Eisteddfod shows off its colourful international appeal

* The Procession of Nations featured in last night's concert.

* Jamie Smith's Mabon take the main stage.

The Pavilion was alive with intoxicating melodies thanks to an energetic repertoire of Welsh folk music from Jamie Smith’s Mabon at last night's eisteddfod concert.

The band headlined the festival’s International Celebration evening which showcased a vibrant carnival of cultures. 

The Procession of Nations saw international performers weaving spectacularly through the audience, waving their national flags as they celebrated the eisteddfod’s key values of international unity and friendship.

Mabon dazzled with an outstanding original mix of upbeat folk which offered the audience a swirling blend of upbeat Celtic jigs and cheerful lyrics.

Before their performance Mabon hosted The Gathering, an impromptu festival dance event when their blending of distinctive Welsh melodies with a contemporary twist got the festival field dancing in a twmpath which is similar to a ceilidh.

* More information on this year’s festival and online ticket purchases can be found at www.llangollen.net or via the box office on 01978 862001.

Shaolin Monks dazzle on the field

* The Shaolin Monks in action at the eisteddfod. 

One of the most eye-catching performances yesterday at the eisteddfod came from The Southern Temple Shaolin Monks who travelled from China to perform.

They said they had been inspired to return to Llangollen following a visit last March thanks to the “peacefulness and beauty” of Wales and the “warmth of the people”. 

The performance group, whose members are a young as nine years old, train six hours a day, six days a week at the monastery in Putian.

The eisteddfod has welcomed 4,000 performers this week, with groups travelling from as far away as Ghana, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast. 

This afternoon's traditional parade will see thousands of performers dancing through the streets of Llangollen.

Panjabi group hit by string of bad luck dances on

* Despite their bad luck the Heritage Dance Academy

from the Panjab delighted crowds when they danced in Centenary Square.

A dance group from India hasn’t enjoyed the best of luck on its first visit to the Llangollen Eisteddfod.

An 18-strong party of the colourful troupe were due to fly from their home in the Panjab to compete in the traditional folk dance competition at the festival on Wednesday.

First setback for the Heritage Dance Academy came when they discovered that only 18 of them would be granted visas for the trip which meant that six of the group would have to stay at home.

The second blow came when a large bag containing all their traditional instruments went missing somewhere during the journey.

And that meant that they were unable to take part in competition C3 against other groups from Malaysia, India, Zimbabwe, Northern Ireland and Wales because backing tracks cannot be used in place of live music.

But, undaunted by their bad luck, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon the group, minus a third of its members, still went through their stylish paces to the delight of scores of onlookers in Llangollen’s Centenary Square.

Group leader Ranbir Singh said: “We just left it too late to get the visas from the Indian government so only 12 of us were able to leave for Wales.

“Then, somewhere on the trip, a large bag containing all our instruments went missing. These were traditional ones made of wood or iron and a drum made from goat skin.

“We had still hoped to compete at the eisteddfod but, quite understandably, they wouldn’t let us because the instruments are all part of what we do and we couldn’t use backing tracks.

“We still wanted to dance somewhere, so when we were asked to perform in the town square I searched the internet for suitable bhangra backing music to download. We then played that over the sound system and the dance went ahead.”

Ranbir, who is flying home with the group on Sunday, added: “This was our first time in Llangollen and we’ve had some bad luck. Things got even worse for me because on my own flight my bag went missing.

“But despite all that we’ve had a great time here and are really glad we came.

“We definitely intend to come back next year - and this time we’ll be applying in good time for our visas.”

Concert featured feast of Welsh music

* Shân Cothi and tenor Rhodri Prys Jones during the concert.

Llangollen Eisteddfod hosted a night of Welsh music starring soprano Shân Cothi and tenor Rhodri Prys Jones yesterday (Wednesday).

They were accompanied by the British Sinfonietta Orchestra which also performed with international classical sensation Rolando Villazón for Tuesday night’s classical gala.

The audience were treated to two rare musical opportunities as the Eisteddfod premièred performances at the Saints and Singers concert, which included the cantata ‘Saint Teilo’ by William Mathias CBE. This was accompanied by a masquerade dance performed by Llangollen-based New Dance Company.

This was the first time Shân Cothi and Rhodri Prys Jones performed together. Their voices offered the audience an emotive and enjoyable experience as they showcased their equally impressive vocal ranges.

The evening offered the perfect opportunity to perform The Land of Song to an international audience. A powerful massed choir made up of the London Welsh Chorale, Liverpool Welsh Choral, Palmdale High School Chamber Choir and Wrexham Music Cooperative also joined the Welsh vocalists.

In memory of the Welsh tenor Kenneth Bowen, who died last year, the eisteddfod hosted the world première of The Spring of Vision, composed by the festival’s music director and friend of Bowen, Dr Edward-Rhys Harry.

The Spring of Vision encapsulates the dream of Taliesin who, on questioning the state of humanity and our future is taken on a journey through wars, conflict and then finally arriving at the one act that defines humanity, the act of Christ on the cross.

Edward-Rhys Harry said: “Wednesday is the centre of the week-long festival and I wanted Welsh music to be at the heart of this year’s Eisteddfod.”

The audience were also treated to the crowning of the Pendine International Voice of the Future, which went to Erin Rossington from Abergele.

* Tickets for this year’s festival can still be purchased online at www.llangollen.net or via the box office on 01978 862001.

Eisteddfod entrance slashed to £1 tomorrow afternoon

The eisteddfod has just announced that the entrance to the ground will be reduced to a £1 after the Parade tomorrow afternoon.

A spokesperson said: "Ground for a £1 means people will be able to enjoy all the entertainment on the outside stages, food and craft stalls and soak up the atmosphere around the field."

Teenagers go on Peace Walk through town

* Teenagers from Plas Madoc celebrate the eisteddfod’s 

Youth Day with a Peace Walk through the town.

Following a series of workshops with secondary school students, Llangollen Eisteddfod organised a Peace Walk through the town centre to promote the festival’s core message of international peace yesterday (Wednesday). 

Showcasing banners made by the group of students, the walk was a demonstration of the Eisteddfod’s vision of peace among nations and giving a voice to the younger generation.

Award throws spotlight on new operatic star

* Terry Waite hands the Pendine trophy to Erin Rossington.

A ‘uniquely talented’ young soprano won one of the main prizes at an international festival – just 24  hours after tending the sheep on the family farm.

Erin Rossington, 23, from Llanfairtalhaiarn near Abergele, was crowned as the Pendine International Voice of the Future at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

She was presented with the Pendine Trophy, a solid silver salver, and a cheque for £5,000 by Eisteddfod president Terry Waite on behalf of Mario Kreft, proprietor of the arts loving sponsor, the Pendine Park care organisation.

In what judges acknowledge was a very close competition Erin clinched the title just ahead of Pembrokeshire soprano Jessica Cale, 27, who received the runner-up prize of £2,000.

The international competition began with a preliminary competition, with the two finalists making it onto the main Llangollen pavilion stage for the culmination of the contest.

Mr Kreft and his wife, Gill, pledged to contribute £5,000 to the International Voice of the Future competition through their Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which supports cultural and community initiatives, with the balance coming from

the Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation and the Eisteddfod.

An overwhelmed and thrilled Erin said she would be using the prize money to further her dream as a career as a professional opera singer.

She said: “It was a wonderful feeling to win such a prestigious competition and I can’t believe that I’ve come this far.”

Erin, who was helping out on her family’s sheep farm just the day before the competition preliminaries, has been a passionate singer since she was very small and has competed at eisteddfods right across Wales and even abroad.

In 2013 she was part of a group from the Urdd Eisteddfod which journeyed to the Welsh settlement in Argentina’s Patagonia region to compete in its own eisteddfod, proudly taking second place.

Four years ago she played innkeeper’s wife Madame Thenardier in an Urdd production of Les Miserables in Cardiff.

Erin has been studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and has just graduated with a Masters of Music Degree at the Guild hall in London

She grew up with her three sisters helping to run their parents’ sheep farm and says she was helping to tend the flock just before coming to compete in Llangollen.

“My lifetime’s ambition is to become a professional opera singer and this fantastic prize will go towards helping me achieve that,” said a delighted Erin.

The performance which clinched her star prize included operatic pieces by Handel, Tschaikovsky and Welsh composer Meirion Williams.

A close runner-up to Erin was 27-year-old Jessica Cale from Haverford West in Pembrokeshire.

Like Erin a singer since childhood, following a two-year course at the Royal College of Music in London Jessica is due to receive her Master’s Degree later this week and will then set the seal on her studies by joining the International Opera Studio at the college in September.

She said: “I’ve been singing all my life as my parents are both ministers of the Church in Wales which meant I grew up singing hymns and psalms.

“I sang in a church choir in Pembrokeshire and reached the final when I took part in a singing competition in Cardiff last year.

“This was my first major eisteddfod and I’ve really enjoyed being part of the Voice of the Future competition as everyone was so lovely.”

Jessica’s competition repertoire included works by Handel, Richard Strauss an Frank Bridge.

Mario Kreft said: “I believe a star was born this evening as Erin Rossington’s  performance was simply breath-taking and and highly commended by the judges.

“She is a spectacularly talented young lady who I am sure will go on to enjoy a glittering operatic career.

“Her victory was all the more commendable because she was up against a truly international field with competitors from at least six different countries vying for the title.

“Llangollen is known as the town where Wales meets the world but on this occasion it was where Wales beat the world.

“However, Jessica Cale also put in a stunning performance which will long be remembered.

“Our aim in supporting the competition in conjunction with Sir Bryn Terfel is to provide a springboard for brilliant young singers from around the world to achieve

their dreams of establishing a career on the global stage.

“The competition chimes perfectly with our ethos at Pendine Park because the arts in general and music in particular provide the golden thread running through everything

we do to enrich the lives of our residents and staff alike.

“I hope the recognition Erin and Jessica will deservedly receive after this competition will help them in their chosen careers and we see all three fulfil their ambitions of becoming major opera stars.

“The Pendine Trophy, which is solid Edwardian silver bearing a Chester hallmark, was been kindly donated by Chester jewellers Tony and Julie Kaye of Kaye’s Jewellers. It’s a

stunning and beautiful trophy.”

According to the festival’s music director Dr Edward-Rhys Harry, winner Erin has a “unique talent.”

He said: “She has a beautiful timbre to her voice which also has a lovely sense of feeling. There is also an expressive quality to how she sings.

“However, the judges found choosing a winner very difficult as Jessica also has a fabulous voice."