Noah Stewart to team with Katherine Jenkins at Eisteddfod

* Noah Stewart is heading for Llangollen.

One of the world’s top tenors has a musical date with classical superstar Katherine Jenkins OBE (pictured below) at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, it's been revealed.

Noah Stewart is set for a third appearance at Llangollen in four years as he prepares to join the Welsh mezzo soprano on stage for a concert adaption of Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen.

According to Stewart, who hails from Harlem, in New York, he can’t wait to perform alongside Katherine in her portrayal of the fiery gypsy, Carmen, in ‘special’ Llangollen, which is one of his favourite concert venues.

On the opening night of this year's festival on Tuesday, July 5, he will play the role of the lead male role of Don José opposite Katherine.

Stewart said: “I’m so excited it’s going to be wonderful evening. Katherine is such a fabulous singer and a truly beautiful person.

“We have worked together before. We did the Glasgow Proms three summers ago, I think it was the last night and we sang a series of duets together.  She has an amazing voice and is such a wonderful and talented woman.”

Other highlights at this year's festival - the 70th since it started in 1947 - include superstar bass baritone Bryn Terfel in concert with top tenor Joseph Calleja on Thursday, July 7, along with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra who bring the curtain down on the festival with a foot stomping party on Sunday, July 10.

The Wednesday night concert will be a celebration of musical theatre featuring the Kerry Ellis, dubbed the First Lady of the West End, and Collabro who won Britain's Got Talent in 2014.

They will be joined by talented Glasgow Academy of Musical Theatre, the CBC Voices from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra under the direction of John Quirk.

The Friday night concert, Heart Of Llangollen, will showcase the best of the international competitors. It will also include the Dance Champions competition and a Caribbean Carnival Extravaganza.

The competitions draw to a close on Saturday night with the famous Choir of the World contest with the prestigious Pavarotti Trophy up for grabs. The audience will also be entertained by the popular vocal group, The Swingles.

Playing Don José is a familiar role for Stewart.

He said: “I’ve played Don José more than any other throughout my career. In fact at least 36 times, I’ve just completed a 16 date tour of the UK with the Scottish Opera playing that very role.

“It’s a fantastic part to play and perform and Don José is such a complex character who falls madly in love with this sexy, alluring gypsy girl. It’s a tragic tale of a love triangle that has become the most performed opera of all time.

“I think people identify so easily with Carmen, Don José and the glamorous toreador Escamillo.

“It’s going to be a special night I think everyone knows the Flower Song from Carmen, it’s one of the most famous operatic arias of all time. And Don José is such a tragic figure; it’s an amazing role.”

Katherine Jenkins said: “I’m really excited as it’s a role I have always wanted to sing. I studied Carmen at the Royal Academy of Music before I graduated and being a mezzo soprano, it's my favorite opera. 

"I’ve always talked about doing this and it will be the first time fans will be able to hear all the arias in one evening.

"I do usually include several operatic arias in my concerts but I have never condensed and performed all the arias from a single opera into one concert. 

"Carmen is such a wonderful character and it’s one of the most popular operas. It’s going to be a wonderful night, something I hope everyone will really look forward to and I for one couldn't be more excited to be returning to Llangollen for this special event."  

Stewart was delighted to be returning to Llangollen, a place where he says everyone speaks the same language – the language of music.

He said: “You meet people you have never met before, people from the other side of the world yet you share that special love of music.

“I always get the impression people admire, respect and love each other at Llangollen and music is the glue that binds people together. Everyone at Llangollen is a winner."

The festival's musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, is thrilled Noah Stewart is returning to Llangollen and will be appearing alongside Katherine.

He said: “What an amazing evening of music for those privileged enough to be in the audience.

“To have Katherine Jenkins OBE and Noah Stewart on the Eisteddfod stage is a real coup, they would grace any of the world’s biggest concert venues.”

“We also have some wonderful artists who will be joining Katherine and Noah on stage. Baritones Adam Gilbert will be play the role of El Dancairo and Lukask Karauda the role of Escamillo.

“We also have Welsh mezzo-soprano Caryl Hughes, of Aberdaron playing Mercedes and tenor Trystan Griffiths, who hails from Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire playing El Remenado.

“The orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, under the baton of Anthony Inglis, and the voices of Ruthin’s Cor Cytgan Clwyd will add to what will be a magical night of music and drama.”

For more information about the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod, including tickets, visit www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

MP calls for disabled cuts re-think

Susan Elan Jones MP is writing to the Prime Minister urging the Government to re-think cut-backs to Personal Independence Payments and support to disabled people that were proposed in Wednesday's Budget.

The Clwyd South Labour MP (pictured), who has previously led a debate on Personal Independence Payments in Parliament, said: "The Conservative Government only has a small majority and I know from my personal involvement in the campaign against changing our Sunday trading laws that they can be defeated.

"The resignation of Iain Duncan Smith MP as Work and Pensions Secretary and the clear disquiet of so many MPs on the issue of Personal Independence Payments suggests that we should be able to get a U-Turn on this issue.

"Part of the craziness in the Government's thinking  is that their proposed changes actually make it harder for people with disabilities to work and access jobs, which is what PIP is about. It really beggars belief that any Government would think of implementing these changes. They are not just heartless; they don't make economic sense either." 

In her letter to David Cameron MP, Susan Elan Jones MP states: "We are all aware that Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are designed to make a contribution towards the extra costs caused by long term health conditions and disabilities.

"DLA and PIP are, of course, very important to disabled people who face a wide range of additional daily living costs. The help provided by DLA and PIP towards these additional costs makes a real difference to people's independence and quality of life. Many of my constituents are concerned that the proposals in the recent DWP Consultation on PIP eligibility, if implemented, would mean a dramatic reduction in the amount of help provided or, in some cases, no help at all."
 

Abbey Dingle uses meditation as dementia therapy

* Resident Agnes Holt, Senior Carer Hayley Reeves and resident Brenda Andrews.

People with dementia at a care home in Llangollen are using meditation to unlock their artistic talents in an exciting new art therapy project.

The ‘Try Something New’ sessions, organised by Alzheimer’s Society in Conwy and Denbighshire, are being held at the Abbey Dingle Care Home, a member of Care Forum Wales which promotes the value of the arts in social care.

The aim is to boost the health and wellbeing of residents and other members of the community and to support residents who have dementia. 

Senior carer Hayley Reeves came up with the idea after taking two residents to a Lost in Arts project at St Collen’s in Llangollen last December was run by Denbighshire Arts Services in partnership with the Alzhiemer’s Society.

The residents’ enjoyed their experiences so much that she decided to offer a six-week course on-site at Abbey Dingle.

“We have around ten regulars aged from about 85 upwards,” said Hayley, who has worked at the care home for the past 15 years.

“The residents really enjoy it. It’s an easy activity for them to take part in and it’s not too strenuous.

“The art therapy is great for interaction, socialising and reminiscing. We find the residents are really calm after the session and they thoroughly enjoy it.

“It really surprised me how well and quickly they took to it.”

There is growing support for the idea that painting and other creative art skills can enhance the wellbeing of people with dementia by improving mood, reducing depression and anxiety, promoting social interaction and stimulating memory.

The classes have been taking place every Wednesday afternoon since late January and have drawn visitors from outside the immediate area.

“We’re had an elderly lady from Rhyl coming along and a husband and wife from Llangollen,” said the 41-year-old who lives in Chirk.

“We find that an hour is enough before we have a break for tea and biscuits. 

“During this course the participants have learned all about colours and their meanings. They do a small meditation session initially and I was amazed at how much they remembered from their lives.

“The residents then apply different textures and materials to card to form a collage. One of the ladies has a daughter who’s an artist and was really surprised at how creative she was herself.”

Colour therapist Sue Hall, who has been teaching art therapy for 15 years, said each session begins with a short guided visualisation in which participants are able to explore the colour theme of the week.

“One week we visualised a picnic in the sand and another we went on a walk through the park,” she said.

“They take a big deep breath and relax and allow themselves to be guided along.

We then provide them with the corresponding colour essential oils so they can smell them. It’s amazing what they remember from the meditation and different memories from their past.

“Afterwards, they get stuck in with all the coloured materials and glue. There’s so much focus when they’re working, it’s really good to see.”

Carole Waterworth, Group Coordinator for Alzheimer’s Society in Conwy and Denbighshire said; “Just because someone has received a diagnosis of dementia it shouldn’t mean that they no longer have the opportunity to acquire new skills and share in new experiences, including our new exercise and craft groups. We want to support people with dementia to get involved with different activities in their local communities.

“As the population ages, we all face the risk of one day developing the condition. We hope that the ‘Try Something New’ project will increase public awareness of dementia and give people a better understanding of the condition; reducing the stigma.

One of the female participants is partially-sighted but has still been able to explore her creative side through touching and feeling the textures of the materials.

“It has been hugely beneficial to her and she’s presented some really good work,” Hayley explained.

 

“This lady has already had the opportunity of having some of her work displayed in an exhibition following the last church-based project and is definitely benefitting from the therapy.

“The outcome has been really positive for everybody involved and we’re keen to hold a similar event later in the year, perhaps under a gardening or flower theme.

“As with everything, these kinds of activities come down to funding but thankfully we were able to work in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, the use of a room is free and the tutor has been came via the Try Something New Project.

“I’m so glad the project turned out the way it has and I’m hoping to do lots more in the future.”

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said: "This is an innovative project that is helping to enrich the lives of people living with dementia.

"The arts are able to reach people and inspire creativity which is a life-enhancing joy.

"Another benefit is that the arts also greatly assists the development of the social care workforce in understanding the value of enriching people's lives.

"Care Forum Wales has been promoting the value of the arts within social care for a long time and this project is a fantastic example of why it is so worthwhile."

Rail commuters being let down, says Lib Dem candidate

Rail commuters from Chirk, Ruabon and Wrexham have been let down by the Welsh Government and Network Rail, says Clwyd South Welsh Assembly Candidate Aled Roberts.

 “To great fanfare the Welsh Government announced some time ago that a scheme to dual the line between Wrexham and Chester would reduce journey times and be operational from February last year,” commented Mr Roberts (pictured).

“Now the first anniversary of that completion date has been and gone and we are still waiting for the scheme to be completed.

“In November last year I demanded to know what was going on and what action could be taken to speed things up. Since then I have had a number of meetings with the Welsh Government’s Transport Minister and now appreciate that the overall aim of the £40m scheme was to increase the number of trains and their speed between Shrewsbury and Chester. But commuters have been badly let down since none of the planned improvements have taken place

  “Last week the Transport Minister invited me to another meeting where a report was discussed which outlined not only the problems with the current project to improve rail services but ways in which the £10m of extra funding secured by the Welsh Liberal Democrats during budget negotiations could be used to improve services from Chirk, Ruabon and Wrexham.

  “Unfortunately when the Welsh Government was commissioning the addition of an extra line between Wrexham and Chester they left out a section between Wrexham and Rossett thereby reducing the numbe r of trains that could provide direct services to Manchester and Liverpool. The extra £10m of investment negotiated by Liberal Democrat Assembly Members will give the commuters the option of commuting by train to jobs in the north west of England.

  “A major problem appears to be the inability of Network Rail to plan and implement major rail improvements. There has been a problem with the cabling installed for signalling and a need to upgrade the level crossing at Broad Oak which had not been identified when the project was planned.

"But that is not all. There is also a problem with one of the bridges between Shrewsbury and Gobowen which can’t accommodate faster trains! The Transport Minister has issued a recent statement in which she is seeking assurances from the UK Government about the future of Network Rail – that is something that needs to be urgently pursued by the new Welsh Government after the Assembly elections."

Trevor Basin's forthcoming events

Trevor Basin Visitor Centre has a number of events lined up over the next month.

On Saturday March 26 there are free guided walks of the area starting from the visitor centre at 11am and 2pm. 

On Easter Monday, March 28, and Tuesday March 29 visitors can join an Easter Trail, starting at the centre at 10.30am and ending at 3pm.

And on Saturday April 16 there are free guided walks to celebrate World Heritage Day starting from the centre at 11am and 2pm.

* For further details of all these events, call 01978 822912.

Holy Week events at St Collen's

Special Events at St Collen's during Holy Week 2016

Palm Sunday

9.30am – Communion at Trevor Chapelry; Palm Sunday worship in Llantysilio

11.00am – Palm Sunday worship in St Collen’s – no walk this year!

Wednesday in Holy Week

10.30am – St Collen’s  Church- Holy Communion followed by Lent course in the Upper Room

6.00pm – St Collen’s Church - At the House of Simon the Leper –Service of Anointing, followed by fish ’n chips in the Upper Room

Maundy Thursday

7.00pm – St Collen’s Church - Solemn Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar followed by hours-watch in the side chapel

Good Friday 

9.30am – Trevor Chapelry: Last Hour of the Cross

11am -1pm –St Collen’s Community Hall: Good Friday café

2-3pm: Last Hour of the Cross in St Collen’s Church

Holy Saturday 

3pm –St Collen’s – Musical: That you may have Life

7pm - The Easter Ceremonies – service of light and reaffirmation of baptismal vows

Easter Day Holy Communions

St Collen’s: 8am and 11 am Llantysilio and Trevor Chapelry 9.30am

 3pm and 6pm- St Collen’s – Musical: That you may have Life followed by tea in the Hall.           

5pm- Upper Room: Taizé Prayer

Rolling Stones backing choir heading for Eisteddfod

* The Bob Cole Choir from Long Beach, California is heading for Llangollen.

A choir that has backed the Rolling Stones will be in Wales, the UK’s land of song, this summer as part of a Californian gold rush.

They reckon there’s choral gold in them thar hills and so four top choirs from the Golden State are headed for a small town in North Wales for a singing shoot-out this July.

The fame of the Choir of the World event and other choral competitions at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has enticed them to make the 5,000-mile trek to Wales for this summer’s 70^th festival.

Last summer the 40-strong Bob Cole Conservatory Chamber Mixed Choir, from California State University in Long Beach, shared the stage with the Rolling Stones at Petco Park, San Diego, this summer they’re at Llangollen.

They heard about the Eisteddfod from colleagues who had been there and Dr Jonathan Talberg, Director of Choral, Vocal and Opera Studies at the Bob Cole Conservatory, said: “They told us what a wonderful experience they had in Llangollen and we are so looking forward to sharing some of our musical traditions with the festival.

“We’ll be highlighting music from Southern California as well as American Folk Music and Spirituals.

“The Choir is the premier mixed choral ensemble at the university and features 40 of the most talented singers under my direction.

“They come from diverse areas of study including opera, vocal performance, jazz, and music education and we’ve had some incredible recent performances including singing with the Rolling Stones, performing at the National Collegiate Choral Organization and the American Choral Directors Conferences.”

Competing with them will be the Santa Barbara Quire of Voyces, the Davis Madrigal Singers and Palmdale’s Sunday Night Singers and all are hoping to strike gold against choirs from around the globe at the iconic festival.

* The Davis Madrigal Singers.

Santa Barbara Quire of Voyces are making their first visit to Wales and manager Patty Volner said: “People may ask how we in California heard about Llangollen but doesn’t everyone in the choral world know about Llangollen? We think of it as the choral capital of the world.

“Being in Llangollen and around so many others singers from all around the world and sharing our passion of music will be an experience unlike any other.

“The coming together of groups from different cultures offers an experience to broaden one's perspective and we agreed our deep commitment to the arts shares the same values of the original founders of the Eisteddfod. We are so excited to be a part of this festival!”

The Quire was founded by artistic director Nathan Kreitzer in 1993 and Patty added: “We are a mixed choir and we focus primarily on performing in California, usually around eight concerts a season. However, we aim to tour once every three to five years.

“We are dedicated to presenting and recording world-class interpretations of sacred a cappella works from the Renaissance and modern eras.

“Performing in Llangollen will give us a much wider audience and recognition worldwide while also meaning we can learn from other high quality groups.”

The Quire of Voyces has sung at High Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican as well as at Salisbury and Canterbury Cathedrals and in Naples, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Finland, Estonia and Sweden.

The Sunday Night Singers, a mixed choir based in Palmdale, will be heading to Llangollen to compete at the International Music Eisteddfod for a second time.

They were runners-up in the Mixed Choir competition at Llangollen in 2008 under the baton of their founder and musical director Mike McCullough.

Mike, who was also at Llangollen for last year’s festival with his Palmdale High School Chamber Singers, formed the Sunday Night Singers in 2005 after being asked to provide a choir a Greek Orthodox priest’s birthday party.

And according to Tyler Heckathorn, president of the Sunday Night Singers, the choir is looking forward to returning to North Wales.

He said: “We typically have an ensemble of between 20 and 24 singers and the choir continues to evolve as new members replace older members who move to different areas or universities.

“We are staying with host families in the Ceiriog Valley and we are so looking forward to expanding on the amazing experience we enjoyed at the 2008 Llangollen festival.

“It’s going to be a big year for the choir as we are also performing at the 2016 American Choral Director’s Association Western Regional Conference in Pasadena.”

Eilir Owen Griffiths, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s Musical Director, said: “We know just how strong the choral music scene is in California. Last year we had two Californian choirs and this year to be able to welcome three choirs is wonderful.

“I’m delighted to hear that Llangollen is considered by our Californian friends to be the choral capital of the world. That’s a sentiment I certainly wouldn’t argue with.”

Tickets sales for the concerts at this year’s Eisteddfod, which begins on Tuesday, July 5, are already going well, especially for the opening night when superstar soprano Katherine Jenkins gets the programme off to a sensational start as she sings Bizet’s Carmen opposite New York tenor Noah Stewart.

Wednesday will be International Children’s Day and will include choral and dance competitions and also a new Under 16s solo competition while the evening will feature the Voices of Musical Theatre and West End star Kerry Ellis.

The great Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel will headline the 70^th Classical Gala Concert on Thursday evening with Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja while the day will see the crowning of the Children’s Choir of the World.

Friday will celebrate Rhythms of the World and will be a feast of music and dance from the best of the Eisteddfod’s international competitors with the Dance Champions of the World competition climax at the evening concert.

It will open with a Caribbean Carnival Extravaganza, followed by the International Peace message delivered by Theatr yr Ifanc, Rhosllannerchrugog.

In a change of the scheduling Friday will also see the Parade of Nations, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite, switched from Tuesday in anticipation of bigger crowds and more competitors being present.

Saturday is dedicated to the top choirs and concludes with the Choir of the World competition for the Pavarotti Trophy while Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert.

To book tickets and for more details on the 2016 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

To see the Bob Cole Choir in performance with the Rolling Stones at Petco Park, San Diego, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcLNXYfI_sU