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

The latest 'On Song' column from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Carmarthen Male Voice Choir Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin will be holding their annual concert this weekend, 7.30pm on Saturday, November 18. Priody Chapel in Priory Street, Carmarthen, is the venue. The choir’s special guests include tenor Osian Wyn Bowen, Côr Merched Hyn Ysgol Bro Myrddin and organist Meirion Wynn Jones. On Sunday, November 19, there’s the annual Grand Concert at Myddfai Community Hall (7pm start). The concert will feature three combined choirs – Cwmann, Dinefwr and Llandovery. Soloists will be Tristan Lewis Deganwy (Llandudno), Ioan Wyn Parry (Dolgellau) and Mariwyn and Cadi Fflur. Proceeds from the event (tickets £10) go towards Llandovery Hospital League of Friends and Myddfai Community Hall. Côr Merched Curiad y Cwm ladies choir will be celebrating their 30th anniversary with a special concert at Tumble Hall at 7pm on Friday, November 24. The choir’s special guests will be the Tywi Vall...

The latest 'On Song' column from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - It’s a big Saturday night for West Wales concert-goers. They have to make a choice between the Royal British Legion Charity Gala Concert at The Lyric in Carmarthen and a 'Voices for Hospices' charity concert in Llandeilo, featuring Wynne Evans. The Tywi Valley concert, is in aid of Ty Cymorth, the Carmarthen-based hospice. The concert starts at 7m on Saturday, October 21, at the new Ysgol Bro Dinefwr in Llandeilo. Carmarthen-born tenor and radio and TV personalityWynne Evans is a patron of Ty Cymorth hospice. The concert is being billed as 'Voices for Hospices' and will also celebrate the Rotary International Foundation centenary and 100 years of Rotary International in Wales. Rotary clubs invited to be involved include Carmarthen, Carmarthen Tywi, Llandeilo, Llandovery, Lampeter, Aberwstwyth and Aberaeron. The choral line-up includes Côr Meibion Cwmann a’r Cylch, Côr Meibion Dinefwr, Cô...

The latest On Song column from the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star, by Robert Lloyd. The Russians are coming! To Carmarthen, in fact! The internationally-acclaimed LYRA Russian Vocal Ensemble will be performing at St Peter’s Church, Carmarthen, on Friday, May 12 (7pm). Tickets are £10 on the door and there are interval refreshments available at £2.50. LYRA are from St. Petersburg, Russia. The singing group consists of four members that have been educated either as opera singers or choir conductors in St. Petersburg Conservatory. The four are - ANDREI SYSOEV – TENOR AND LEADER Born in St Petersburg. Graduated from the St. Petersburg conservatory. Won International competition of Sacred Music in Roma, Italy in 1995 as the conductor of a chamber choir "SingerBridge". Works as a choir master in St. Peter’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Act as an active composer too. ALEKSEI GOLOVIZNIN – BASS Born in the Karelian ASSR Byelomorsk. Graduated from the State Conser...

The latest 'On Song' column from the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star, by Robert Lloyd. Excitement is building for a special concert featuring the wonderful ladies of Côr Curiad. The Llanelli-based choir have a September 2 concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, with their special guests, The Overtones. The night will conclude Côr Curiad’s two-year fundraising efforts for Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli. The choristers have set themselves a £20,000 target. The target has already been met, so Côr Curiad’s members are looking forward to smashing the figure and handing the final cheque over on a special night! The Overtones are a five-piece vocal harmony group - Darren, Mark, Timmy, Mike and Lachie. They were discovered by a Warner Bros Records talent scout while working as decorators in a shop near Oxford Street, singing during their tea break. Their debut album, Good Ol’ Fashioned Love entered the UK Albums Chart at No16 in November 2010. However, after the re-releas...

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; Br...

The latest On Song column (about the choral and music scene in West Wales) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - There’s a special concert coming up in Burry Port next weekend as the town’s brass band and male voice choir join forces. The occasion will be a concert called ‘You Must Remember This’, an evening which will follow a World War Two theme. Supported by Pembrey and Burry Port Town council, you are guaranteed to hear ‘music to raise the morale’. Funds raised from the concert (7pm on Saturday, April 8) will go to the Pembrey Gunnery Dome Project. Tickets are £10 and are available from Pembrey Post Office, The Ticket Hut at Burry Port station and from Patricia Neil, 01554 835575, email secretary@pembreymountaintrust.org . The compere for the evening will be the ever-popular Gwendraeth actor and personality Ioan Hefin. The Pembrey Gunnery Dome project is run by the Pembrey Mountain Trust. It is known that there were some 44 dome trainers of the same design built durin...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - The wonderful ladies of Côr Curiad have an exciting 2017 planned. The highlight will be the September 2 concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, with The Overtones. The night will conclude Côr Curiad’s two-year fundraising efforts for Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli. The choristers set themselves a £20,000 target. The target has already been met, so Côr Curiad’s members are looking forward to smashing the figure and handing the final cheque over on a special night! The Overtones are a five-piece vocal harmony group - Darren, Mark, Timmy, Mike and Lachie. They were discovered by a Warner Bros Records talent scout while working as decorators in a shop near Oxford Street, singing during their tea break. Their debut album, Good Ol’ Fashioned Love entered the UK Albums Chart at No16 in November 2010. However, after the re-release of the album in March 2011, it propell...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Fresh from their recent successes with the Valli Boys and a Christmas concert at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli, Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir are looking forward to their next engagements. They are busy planning an exciting 2017, but they have hit a speed bump on their St David’s Day plans. A late cancellation means the ‘boys’ of Côr Meibion Llanelli are still at a loose end for St David’s Day on March 1. “We are now available for a late booking,” choir secretary Fred Elias said. “Sadly, a long-standing arrangement for St David’s Day has been cancelled at short notice. It’s unfortunate, but these things happen. “So, we are now free for a concert on and around St David’s Day in and around South Wales. “If there is anyone out there looking to arrange a fundraiser for their local church/chapel or charity organisation, then please get in touch. As long as we...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Concert promoter Cerith Owens has released further details about the St David’s Celebration Concert he is organising at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, next month. The event will be a Loud Applause production on behalf of Theatrau Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire Theatres. It will feature combined male voice choirs from across West Wales, under the direction of guest conductor Alwyn Humphreys MBE. As is customary at these events, Mr Owens likes to introduce a young up-and-coming singer to a wider audience. This year, it will be the turn of 20-year-old Osian Wyn Bowen from Burry Port. Osian is currently a student at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. Tenor Osian has performed at a number of venues including St. David’s Hall, Wales Millennium Centre and Buckingham Palace. Televised appearances include S4C Heno; Les Miserables – Y Daith; Cyngerdd y 10 Tenor and BBC’s Song...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - There’s just a handful of tickets remaining for a special charity concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, this Saturday. The Valli Boys will be bringing a touch of West End glamour to the evening, which has been organised by the Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, Councillor Eryl Morgan, to support his chosen charities for his year of office. Councillor Morgan is raising cash for the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli and for a new MRI scanner for Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. “They are two very worthy causes and close to our hearts locally,” said Councillor Morgan. “It is great to see people turning out to support a great charity evening and we will be holding a special raffle on the evening to help boost our fundraising efforts. “We have managed to secure some great entertainment for the evening and it promises to be a concert to remember.” Top of the...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - There’s a big concert celebrating St David, the patron saint of Wales, planned for Carmarthenshire in March. The St David’s Celebration Concert is being staged by Loud Applause Productions at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, on Saturday, March 11, 7pm. The concert will featured a more than 100 male voices as the combined choirs of Burry Port, Dyffryn Amman, Dyffryn Tywi and Mynydd Mawr take the stage under the skilful baton of renowned maestro Alwyn Humphreys. The soloist will be soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and the guest accompanist will be Jeff Howard. Popular host Garry Owen, of TV and radio fame, will be the compere for the evening. The event will mark a rare Llanelli appearance for Elin Manahan Thomas. Thomas was born in 1977 in Gorseinon, the daughter of M. Wynn Thomas OBE, a Professor of Literature at Swansea University, and Karen Thomas. She was educated at t...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Tickets are now available for a very special charity concert being held in Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, in February. The concert is being organised on Saturday, February 4, 2017, by the Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, Councillor Eryl Morgan, to support his chosen charities for his year of office. Councillor Morgan is raising cash for the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli and for a new MRI scanner for Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. Top of the bill will be the sensational Valli Boys, South Wales based performers who specialise in the ‘Jersey Boys’ catalogue made famous by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The Valli Boys are made up of four very talented West End performers. The Valli Boys members have appeared in musicals such as Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, The Lord Of The Rings, Merrily We Roll Along, Starlight Express, Miss Saigon and, of course, J...

The latest On Song column (about the choral scene in Carmarthenshire) from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Tickets are now available for a very special charity concert being held in Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, in February. The concert is being organised on Saturday, February 4, 2017, by the Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, Councillor Eryl Morgan, to support his chosen charities for his year of office. Councillor Morgan is raising cash for the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli and for a new MRI scanner for Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. Top of the bill will be the sensational Valli Boys, South Wales based performers who specialise in the ‘Jersey Boys’ catalogue made famous by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The Valli Boys are made up of four very talented West End performers. The Valli Boys members have appeared in musicals such as Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, The Lord Of The Rings, Merrily We Roll Along, Starlight Express, Miss Saigon and, of course, Jers...