Neges gan Meinir Llwyd, Cyfarwyddwraig Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias

Well there we are...Wales International Harp Festival 2014 is over! Thank you to everyone from four corners of the world who came to the festival and huge thanks to those who helped to make sure it was a week to remember!


Wel dyna ni! Gŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol Cymru drosodd! Diolch i bawb o bedwar ban byd ddaeth draw ac i bawb fu'n cynorthwyo i sicrhau wythnos i'w chofio.

Canlyniadau'r Pencerdd: Chief musician results:

3rd: Veronika Lemishenko Ukraine
2il 2nd Anne Denholm Cymru / Wales
1af 1st Valeria Voshchennikova Rwsia / Russia

Yn mynd drwy i Gylch Terfynol Cystadleuaeth y Pencerdd: Going through to the Final Stage of the Chief Musician Competition:

Yn mynd drwy i Gylch Terfynol Cystadleuaeth y Pencerdd:
Going through to the Final Stage of the Chief Musician Competition:
Veronika Lemishenko Ukraine
Anne Denholm Cymru / Wales
Valera Voshchennikova Rwsia / Russia

Canlyniadau Cystadleuaeth Cerddoriaeth Byd: Results for World Music Competition

1st: Duo Milonga Gwlad Pwyl / Poland
2nd: César Secundino Mecsico / Mexico 
3rd: Calum Macleod Yr Alban / Scotland

Yn mynd drwy i gylch terfynol y gystadleuaeth Cerddoriaeth Byd: Going through to the final stage of the World Music Competition:

Yn mynd drwy i gylch terfynol y gystadleuaeth Cerddoriaeth Byd:
Going through to the final stage of the World Music Competition:
Calum Macleod Yr Alban / Scotland
Eirini Mpakalopoulo Groeg / Greece 
Josh Doughty Lloegr / England
Dian Yu - Tsieina / China
César Secundino Sbaen / Spain
Duo Milonga Gwlad Pwyl / Poland

Canlyniadau Cylch 1af Pencerdd - Results Chief Musician First Round

Going through to the Second Stage of the Chief Musician Competition:
Yn mynd drwy i Ail Gylch y Pencerdd:

Veronika Lemishenko Ukraine
Juliana Myslov Lloegr / England
Abigail Kent UDA / USA
Glain Dafydd Cymru / Wales
Lior Ouziel Israel
Anne Denholm Cymru / Wales
Anastasia Razvalyaeva Hwngari / Hungary
Valera Voshchennikova Rwsia / Russia

Results of the Junior Competition

Congratulations to Noelia Cotuna, Alexandra Arsenova, and Samantha Schrecker for winning the Junior Competition (under 13) scholarships.

Alexandra Arsenova said that she has enjoyed her time at the Festival this year, and is enjoying the scenery that Wales has to offer as well as attending the Festival's concerts.

Having travelled from Nashville, Tennessee, Samantha Schrecker said that she would use the scholarship money to purchase strings for her harp, and save the remaining money. She explained that the harp was going from strength to strength in Tennessee.

Having also competed in Serbia and Italy, Noelia Cotuna's intention is to spend the scholarship money on master classes. She said that she was delighted to compete in the Festival this year. 

Canlyniadau'r Gystadleuaeth Iau

Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Noelia Cotuna, Alexandra Arsenova, a Samantha Schrecker am ennill ysgoloriaethau y gystadleuaeth Iau (dan 13 oed).

Dywedodd Alexandra Arsenova ei bod wedi mwynhau ei hamser yn yr Ŵyl eleni, ac yn mwynhau cefn gwlad Cymru ynghyd â mynychu cyngherddau'r Ŵyl.

Wedi teithio o Nashville, Tennessee, dywed Samantha Schrecker y byddai'n defnyddio arian yr ysgoloriaeth i brynu tannau ar gyfer y delyn, ynghyd â chynilo'r gweddill. Eglurodd fod y delyn yn mynd o nerth i nerth yn Tennessee.

Wedi cystadlu yn Serbia a'r Eidal eisoes, bwriad Noelia Cotuna fydd i wario ei hysgoloriaeth ar ddosbarthiadau meistr. Dywedodd ei fod wrth ei bodd o gael cystadlu yn yr Ŵyl.

Harpists flock to “amazing” Caernarfon festival

The third Wales International Harp Festival, which is being held this week at Galeri, Caernarfon is “an amazing and uncommon festival” according to renowned international harpist Osian Ellis.

Dr Ellis officially opened the festival on Sunday. It is organized by Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias and has attracted 80 harpists from all over the world.

Festival Director and international harpist Elinor Bennett is delighted that the festival which is held once every four years, is going from strength to strength.

“The importance of a festival like this is that it enables people from all corners of the world to come together to share their love of music, celebrate diversity, and create friendships that transcend race, country, language, ability or background.

“It’s also an encouraging experience for youngsters to perform and compete at an international level” she said.

This year’s festival celebrates composer William Mathias’ 80^th birthday and in particular his music for the harp.

His daughter, Rhiannon Mathias, is particularly pleased that the festival is providing a platform for musicians from all over the world to take a fresh look at his musical legacy. Sunday’s opening concert was a celebration of his life and work.

“My father lived several different musical lives - first and foremost as a composer, but also as conductor, pianist, Professor of Music at Bangor University and Director of the North Wales Music Festival to mention only a few. Had he lived to see it, he would have been especially proud of the music education provision provided by the Canolfan Gerdd that is named after him.”

The International Harp festival has attracted a number of prominent sponsors amongst them the Confucius Institute also from Bangor University, which aims to promote cultural exchange between China and Wales.

Professor Liying Zhang is the Institute’s Co-Director.

“Music is a very good way to promote cultural exchange so we are very pleased to be one of the sponsors,” she said. “ Both Wales and China have dragons and our dragon project aims to promote Welsh music in China and vice versa particularly as part of this year’s Shanghai Intentional Festival,” she said.

The competitions and concerts will be held in Galeri throughout the week and tickets can be obtained from the box office on 01286 68522.

Further information is available on the festival’s facebook, blog and twitter accounts.

Gŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol Cymru yn agor yng Nghaernarfon

Mae’r drydedd Ŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol wedi agor yn Galeri, Caernarfon gan ddenu 80 o delynorion o bob cwr o’r byd i gystadlu a chymdeithasu trwy gydol yr wythnos.

Agorwyd yr ŵyl gan y telynor byd-enwog Osian Ellis, ddisgrifiodd y digwyddiad fel “gŵyl anhygoel ac anghyffredin”.

Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias sydd wedi trefnu’r ŵyl ac mae’n cael ei chynnal unwaith bob pedair blynedd. Mae’r Cyfarwyddwr, y delynores Elinor Bennett yn falch ei bod yn mynd o nerth i nerth.

“Dyma’r drydedd ŵyl ac mae’n bwysig am ei bod yn rhoi cyfle i bobl o bedwar ban byd ddod at ei gilydd i rannu eu cariad at gerddoriaeth a goresgyn ffiniau, iaith, hiliaith, gallu a chefndir,” meddai.

“Mae hefyd yn brofiad gwych i bobl ifanc gael perfformio a chystadlu ar lefel rhyngwladol,” ychwanegodd.

Mae’r ŵyl eleni yn dathlu penblwydd y cyfansoddwr William Mathias yn 80 oed ac yn benodol felly ei gerddoriaeth ar gyfer y delyn.

Mae ei ferch, Rhiannon Mathias, yn falch bod yr ŵyl yn rhoi llwyfan i gerddorion ifanc o wahanol wledydd gael golwg newydd ar ei etifeddiaeth gerddorol. Roedd y cyngerdd agoriadol yn ddathliad o’i fywyd a’i waith.

“Roedd fy nhad yn byw sawl bywyd cerddorol gwahanol - yn gyntaf ac yn flaenaf, fel cyfansoddwr, ond hefyd fel arweinydd, pianydd, Athro Cerdd ym Mhrifysgol Bangor a Chyfarwyddwr Gŵyl Gerdd Gogledd Cymru i nodi dim ond rhai,” meddai.

“Petai wedi cael byw i’w gweld buasai’n arbennig o falch o’r addysg gerddorol sy’n cael ei ddarparu gan y Ganolfan Gerdd sydd wedi ei henwi ar ei ôl.”

Mae’r Ŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol hefyd wedi denu nifer o noddwyr blaenllaw ac yn eu plith Sefydliad Confucius o Brifysgol Bangor sy’n ceisio hybu cyfnewid diwylliant rhwng Tsieina a Chymru.

Yr Athro Liying Zhang yw Cyd-Gyfarwyddwr y Sefydliad.

“Mae cerddoriaeth yn ffordd wych o hybu cyfnewid diwylliant felly rydyn ni’n falch iawn o gael bod yn un o’r noddwyr. Mae gan Cymru a Tsieina ddreigiau a bwriad ein prosiect ‘Cynllun y Ddraig’ yw hybu cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn Tsieina ac i’r gwrthwyneb, yn enwedig fel rhan o Ŵyl Rynglwadol Shanghai eleni,” meddai.

Mae cystadleuthau a’r cyngherddau yn cael eu cynnal yn Galeri trwy gydol yr wythnos ac mae’r tocynnau ar gael trwy ffonio 01286 685222 a rhagor o wybodaeth ar dudalen facebook, blog a thrydar yr Ŵyl.

Tickets Still Available!! - Tocynnau Dal Ar Gael!!

Gŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol Cymru am gychwyn fory!! Mae tocynnau dal ar gael drwy Swyddfa Docynnau Galeri. Dros y ffôn: 01286 685222 neu ar y we.

Wales International Harp Festival tomorrow!! Tickets still available through Galeri Box Office. - Over the phone 01286 685222 or their website. 

Caernarfon Walk - Ty'd Am Dro

Bydd Emrys Llewelyn o DroDre.co yn cynnal teithiau o Gaernarfon yn cychwyn o Galeri Caernarfon ar y dydd Mawrth a'r dydd Gwener yn ystod yr Ŵyl gan gychwyn o 4:30yh, gan ddod yn ôl i Galeri mewn digon o amser i gael pryd o fwyd cyn y cyngherddau.

Archebu o ddesg yr Ŵyl - Prisiau arbennig yn ystod yr Ŵyl!

Emrys Llewelyn from Caernarfon Walks (caernarfonwalks.com) will give two guided walks during the Festival on Tuesday and Friday starting at 4.30pm, returning to Galeri in plenty of time for a meal before the concerts.

Book your place on the walk from the Festival Desk - Special prices during the Festival! 

Competitors - Cystadleuwyr

Cystadleuwyr yn nhrefn yr wyddor / Competitors in Alphabetic Order

Iau/Junior  

Alexandra Arsenova Rwsia / Russia

Noelia Cotuna Sbaen / Spain

Marcelina Dabek Gwlad Pwyl / Poland 

Marteg Dafydd Cymru / Wales

Ekaterina Dvoretskaya Rwsia / Russia

Johanna Goerissen Yr Almaen / Germany

Hannah Griffiths Cymru / Wales

Sophia Hann Yr Almaen / Germany

Francesca Marini Yr Eidal / Italy

Aisha Palmer Cymru / Wales

Matilda Prescott-Jones Lloegr / England

Greta Sion Roberts Cymru / Wales

Molly Rowan-Sharples Cymru / Wales

Samantha Schrecker UDA / USA

Linnea Stenlund-Roderick Cymru / Wales

Jessica Jane Whitney Cymru / Wales

Mariia Zimina Rwsia / Russia

Ieuenctid/Youth

Rachel Edwards Cymru / Wales

Bethan Griffiths Cymru / Wales

Tanne Harder Iseldiroedd / Netherlands

Alis Huws Cymru / Wales

Nest Jenkins Cymru / Wales

Elain Rhys Jones Cymru / Wales

Seren Haf Jones Cymru / Wales

Elin Gwen Kelly Cymru / Wales

Mari Kelly Cymru / Wales

Christy Wing Man Leung   Hong Kong

Aoife Miralles Lloegr / England

Mared Emyr Pugh-Evans Cymru / Wales

Chloe Roberts Cymru / Wales

Marina Sabisky Cymru Wales

Morgan Short UDA / USA

Linda Simanauskaite Lithiwania / Lithuania

Emily Stone UDA / USA

Emma Thomazeau Ffrainc / France

Cassandra Tomella Yr Eidal / Italy

Clara Warford UDA / USA

Pencerdd / Chief Musician

Carolina Coimbra Swistir / Switzerland

Glain Dafydd Cymru / Wales

Liv Dahren Sweden 

Anne Denholm Cymru / Wales

Elfair Dyer Cymru / Wales

Rhiain Awel Dyer Cymru / Wales

Llywelyn Ifan Jones Cymru / Wales

Abigail Kent UDA / USA

Merve Kocabeyler Twrci / Turkey

Nina Kupriyanova Rwsia / Russia

Veronika Lemishenko Ukraine

Gwenllian Llyr Cymru / Wales

Holly Lowe Lloegr / England

Daphne Milio Yr Almaen / Germany

Megan Morris Cymru / Wales

Juliana Myslov Lloegr / England

Zuzanna Olbrys Gwlad  Pwyl / Poland

Lior Ouziel Israel

Anastasia Razvalyaeva Hwngari / Hungary

Zita Silva Swistir / Switzerland

Jane Soh Singapore

Katharina Steinbeis Yr Almaen / Germany

Valera Voshchennikova Rwsia / Russia

Cerddoriaeth Byd / World Music

Yassein Afify Yr Aifft / Egypt

Blue Rooster UDA / USA

Duo Milonga Gwlad Pwyl / Poland

Josh Doughty Lloegr / England

Hero Douglas Cymru / Wales

Elinor Evans Yr Alban / Scotland

Wang Fang Tsieina / China

Haley Hewitt UDA / USA

Nia James Cymru / Wales

Teulu Aelwyd y Gân Cymru / Wales

Pagoda Arts – Qunitet Tseina & Lloegr  / China & England

Calum Macleod Yr Alban / Scotland

Eirini Mpakalopoulo Groeg / Greece 

Caitlin Prowle Cymru / Wales

Greta, Adleis a Gwenno / Wales

Math Roberts Cymru / Wales

César Secundino Sbaen / Spain

Morgan Short UDA / USA

Dian Yu - Tsieina / China

CLOUDS

CLOUDS will:

• Perform in the Festival Concert on Tuesday 22 April, 7.30pm
• Late Night Music 9.30pm

CLOUDS Harp Quartet formed in 2008 when Elfair Grug Dyer, Rebecca Mills, Esther Swift and Angelina Warburton studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Eira Lynn Jones. Since then they have released two CDs of original works, their debut – Clouds, and most recent – Water. CLOUDS harp quartet’s music is written by Esther Swift and draws much from her background in folk music and improvisation. CLOUDS have toured extensively around the UK to promote their CD’s, and concert venues have included St. Giles Cathedral, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London and The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. Three members of CLOUDS appear at the Wales International Harp Festival as Rebecca is on board the Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship working as resident harpist of the Cunard cruise ships.

CLOUDS

Bydd CLOUDS yn:

• Perffromio yng Nghyngerdd yr Ŵyl ar Ddydd Mawrth 22 Ebrill, 7.30yh
• Cerddoriaeth Hwyr ar Ddydd Mawrth 22 Ebrill 9.30yh

Ffurfiwyd pedwarawd telyn CLOUDS ym 2008 yn y cyfnod pan oedd Elfair Grug Dyer, Rebecca Mills, Esther Swift ac Angelina Warburton yn fyfyrwyr yng Ngholeg Cerdd Brenhinol y Gogledd ym Manceinion, RNCM, o dan hyfforddiant Eira Lynn Jones. Mae’r pedwarawd telyn CLOUDS wedi datblygu o nerth i nerth ac erbyn hyn wedi cyhoeddi dwy gryno ddisg – Clouds a Water. Esther Swift sy’n cyfansoddi ar gyfer CLOUDS a hynny mewn dull diddorol ac unigryw sy’n seiliedig ar ei chefndir gwerinol a’i dawn i fyrfyfyrio. Mae CLOUDS wedi teithio ar hyd a lled Prydain yn hyrwyddo eu cryno ddisgiau ac mae’r perfformiadau hynny yn cynnwys cyngherddau yn St. Giles, ac Oriel Whitechapel, Llundain. Yn dilyn llwyddiant eu taith gyntaf ym 2011, derbyniodd CLOUDS wahoddiad i berfformio eu cerddoriaeth unigryw yn y Bridgewater Hall, Manceinion. Ymddangosai tri aelod o CLOUDS yn yr Wyl Delynau gan bod Rebecca yn perfformio ar Long Y Frenhines Elisabeth, rhan o’i gwaith fel telynores y llongau Cunard.

Late Night Music: The Live Tradition

9.30pm Wednesday, April 23

The Coach House

Black Boy Inn

Caernarfon

Welsh traditional harp tunes and folk songs with Mair Tomos Ifans, Sioned Webb and Arfon Gwilym.

Three singers and instrumentalists rooted in the folk song and penillion singing tradition of Merionethshire. They have performed all over Wales and overseas and they also sing regularly at plygain services. Mair is a winner of the Lady Herbert Lewis prize (folk singing) in the National Eisteddfod, is a storyteller, harpist and actress. Sioned is a winner of the John Weston Thomas (triple harp) prize in the National Eisteddfod, and is a music tutor, composer and author. Arfon is a folk singer and specialises in the tradition of penillion singing or cerdd dant; he is also the author of articles and books on the Welsh musical tradition.

Cerdd Hwyr: Y Traddodiad Byw

9.30pm   Nos Fercher, Ebrill 23  

Tafarn y Black Boy

Caernarfon

Alawon telyn a chaneuon gwerin Cymru yng nghwmni Mair Tomos Ifans, Sioned Webb ac Arfon Gwilym.

Tri sydd wedi eu gwreiddio yn nhraddodiad gwerin a cherdd dant Meirionnydd. Maen nhw wedi perfformio ar hyd a lled Cymru a thramor, ac yn ymddiddori hefyd yn y canu plygain. Mae Mair yn enillydd Gwobr Lady Herbert Lewis (y gân werin) yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, yn chwedleuwraig, telynores ac actores. Mae Sioned yn enillydd Gwobr John Weston Thomas (telyn deires) yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, yn diwtor cerdd, cyfansoddwraig ac awdur. Mae Arfon yn ganwr gwerin a cherdd dant ac yn awdur erthyglau a llyfrau ar draddodiad gwerin Cymru. 

Mieko Inoue

Mieko Inoue will:

• Be a member of the jury for the Chief Musician Competition,
• Perform in the Harps of the Orient Concert - Thursday 24 April, 7.30pm.
• Masterclass - Saturday 26 April at 10.00am.

One of the leading harpists and harp teachers in Japan, Mieko Inoue began her musical training at the age of four on the piano, and started to study the harp when she was eleven with Professor Josef Molnar in Tokyo.

She studied music, majored in the harp, throughout Toho School of Music high school and college, one of the most high-leveled and privileged music schools in Japan, also completed post graduated program degree.  

While at school, she began to perform as a professional harpist in orchestras in Japan and earned a lot of credit from conductors and orchestras and continued playing as a freelance player all over Japan after her graduation.  Also as an active player for contemporary music, she committed a lot of new music especially as a member of “ Art Respirant ” a group formed by players and composers.

She received special prize in Maria Korchinska International Harp Competition in 1983, the best performance prize in Fukui Harp Competition in 1992 among other various auditions and national competition prizes.  

In both 1993 and 1999, Ms. Inoue was chosen as a Japanese cultural exchange program researcher and studied with Susann McDonald, Distinguished Professor of Harp at Indiana University in the U.S where she earned performer diploma degree.  While at school she gave four recitals and performed energetically in and out of the school.

Ms Inoue has been performing numerous solo and chamber music recitals both in Japan and overseas, including a featured soloist with some of the major orchestras in Japan, a featured soloist for USA competition in 1995, and for World Harp Congress in Copenhagen, Seattle, Prague, Dublin and Vancouver.

Currently she plays as a principal harpist mainly in Yomiuri Nippon Symphony orchestra among other orchestras including Saito Kinen Orchestra leading by conductor, Seiji Ozawa, and also plays as a soloist.

As an international liaison of the Japan Harp Society and the board of director of the World Harp Congress, Ms. Inoue plays an active role in connecting Japanese harpists to the international harp world.  

She is a member of the faculties at both Toho School of Music and Ueno Gakuen Music School where she teaches a lot of young harpists with passion. 

Mieko Inoue

Bydd Mieko Inoue:

• Ar banel y beirniaid ar gyfer Cystadleuaeth y Pencerdd,
• Perfformio yng Nghyngerdd Telynau'r Dwyrain - Dydd Iau 24 Ebrill, 7.30yp.
• Cynnal Dosbarth Meistr ar Ddydd Sadwrn 26 Ebrill am 10.00yb.

Mieko Inoue yw un o brif delynorion ac athrawon telyn Siapan, a dechreuodd astudio’r delyn pan oedd yn un-ar-ddeg oed gyda’r Athro Josef Molnar yn Tokyo.

Astudiodd gerddoriaeth a graddiodd yn y delyn yn Ysgol Gerdd Toho, un o’r ysgolion uchaf ei safon a mwyaf breintiedig Siapan, a chwblhaodd ei chwrs ol-radd yno hefyd.

Derbyniodd Wobr Arbennig yng Nghystadleuaeth Maria Korchinska yn 1983, a’r wobr am y perfformiad gorau yng Ngwyl Fukui yn 1992 ac amryw o wobrau  cenedlaethol eraill.

Tra’n dal yn yr ysgol, cychwynnodd berfformio fel telynores broffesiynol mewn cerddorfeydd gan ennill canmoliaeth gan arweinwyr a cherddorfeydd.  Bu'n gweithio llawer ym maes  cerddoriaeth cyfoes, yn enwedig  fel aelod o “Art Respirant”  - grŵp a ffurfwyd gan berfformwyr a chyfansoddwyr. 

Yn 1993 a 1999, dewiswyd Ms Inoue i fod yn ymchwilydd diwylliannol ar raglen gyfnewid o Siapan ac astudiodd gyda Susann McDonald ym Mhrifysgol Indiana, UDA.

Bu’n  ymddangos ar lwyfannau cyngerdd fel unawdydd ac mewn grwpiau siambr yn Siapan a thramor. Bu’n unawdydd gwadd gyda rhai o brif gerddorfeydd Siapan, gan berfformio yng Nghyngres Delynau’r byd yn Copenhagen, Seattle, Prague, Dulyn a Vancouver.  Ar hyn o bryd, hi yw Prif Delynores Cerddorfa Symffoni Yomiuri, a Cherddorfa Saito Kinen o dan yr arweinydd enwog, Seiji Ozawa.

Mae Ms Inoue yn chwarae rhan flaengar wrth gyd-gysylltu telynorion o Siapan â byd y delyn yn rhyngwladol. Mae’n dysgu’r delyn gydag arddeliad i lawer o delynorion ifanc  yn Ysgol Gerdd Toho ac yn Ysgol Gerdd Ueno Gakuen. 

Camac-Telynau Vining Education Workshops in support of the Third Wales International Harp Festival

The last Wales International Harp Festival (2010) particularly impressed the Camac team with its exceptional level of community involvement. The harp can be dismissed as a “minority instrument”, but in Caernafon, it’s at the heart of the message that music is for everyone. Caernarfon’s combination of outreach projects and international-level competitions and concerts also show that accessibility and high standards are not mutually exclusive, but rather belong together.

Inspired by this inclusive, open and rigorous spirit, we proposed sponsoring an education project for the 2014 festival. Together with the Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias Music Centre, we organized six workshops across Wales: three in the North, two in the South, and one in the Rhondda Valleys. We invited teachers from these regions to design a day of workshops, working with Elinor Bennett, for harpists of all levels. Many thanks to Elfair Grug Dyer, Glian Llwyd, Gwenllian Llyr, Mirain Martin, Dylan Rowlands and Amanda Whiting, for their energetic participation!

In our experience, not every young harpist realises that an international competition could be within their reach: it just isn’t always on their radar. Yet it is possible to perform even your first pieces to an excellent standard, and we wanted the course participants to realise that this high level, with all its accompanying exhilaration, is something to which they can aspire.

It was fantastic to see so many harpists come to the workshops. All in all, over one hundred and twenty took part! The content of the workshops ranged from jazz in Cardiff, to fantastic musical stories and games for the youngest in Portmeirion. Each workshop also featured harp ensemble work with Elinor – a big thank-you here goes to Creighton’s Collection for supplying the sheet music, which was an enormous help. We’re looking forward to seeing how many members of the workshops will turn up in Galeri on the final day of the festival, to play their ensemble pieces on the Galeri balconies - “a gallery of sound in Galeri”.

Wales has not escaped the recent swathes of cuts to music funding. To an extent, it is inevitable that music gets the duff end of a cash-strapped council’s choice between school music lessons, or – for example - school food. As sponsors ourselves, we also sometimes have to make decisions that give us no pleasure, but which engage with market realities. There is no easy answer, and good solutions usually lie somewhere between the almost entirely free market of the American arts’ funding model, and the almost entirely state-funded German system. What is, however, sure, is that music and culture are not community luxuries. Many primary schools have recently invested in iPads to develop literacy skills. It may be fun, but it is not necessary to use an iPad in order to learn to read. Most people do however need to be taught to read, and we also need music lessons in order to keep music alive. You don’t need to be a trained musician to enjoy music, but you need trained musicians to play it for you. Depending on where you come from, you may also need a music teacher to help you perceive that, whatever you do or go on to do as an adult, music is for you. Cut music lessons, and you don’t just have to use a different teaching method to achieve the same end, as when you don’t buy school iPads. Cut music lessons, and you remove an aspect of cultural experience, and of personal and social development, from children’s lives.

Music teachers, and groups of them in organizations like Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, make a profound contribution to communities at all levels: young, older, professional, amateur, in the present, for the future and – or at least it should be thus – regardless of wealth. In our education project, it has been a privilege to celebrate teachers’ work, help them put on something special for their pupils, and, we hope, encourage new students to take up the harp!

Helen Leitner
Camac Harps, France
And
Elen Vining
Telynau Vining Harps, Cardiff 

Gweithdai Addysg Camac-Telynau Vining i gefnogi Trydedd Ŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol Cymru

Creodd Gŵyl Delynau Ryngwladol ddiwethaf Cymru (2010) argraff arbennig ar dîm Camac o ran lefel eithriadol y cyfraniad cymunedol. Mae’n bosib gwrthod y delyn gan ddweud mai “offeryn i’r lleiafrif” yw hi, ond yng Nghaernarfon, mae’r delyn wrth galon y neges bod cerddoriaeth i bawb. Mae cyfuniad Caernarfon o brosiectau estyn allan a chystadlaethau a chyngherddau ar lefel ryngwladol yn dangos hefyd nad oes rhaid dewis rhwng hygyrchedd a safonau uchel, ond bod y ddau yn perthyn gyda’i gilydd mewn gwirionedd.

Ar ôl cael ein hysbrydoli gan yr ysbryd cynhwysol, agored a chadarn yma, dyma gynnig noddi prosiect addysg ar gyfer gŵyl 2014. Ar y cyd â Chanolfan Gerdd William Mathias, aethom ati a threfnu chwe gweithdy ledled Cymru: tri yn y Gogledd, dau yn y De, ac un yng Nghwm Rhondda. Gwahoddwyd athrawon o’r ardaloedd i gynllunio diwrnod o weithdai, gan weithio gydag Elinor Bennett, i delynorion ar bob lefel. Diolch yn fawr i Elfair Grug Dyer, Glian Llwyd, Gwenllian Llŷr, Mirain Martin, Dylan Rowlands ac Amanda Whiting am eu cyfraniad brwd!

Yn ein profiad ni, nid pob telynor ifanc sy’n sylweddoli y gallai cystadleuaeth ryngwladol fod o fewn cyrraedd: dydy hynny ddim yn rhan o’u profiad nhw. Ac eto i gyd, mae’n bosib perfformio hyd yn oed eich darnau cyntaf ar safon ragorol, ac roedden ni am i aelodau’r cwrs sylweddoli bod y lefel uchel yma, a’r wefr sy’n rhan ohoni, yn rhywbeth y gallan nhw anelu ati.

Peth gwych oedd gweld cynifer o delynorion yn y gweithdai, gyda chyfanswm o fwy na chant ac ugain yn cymryd rhan! Roedd cynnwys y gweithdai’n amrywio o jazz yng Nghaerdydd i storïau a gemau cerddorol gwych i’r rhai lleiaf ym Mhortmeirion. Roedd pob gweithdy hefyd yn cynnwys gwaith mewn ensemble telynau gydag Elinor - a mawr yw ein diolch yn hyn o beth i Creighton’s Collection am ddarparu’r dalenni cerddoriaeth, oedd o gymorth eithriadol. Edrychwn ymlaen at weld faint o aelodau’r gweithdai fydd yn dod i Galeri ar ddiwrnod olaf yr ŵyl, i chwarae eu darnau ensemble ar y balconïau - “oriel sain yn Galeri”.

Dyw Cymru ddim wedi dod drwy’r toriadau diweddar ar gyllid i gerddoriaeth yn ddianaf. I raddau, mae’n anochel mai cerddoriaeth sy’n dioddef pan fydd cyngor lle mae’r arian yn brin yn dewis rhwng gwersi cerdd yn yr ysgol neu - er enghraifft - bwyd yn yr ysgol. A ninnau’n noddwyr ein hunain, rydyn ni hefyd yn gorfod gwneud penderfyniadau weithiau sy’n annymunol, ond sy’n cydnabod realiti’r farchnad. Does dim ateb hawdd, ac mae’r atebion da fel arfer i’w gweld rywle rhwng y farchnad gwbl rydd sy’n cael ei defnyddio ym model America o ariannu’r celfyddydau, a’r system yn yr Almaen, sy’n cael ei hariannu bron yn llwyr gan y wladwriaeth. Yr hyn sy’n sicr yw bod cerddoriaeth a diwylliant yn fwy na rhyw ddewis ychwanegol i’r gymuned. Mae llawer o ysgolion cynradd wedi buddsoddi’n ddiweddar mewn iPads i fagu sgiliau llythrennedd. Efallai fod hynny’n hwyl, ond does dim rhaid defnyddio iPad i ddysgu darllen. Er hynny, mae angen i’r mwyafrif o bobl gael eu dysgu sut i ddarllen, ac mae arnon ni angen gwersi cerddoriaeth hefyd i gadw cerddoriaeth yn fyw. Does dim rhaid ichi fod wedi hyfforddi fel cerddor i fwynhau cerddoriaeth, ond mae arnoch chi angen cerddorion sydd wedi’u hyfforddi i’w chwarae ichi. Gan ddibynnu ble rydych chi’n byw, mae’n bosibl hefyd y bydd arnoch chi angen athro neu athrawes cerddoriaeth i’ch helpu i weld bod cerddoriaeth i chi, beth bynnag yr ydych chi’n ei wneud neu y byddwch yn ei wneud fel oedolyn. Torrwch wersi cerddoriaeth, ac mae’n fwy na mater o ddefnyddio dull dysgu gwahanol er mwyn cyrraedd yr un nod, fel pe bai’r ysgol heb brynu iPads. Torrwch wersi cerddoriaeth, ac rydych chi’n dileu agwedd ar brofiad diwylliannol y plant, ac ar eu datblygiad personol a chymdeithasol.

Mae athrawon cerddoriaeth, a grwpiau ohonyn nhw mewn sefydliadau fel Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, yn gwneud cyfraniad o bwys at gymunedau ar bob lefel: ifanc, hŷn, proffesiynol, amatur, heddiw ac yfory, a hefyd – o leiaf fel hyn y dylai hi fod – waeth beth fo’ch cyfoeth. Yn ein prosiect addysg ni, mae wedi bod yn fraint dathlu gwaith yr athrawon, eu helpu i gynnig rhywbeth arbennig i’w disgyblion, a, gobeithio, annog myfyrwyr newydd i afael yn y delyn!





Helen Leitner
Camac Harps, Ffrainc
ac
Elen Vining
Telynau Vining Harps, Caerdydd 

Gillian Green

   

Gillian Green:

• Will be a member of the jury for the Junior Competition,
• Adult Learners' Workshop with Helen Davies-Mikkelborg on Wednesday 23 April, 10.00am.

Gillian is from Criccieth in North Wales and was one of the first music students to attend Chetham’s School of Music. She furthered her studies at Cardiff University studying harp with Elinor Bennett, Ann Griffiths and Aileen MacArdle. She was a harp tutor for the Mid Glamorgan Authority for many years and in 1988 was awarded a grant from the Welsh Arts Council to study Arts Management at City University, London. In 1990, she was appointed Director of Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now scheme in Wales and in 2002 became the Director of Auditions for LMN UK. Gillian was the vice chairman of Arpa Viva Cymru in 2007 and is a Trustee and Adjudicator of the Kenneth Loveland Gift. 

Gillian Green

    

Bydd Gillian Green:

• Ar banel y beirniaid ar gyfer y Gystadleuaeth Iau,
• Yn cynnal gweithdy telyn i oedolion gyda Helen Davies-Mikkelborg ar Ddydd Mercher 23 Ebrill, 10.00am.

Daw Gillian o Griccieth a hi oedd un o’r myfyrwyr cerdd cynta i fynychu Ysgol Gerdd Chetham ym Manceinion. Derbyniodd ei haddysg bellach ym Mhrifysol Caerdydd gan astudio’r delyn gyda Elinor Bennett, Ann Griffiths ac Aileen MacArdle. Buodd yn diwtor telyn ym Morgannwg Ganol am nifer o flynyddoedd cyn derbyn nawdd oddi wrth Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i ddilyn cwrs mewn Gweinyddu’r Celfyddydau ym Mhrifysgol City, Llundain. Penodwyd hi yn Gyfarwyddydd cynllun Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now ym 1990 ac yn Gyfarwyddydd Clyweliadau LMN yn y D.U. Roedd Gillian yn Is-Gadeirydd Arpa Viva Cymru yn 2007 ac mae hi yn Ymddiriedolwr a Beirniad o’r Kenneth Loveland Gift.

Gwenan Gibbard

Gwenan Gibbard will perform:

• ‘Harp and Story’ with Eric Maddern in Caernarfon Castle on Monday 21 April at 2.30pm,
• In the World Music Concert on Friday 25 April.

Gwenan Gibbard stands at the forefront of today’s thriving Welsh traditional music scene.  She has represented Wales at several festivals, at home and abroad, performing her unique, contemporary arrangements of Welsh traditional music and songs, the playing firmly rooted in the heart of the tradition, yet showing a fresh and innovative approach.  She also specialises in the unique art of ‘Cerdd Dant’, the ancient form of singing Welsh poetry to the accompaniment of the harp, and is one of the few people who performs this music self-accompanied on the harp.  She recently released her third solo album - Cerdd Dannau – which explores a new perspective on the tradition of cerdd dant.

   

Gwenan Gibbard

Bydd Gwenan Gibbard yn:

• Cynnal ‘Chwedl a Chainc’ yng Nghastell Caernarfon gyda’r storïwr Eric Maddern ar Ddydd Llun 21 Ebrill am 2.30yh, 
• Perfformio yng Nghyngerdd Cerddoriaeth Byd ar Ddydd Gwener 25 Ebrill.

Mae Gwenan yn un o artistiaid gwerin amlycaf Cymru.  Bu’n cynrychioli Cymru mewn gwyliau yng Nghymru a thramor, gan berfformio ei threfniannau ffres a chyfoes o’n caneuon a’n halawon traddodiadol.  

Mae’n un o’r ychydig berfformwyr sy’n arbenigo yn yr hen grefft o ganu cerdd dant hunan-gyfeiliant, ac yn ddiweddar rhyddhaodd ei thrydydd albwm ar label Sain - Cerdd Dannau - casgliad blaengar sy’n darganfod hen drysorau ac yn torri tir newydd ym maes cerdd dant.  Roedd Gwenan yn un o brif artistiaid cyngerdd agoriadol Womex yng Nghaerdydd yn ddiweddar.  Bu hefyd yn perfformio yn Efrog Newydd fel rhan o ddathliadau geni Dylan Thomas ac yn teithio Cymru fel rhan o’r prosiect arbennig CylchCanu.