprano Rhiannon Llewellyn, organist Huw Tregelles Williams, narrator Jeremy Hywel and members from the town’s acclaimed Llanelli Youth Theatre. ‘The Miracle of Christmas’, a unique first-of-its kind performance for the town, will be held in and around the spiritual heart of Llanelli in the beautiful candle lit St Elli Parish Church on Saturday 28th November as the town’s official civic welcome to the Christmas Season. The wonderful music of Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Albinon...

It was Llanelli’s turn to pay tribute to the 70th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. It did so with pomp, style and dignity as hundreds flocked to St. Elli Parish Church. Hosted by the Llanelli Choral Society and under the much loved musical leadership of John Hywel and Jean Hywel, members of the armed forces, veterans, dignitaries and the public gathered for the town’s commemoration of VE Day. This was no remembrance concert but an experience which stimulated the memories and the emotions as the event saw proud veterans from WW2 join in song and commemoration with a host of the town’s artists. The church was theatrically presented in tribute with smoke and lights. Candles burned throughout the historic spiritual heart of the town as the oversubscribed event saw the Church stretch to accommodate the excited audience. Artists included the Llanelli Choral Society, the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, soprano Gwawr Edwards, symphony percussionists Gareth Hamlin an...

Press statement from the family of Jean Hywel Williams. 5pm Sunday, May 10, 2015. Released by Robert Lloyd 07777 683637 rlloydpr@btinternet.com Please respect the family’s privacy at this stage. Any queries to Robert Lloyd. The family of celebrated musician Jean Hywel Williams confirmed this afternoon that the pianist died following a tragic road accident in Llanelli town centre on Saturday night. The accident happened shortly after Jean Hywel and her husband John Hywel Williams had completed a successful VE Day concert at St Elli Parish Church. “As a family, we are shocked and stunned by the tragedy,” said Jean and John’s son Jeremy. “We are still trying to understand what went wrong. “She was an inspirational teacher and an outstanding teacher. Her legacy is all around us in the singers of the Hywel Girls Choir and Hywel Boy Singers and the Llanelli Choral Society “Even at this early stage, as the news of her death is released, we have been overwhelmed with the messages of condolen...

Conductor John Hywel Williams and the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers are enjoying a stellar Autumn season. In addition to an exciting concert schedule, the Hywel Choir will be seen by millions on national and international television on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, the choir will appear on BBC Breakfast and other domestic and international BBC news programmes during Christmas Eve as part of the remembrance of the famous WW1 Christmas Truce. On Christmas Day, the choir will be seen and heard on “Frozen at Christmas” on UK Channel 4, a documentary about the making of Disney’s Frozen which will also feature the makers and actors behind the Disney phenomenon. The choir will be filming for this during October. In addition to their TV appearances, John Hywel Williams and his choristers will next be heard in concert on 1 November at a sell-out St. David’s Hall at the Wales Festival of Remembrance with international singing star Katherine Jenkins. ...

Further to a fun ABBA Challenge Performance Workshop at the Ffwrnes, Llanelli, last weekend with participants from 13 schools across the region, the Hywel Choir look forward to presenting The Town Remembers at St Elli Parish Church, Llanelli on Saturday 4 October where they will be joined by the Llanelli Choral Society and tenor Aled Hall for the WW1 Centenary event. Highlights of the event will include 100 remembrance lanterns scattered around the grounds of the church and 100 candles burning inside the church as well as the church internally theatrically lit for the event. A central simple shrine will see six candles, each representing the millions of lives lost, periodically extinguished by young choristers as the night progresses. Narrations will be given by Nia Griffiths MP, The Hon. Robin Lewis OBE, The Town Mayor Roger T Price, Warrant Officer Stuart Millson 10 year old Chloe Millson and speaker Jeremy Hywel. Musical highlights will include favourite WW1 singalongs with the Hy...

Llanelli’s leading young choristers will later this year join a celebrity line when they perform at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. The Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers – under the direction of their magical maestro John Hywel Williams – will be part of a celebrity line up at the Royal Albert Hall for the acclaimed Salvation Army Christmas Celebrity Performance in November. The traditional sell-out event with a 5,000-strong audience, will see the Hywel Choir join forces with singer Cerys Matthews and other celebrities along with the Salvation Army’s International Staff Band and Chorus. In their planned performance, the Hywel choirs will be performing O Holy Night, a song they will also be recording and releasing for Christmas. Llanelli’s star choristers have a prestigious yet whirlwind November planned which will see them perform at the Royal Albert Hall, a return performance to St David’s Hall Cardiff for the Wales Festival of Remembrance, performing for the...

The famous Hywel Girls’ Choir and Hywel Boy Singers are opening their studio doors to give new choristers and families a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes with the acclaimed choristers. The choir are currently busy preparing for a busy few weeks which will include a major orchestral and choral performance with the nationally acclaimed British Sinfonietta at the forthcoming and sell-out Christmas Fantasia, television feature filming for ITV, a radio broadcast for a Christmas Eve, a concert appearance at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff and preparing for a performance with singing sensation Blake. “We’ve had many requests from interested parents and children to get an insight into the training and rehearsals provided for the Hywel Choristers which lead to their performance magic on stage and in front of the cameras”, explains the choir’s Director of Development, Jeremy Hywel Williams. “It is also a great opportunity for new choristers not only to make friends but to learn abou...

If you’ve dreamed of performing to sell-out audiences, sharing the stage with international celebrities, singing at leading concert halls and to sing with nationally acclaimed orchestras – then this may be music to your ears! The famous Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers are currently accepting new members for their exciting Autumn and Winter concert season. Over coming months, choristers will perform with international singing stars such as Russell Watson and Lesley Garrett, give repeated performances at St. David’s Hall Cardiff, star in the Wales Festival of Remembrance, enjoy TV appearances and perform with the leading British Sinfonietta Orchestra. “It is a pleasure to open the choir’s doors to new choristers to join our current 70-strong ranks”, explained the choir’s London-based Director of Development, Jeremy Hywel Williams. “The teaching, the experiences and opportunities are life unique and can be positively life changing for many.” The opportunity to join is ...

Excitement is building as Llanelli prepares to welcome international singing star Lesley Garrett in concert this Saturday (October 12) Lesley Garrett will join forces with the Llanelli Choral Society for their prestigious annual concert “From Bach to Broadway and Beyond” which will feature Lesley Garrett, the Llanelli Choral Society and the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers – all under the direction of founder John Hywel Williams MBE. Sponsored by Jenkins Bakery, the grand performance at Ffwrnes theatre will feature an exciting and diverse programme with great choral works from the Llanelli Choral Society from the world of Baroque, highlights from world opera, and momentous moments from Hollywood, Broadway and the Americas. The Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers will perform a beautiful balanced programme spanning sacred moments including Pie Jesu and Panis Angelicus, Strauss’ Tritsch-Tratsch Polka and movie magic from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sound of Music. The...

The Really Big Sing in Llanelli  in aid of BBC Children in Need has sold out at Y Ffwrnes theatre box office. Barbara Thomas, of the Hywel Choir, has a small amount of remaining tickets which are being sold on a first-come first-served basis. Parents and friends in need of tickets are recommended urgently to contact Barbara Thomas for tickets for this unique event to be held on Saturday, September 14, at Y Ffwrnes and will feature the Hywel Girls' Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, the giant sound of the 200 Voice Great Welsh Male Chorus, Burry Port Town Band and soprano Adele O'Neil, organist Huw Tregelles Williams - all under the direction of John Hywel Williams and conductor Ryan Lee. Barbara Thomas can be contacted on 01269 841648 or peterthomas841@btinternet.com  

The flags are ready to wave! The streamers ready to throw! The grand orchestra ready to excite and the massed 225 voice choirs ready to raise the roof! A week Saturday (8 June) will see Llanelli's Y Ffwrnes theatre stage its biggest cast yet when the Last Night of the Proms comes to town. Acclaimed guest conductor John Hywel Williams will lead the famous 50-strong British Sinfonietta Orchestra and the 225 massed voices of the Hywel Girls' Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Llanelli Choral Society, Dunvant Male Choir and 2013 Cardiff Singer of the World Finalist Gary Griffiths, organist Huw Tregelles Williams, pianist Jean Hywel for the flag-waving musical extravaganza. Orchestral and choral highlights under the baton of John Hywel Williams will include the mighty 1812 Overture, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dambusters, William Tell Overture, Les Miserables, Sound of Music, Singing in the Rain, O Fortuna, Hallelujah Chorus, Radetsky March, Pie Jesu, Elgar's traditional Pomp ...

If you dream of singing on stage, in theatres, concert halls or even television, then a prestigious regional Performance Singing Scholarships may be music to your ears! Performance Singing Scholarships for 2013 are now open to all children age 8 to 14 years from the South Wales region. The goals of the Scholarships are to provide expert individual tuition and performance experience to girls and boys who have a strong interest and enthusiasm for singing and performance to help build their skills and confidence and develop their talent and true potential. Performance Singing Scholarships awards exist for young people age 8 to 11 years and for children age 12 to 14 years. The Scholarships are sponsored by the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers and Hywel Williams Foundation. The winner of each Scholarship will be awarded a six -month course of weekly individual singing tutorials by a professional singing performance expert, group singing and concert experience, potential oppor...

As excitement builds for the Llanelli Proms later this month, local choristers have received exciting messages of goodwill and support from rather prestigious fans.  The Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers received a personal letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth sending the choristers her best wishes and for the coming Diamond Jubilee Year. The Hywel Choir have had the pleasure of performing to Her Majesty on a number of occasions over the years and also to other members of The Royal Family including HRH The Prince of Wales. Lord Neil Kinnock, Patron of the Circle of Friends of the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, in anticipation of the 2012 Llanelli Proms said, “Young voices blending in a great choir provide one of the most uplifting sounds in all music – and the Hywel Choristers have the huge advantage of being Welsh and the justified reputation of being World class. What more could any audience want?” The choir had already received letters and messages ...

The young choristers of Llanelli’s Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers and Llanelli conductor John Hywel Williams will be featured on BBC Radio Cymru in mid April. The broadcast will feature songs by the choir and an interview with John Hywel Williams. In an interview with BBC broadcaster, Dei Tomas, the programme will cover a variety of topics – John Hywel’s awards and achievements, plans and performances for the Hywel choristers, exciting developments with the Llanelli Choral Society as well as John Hywel’s recent honorary Fellowship by the London College of Music. The programme will be broadcast BBC Radio Cymru on Sunday 15th April.

The exciting young voices of Llanelli’s Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers will be heard at St. Illtyd’s Church, Pembrey in April for ‘Songs at Springtime’. The charity performance in aid of St. Illtyd’s Church & Llandyry Church will feature the young singers take audiences on a musical journey spanning music from opera and the classics, musical theatre, film and cinema – all under the direction of conductor John Hywel Williams. The evening will also feature the beautiful soprano voice of Elizabeth Bevan and pianist Jean Hywel. Songs at Springtime will be the next performance in a busy Spring schedule for the young singers which includes rehearsals, workshops, a BBC radio feature and the forthcoming flag-waving Llanelli Proms hosted by the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers. Future performances for the choir include Cardiff, London, Surrey and an exciting Festival of Christmas for Llanelli audiences. Songs at Springtime will take place at 7.30pm Saturday 28th ...

A leading Welsh musician and conductor has been given a prestigious musical honour for his contributions to British music. Llanelli-based John Hywel Williams has been honoured with an esteemed Fellowship of the London College of Music for his contribution and achievements to British music, which span many decades, organisations, international tours and broadcasts. “I am humbled to receive the Fellowship”, explained John Hywel Williams. “Music, choirs, performances are all a great joy to me without the need for award. I am grateful to the London College of Music for this recognition which will definitely put an extra beat into my conducting and musical endeavours.” This coincides with celebratory anniversaries for both the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers and the Llanelli Choral Society, both of which were founded by John Hywel Williams. In the middle of last night’s choral and orchestral rehearsals with the Llanelli Choral Society for a performance of Mendelssohn’s E...

Great voices and artists from Wales and England are gathering for a grand performance tonight (Friday) of one of the world’s leading oratorios when the Llanelli Choral Society stage a grand performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Under the direction of conductor John Hywel Williams MBE, the 90-voice Llanelli Choral Society and Celtic Orchestral Ensemble will be joined by Gary Griffiths (bass), John Emanuela Barazia (mezzo soprano), John Pierce (tenor) and Adele O’Neill (soprano), Jean Hywel (pianist) and Huw Tregelles Williams (organ). “It is such an excitement to perform this masterpiece work of Mendelssohn”, explains John Hywel Williams. “Its melodrama, easy appeal and stirring choruses have made this great work so popular with choruses, artists and audiences alike.” The performance will mark a celebration year for the Llanelli Choral Society as it celebrates its 15th anniversary year. Founder John Hywel, reflects back over the last 15 years. “The choir remains true today to i...

My interview with John Hywel Williams (Hywel Girls Choir, Hywel Boy Singers, Llanelli Choral Society) for the Llanelli Talking Newspaper for the Blind, January, 2012.