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Tuesday 8th of June 2010 UP, UP AND AWAY….LLANGOLLEN FESTIVAL CELEBRATES REFURBISHED PAVILION WITH A SPECTACULAR BALLOON RELEASE! FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS UP FOR GRABS! "The Festival is bigger and better than ever and now, thanks to the renovations made possible by our friends at Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Assembly Government, so is the Pavilion itself". MERVYN COUSINS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD. To celebrate the refurbishment of the Llangollen International Pavilion, Llangollen Eisteddfod are proud to invite everyone to a spectacular and colourful balloon release on Thursday 10th of June at 2pm in the presence of celebrated Classical four-piece (and stars of one of the festival's evening concerts this year) Bond! Five thousand balloons will take to the skies, with 100 special gold balloons. Those lucky enough to find one of the special gold Llangollen Eisteddfod balloons will have the chance of winning tickets to the Festival or the evening concerts - including the Concert featuring Bond on Thursday, July 8th. All you have to do is go online to www.llangollen2010.co.uk to see if your gold balloon number is one of the winners! It is anticipated that several winning balloons will travel overseas to countries in Europe and beyond and will serve to further enhance Llangollen's International message. "This is a brilliant idea" says Cardiff-born BOND violinist, Eos Chater, "and we are really excited to be involved with it. Imagine the thrill of finding one of these winning balloons and receiving free tickets to the Festival or one of the spectacular concerts. If you're really lucky, it might even be ours!" "The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has always been associated with colour", says the Festival's Chief Executive Mervyn Cousins, "and now, here we are, turning the skies over Llangollen into a wonderful mosaic! It will be a great day out for the whole family and, of course, there is also the chance of winning a rare ticket to one of our justly famous evening concerts. But we're also eager to draw attention to the improved facilities at Llangollen this year. The Festival is bigger and better than ever and now, thanks to the renovations made possible by our friends at Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Assembly Government, so is the Pavilion itself". "The Llangollen Eisteddfod is something we can all be proud of in Wales", says Hugh Evans, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, "and we at Denbighshire County Council are happy to have contributed to the overall £1.6million redevelopment, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, to create a world class pavilion which is no less than this great event deserves. This will hopefully be seen as a significant investment in what is an important cultural phenomenon. Llangollen is a national and international treasure". "The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is a hugely significant event" says Alun Ffred Jones, Heritage Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, "not only for us in Wales but to the thousands upon thousands of people who flock here each year to compete and to sample it's unique and multi-cultural atmosphere. The Welsh Assembly Government recognizes the huge importance of this event as a symbol of peace and harmony in a troubled world and as a crucial ambassador for our nation and is therefore delighted to invest to safeguard its growth in the twenty first century". "I am convinced that the public and the performers will both appreciate these massive improvements to the Llangollen Pavilion", says Mervyn Cousins, "particularly in terms of the acoustics in the Main Hall and in the areas of catering. These will have long-term benefits for the pavilion too of course because it is an all-year-round venue and the hope is that these new improvements will make the pavilion a much more attractive proposition for business conferences and meetings". "We have been working closely with the Eisteddfod to create a new business plan allied to the refurbished pavilion" says Iwan Prys-Jones, Corporate Director of Denbighshire County Council, "the improvements to the pavilion are fantastic and we hope it will bring new investment to the area and attract a wider business base." Members of the public are invited to celebrate the new pavilion on Thursday, June 10th at the spectacular balloon release and, with a little bit of luck, they might also get the chance of winning free tickets to the Festival or some of this year's evening concerts - including the one featuring Bond on Thursday, July 8th. "We are so looking forward to playing in Wales, particularly at Llangollen", says BOND cellist, Gay-Yee Westerhoff, "and it will be great fun to help out at the balloon event. Enjoy the colour and the spectacle - and, of course, we'll keep our fingers crossed for everyone!" Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod's Opening Gala Concert featuring Katherine Jenkins on Monday 5th July opens the full facility. For more information on all this year's evening concerts- and the daytime events - log on to www.llangollen2010.co.uk 3 June 2010 - Llangollen underlines Welsh connection to Liverpool. Mersey Primary School cites Festival as a major factor in Ofsted report success. “For us, having a wonderful event like Llangollen on our doorstep is so important” St. Matthew’s Headteacher Veronica McDonnell. The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is famous throughout the world for its colour, spectacle and exuberance but in addition to its reputation for melting down cultural barriers and in presenting the very best of the world’s singers and performers the Festival also aims to encourage a more general sense of harmony within communities, both nationally and internationally. St Matthew’s Primary School in Liverpool has just gained ‘Overall Effectiveness Outstanding’ in its Ofsted report and the school was especially praised for its creative involvement in community cohesion events and cultural development. The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is proud to have been cited directly in the Inspectors’ letter as a major contributory factor in the school’s achievements. “The International Eisteddfod has greatly helped our pupils to develop their understanding of people from other cultures, through their music and dance” says St Matthew’s Headteacher, Veronica McDonnell, “This was acknowledged in our recent Ofsted Inspection when we were awarded Outstanding for overall effectiveness. Our strong Community Cohesion work was also rated outstanding with the International Eisteddfod contributing to our international links”.
“We have been coming to Llangollen for the past four years”, says Donna Jones, Senior Teacher and Music Coordinator at St Matthew’s Primary School whose been involved along with Mrs Letitia Wilkins, Deputy Headteacher. “We have attended once on Children’s Day, once on Song and Dance Day- where we saw HRH Prince Charles!- and we have also competed in the Junior Children’s Choirs competition and taken part in the inclusive ‘All the World, One Smile’ project in 2009”.
As a direct result of their visits to the Llangollen Festival St Matthew’s Primary School has made strong cultural connections with children and schools from other countries throughout the world and, this year, the school hopes to forge specific links with both India and Hong Kong. Mrs McDonnell explains “Our pupils have benefited socially, emotionally and spiritually through their participation in this wonderful annual event. They have had the opportunity to meet and forge on-going links with children from India and China. What a wonderful way of helping children to experience first hand the cultural diversity and unity of people from all corners of the world”.
Veronica McDonnell continues to explain “Our own pupils come from a wide variety of different backgrounds, and abilities and so for us, having a wonderful event like Llangollen on our doorstep is so important. We have a wealth of talent, enthusiasm and spirituality, and the Eisteddfod helps us to develop this”.
The children of St Matthews Primary School have fond memories of their previous visits to Llangollen Festival:
“I love going to Eisteddfod. You see people from all over the world wearing such beautiful colourful costumes.” Ying Yu Fang aged 10. “I enjoyed watching the Chechnyan dancers. They were so fit and strong. Even the tiniest children could kick their legs so high. They made us feel so excited.” Paige Lancaster aged 10. “Our school choir felt so proud when we sang on the main stage at the Eisteddfod. We competed against children who came from as far as China. It was great.” Katie Jones aged 10. “I couldn’t believe I saw Prince Charles at the International Eisteddfod. The golden Harp was shining so brightly on the stage. We waved at Prince Charles and he waved back at us.” Jack Bradley. Llangollen Festival’s Chief Executive Mervyn Cousins is delighted that the event is having such a positive effect in schools and in the community as a whole. “It is great to hear once again that the international reach of Llangollen has such a positive effect on young people”, he says. “We naturally believe that what we can offer to schools and families is special and it is wonderful to know that this experience has a legacy beyond their actual attendance at the festival. I am also delighted personally, as before coming to work in Llangollen I worked in Liverpool and I know what brilliant work is done in schools there”. The City of Liverpool is often cited as being the ‘capital city of North Wales’ and the connections between the Mersey and the Dee appear to be as strong as ever in 2010 because, this year, in addition to welcoming a choir from St Matthews Primary School, Liverpool will also be represented in this year’s Eisteddfod by the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir. Some tickets are still available for this year’s Children’s Day (Primary Schools, Tuesday 6 July), and for Youth Day (Secondary schools and colleges) and, because of the continuing high demand for these tickets, Llangollen is also offering school packages, including workshops from performers from all over the world, on the other days of the festival week. “Culturally and geographically we are not far away from Liverpool”, says Mervyn Cousins, “and, of course, the continuing and enduring philosophy of Llangollen is that the rest of the world is also much closer to us than we think!” 21 MAY 2010 - Llangollen offers locals a chance to shine! The formation of Llangollen Community Choir and its debut performance at Llangollen 2010
“I am absolutely convinced that Llangollen has Talent and that we can create something truly special here- something magical and unforgettable.” Tim Jones, Musical Director of Yale College Choir In preparation for this year's Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod the festival organisers have teamed up with local businesses to form a special Community Choir which is expected to forge a new and harmonious link between the festival and the surrounding communities. The Community Choir will make its inaugural appearance on Wednesday 7th July at the One World, One Stage Evening Concert and will play a major part in welcoming the world to Llangollen. In addition, local residents and businesses will be eligible for discounted ticket prices for this spectacular event. Since its inauguration in 1947 the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has welcomed singers, musicians and dancers from all over the world and audiences in the North Wales town have been thrilled and exhilarated by their vibrant performances. The joys of experiencing what it must be like to sing on the famed Llangollen stage is a privilege extended to very few but, this year, the Llangollen Eisteddfod is offering local people and businesses the opportunity to taste a little of this magic for themselves with the creation of the Llangollen Community Choir. “This is a wonderful opportunity for people in Llangollen to be directly involved in welcoming the festival performers from all over the world and to have the chance (maybe of a lifetime!) to sing on the unique Llangollen stage” says Mervyn Cousins, Chief Executive of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod: “It is really important the Eisteddfod and the town work together, and this is a new and exciting venture. Singing in a choir is such good fun and brings people together too, and I am sure they will really enjoy this new experience. I am really looking forward to hearing the choir!”
The Llangollen Community Choir will be under the expert supervision of Tim Jones, Musical Director of Yale College Choir- and himself a veteran of the Llangollen stage. “Performing on that famed Llangollen stage is such a thrill”, he says, “and I want the local people of Llangollen to taste it for themselves. I am absolutely convinced that Llangollen has Talent and that we can create something truly special here- something magical and unforgettable. What we need now is for one hundred local voices to come forward and to make themselves heard!” Places for the choir are allocated on a first come, first served basis and they are offered to people living or working in the Llangollen area or to people who are connected to the Eisteddfod. The hotline number for anyone interested in joining is 01978 862000 and rehearsals will begin on Tuesday 25th May at St. John’s Church, Abbey Road, Llangollen and will continue on Tuesday evenings throughout June. The Rev Andrew Sully, who presides over the church, will also be singing in the choir. “It will be great for local people to sample the true magic of participating in the Llangollen Eisteddfod” says Rachel Jones, Director, Arts & Business Cymru. “It is also, of course, a very effective way for local businesses to get involved in what is, after all, a truly global cultural event and to highlight the fact that businesses in the Llangollen area are very supportive of this unique and historical festival”. “The formation of a Llangollen Community Choir is such an excellent idea”, says Ian Williams, Director North Wales Enterprise & International Business Wales. “Every year, choirs travel from all over the world to visit Llangollen and to perform on its world-famous stage and this is a golden opportunity for local people- and local business people too of course- to match their enthusiasm and to express their support for the Eisteddfod through the medium of music by singing together in the Llangollen Community Choir!” The choir will give its inaugural performance on the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod stage on Wednesday 7th July at the One World, One Stage evening concert. This event is a well-established favourite with Llangollen audiences and- in addition to the celebrated Welcome Ceremony and Procession of Performers through the Pavilion- it will be an unforgettable evening of truly global music and, with performances from countries such as Tibet, USA and Wales it offers a marvellous taster of the week to come. Ticket prices for the concert range from £14 to £18 but there will be special £3 discounted seats for local residents and local businesses, and support their friends and colleagues taking part in the Community Choir. “I really hope the people of the Llangollen area will join me in this marvellous choir”, says Eisteddfod Treasurer Simon Orton-Jones who has signed up as a member of the choir. “We all know that the Welsh have great singing voices and this is a superb opportunity for Llangollen to prove that it is, probably, the most musical town in the whole of Wales. We really are going to make such a glorious sound on that stage and I am thrilled at the prospect of being a part of it. So come on, people of Llangollen, let’s get singing!” 20 March 2010 - INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR TO RETURN TO LLANGOLLEN Llangollen Festival is proud to announce a stunning Opening Gala Concert for Monday evening- with one very special star!Katherine Jenkins has performed for The Queen, The Pope and the Prime Minister and has since stunned audiences around the world, from the Sydney Opera House to Wembley, from the Royal Albert Hall to Joe's Pub in New York City cementing her status in the classical crossover field...and now she's on her way to Llangollen! "We're so thrilled that she's decided to return to Llangollen to sing for us! It's going to be such a memorable night!" Mervyn Cousins, Executive Director, Llangollen Eisteddfod. Stars don't come much bigger, or much brighter, than Katherine Jenkins who will be gracing the Llangollen stage on Monday July 5th. Katherine has sold in excess of four million albums and is the only artist who has held #1,2,3 and 4 in the classical album charts simultaneously! Not bad for a young woman from the small village of Neath in the Welsh Valleys! But of course Katherine Jenkins is no ordinary girl. Having trained at the Royal College of Music she signed the biggest ever classical deal and has become the premier ambassador of bringing classical music to a mainstream audience. Throughout her career Katherine Jenkins has broken records, selling millions of albums worldwide, picking up numerous awards and has performed at every single high profile tournament on the British sporting calendar.
Outside of Katherine's recording duties, she has broadened out into the TV world. The last year has seen Katherine present a special BBC series, 'The Week We Went To War', as well as be a judge and mentor on the hit ITV1 show, 'Popstars to Operastars'. 2010 is looking to be another huge year for Katherine, as she will be releasing her first record in North America. Believe, Katherine's most ambitious album to date was recorded in the sun-kissed Hollywood Hills, under the expert guidance of world-class star-maker and producer David Foster. In the last two months of 2009, Katherine sold a staggering 400,000 Believe albums in the UK alone. Pushing the boundaries on traditional crossover repertoire, Katherine Jenkins has created a record for the world stage, so where better to hear her sing than on this international stage. 'It's such a thrill to be back at Llangollen!' says Katherine. 'The Llangollen International Eisteddfod is such a unique event because it brings so many people together from all over the world to create a wonderful week of international friendship and harmony- and it all takes place here in Wales! It makes me so proud. I really can't wait to step out on that stage once again and to be a part of this fantastic festival!' How does Katherine Jenkins think Llangollen will compare to some of the other famous venues she's performed in over the years? "There's always something special about singing in Wales', she says, 'and especially in an International Welsh Eisteddfod! I was lucky enough to have been invited to sing at the National Eisteddfod in 2006 and, of course, in Llangollen International Festival in the same year. Now I am truly honoured to be invited back to perform at the Opening Gala Concert for this year's Llangollen festival'. Katherine is not only cherished as one of Britain's favourite singers, but is also a truly international performer and has become a regular artist on Network Saturday night television, and you can see her live at this unique event. 18 February 2010 - LLANGOLLEN EISTEDDFOD PRESIDENT TERRY WAITE DELIVERS A PERSONAL INVITATION TO THE PEOPLE OF PATAGONIA
'It's incredible when you walk the streets and hear this wondrous mixture of Spanish and Welsh', says Terry. 'I'm convinced that Gaiman is a unique place in terms of its linguistic and cultural make-up and, I must admit that I was completely entranced and enchanted by it'. Being a predominantly Welsh village of course, music was very much in the air and Terry Waite soon encountered the sweeping tones of a local choir. 'What a sound! Those voices were absolutely amazing! And the peculiar thing is- if you closed your eyes, and tried your best to ignore the heat, you would have sworn that you'd just been transported back into the Dee valley!' There was an important reason for Terry Waite's pilgrimage to Gaiman because Terry is the President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and he took with him a message from the Festival- a message of goodwill, peace and (appropriately enough) harmony. 'I think people sometimes forget that Llangollen was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize back in 2004', says Terry. 'The Llangollen peace message has become an integral part of the festival and I thought it would be marvellous to deliver a message of my own, from Llangollen- in the heart of the homeland- to other side of the world. My words would hopefully echo the noble sentiments of the famous Llangollen peace message'. The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod takes place between July 5th and 11th and, this year, the festival expects to attract competitors from Patagonia. In addition to the competitive events and the pageantry and colour a series of Gala Concerts this year will feature such luminaries as Nigel Kennedy, Only Men Aloud, Karl Jenkins and Bond. |
