International Folk and Celtic Day

In the Pavilion the major choral competitions are contrasted by a fully refreshed folk strand including some fabulous ensembles and soloists.  There will be a significant Celtic presence both ‘inside’ and on the field, where Folk is the focus too.  Added to this will be the return of Llangollen’s hugely successful ‘All the World, One Smile’ inclusive project; with the ‘All the World, More Smiles’ performances showcasing local talent from a variety of schools and other groups (more details to follow).   A moving experience is in store.  Featured on the field will be Tim van Eyken (see Thursday), the wonderful Welsh band Calan, and – performing only in three venues in the UK – Farida and the Maquam Ensemble from Iraq.

FARIDA AND THE IRAQI MAQUAM ENSEMBLE (Iraq)

Farida is one of the few female Maqam singers in the World; she learnt from the Oud master Munir Bashir and has made a name for herself in this great tradition. She was born in Karbala, an Islamic Shiite town in southern Iraq, where a tradition of female singers and singing has been allowed to flourish.

The ensemble was formed in 1989 with the objective of reviving the Iraqi Maqam and the Iraqi musical heritage and presenting it to the outside world, a goal which has been achieved with appearances in UAE, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, The Netherlands, Australia, France, Portugal, Germany, America, Italy, Sweden and Austria.

www.faridamaqam4u.com

CALAN (Wales)

Calan is dynamic Welsh folk music from a group of talented young people. The band has recently been recording its first album on the Sain label, which promises to be a stunning debut.  The band performs energetic and exciting traditional music and songs with a mix of fiddle, harp, accordion, pibgorn, pipes and guitar with singing and clogging.

BAYOU SECO (USA)

‘A complete feeling of being at home with the music and having a ball.’ Ian Anderson  fRoots

Bayou Seco delighted audiences and competitors alike in 2008 with their inimitable blend of music and humour. Bayou Seco celebrate the music and dance traditions of the American Southwest by delving into the rich stew of traditional music that’s been simmering for centuries. Cajun and Zydeco, Norteno (Tex-Mex), Chicken Scratch, New Mexican colonial dance tunes and cowboy songs are served heavily spiced with the hot chilli spirit of the territory.  Their repertoire, collected over the last 30 years on their travels across the southern states, is interspersed with fascinating stories about the people from whom they learned it.

On the field: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday