Gwerin Gwallgo
Gwerin Gwallgo is a high-energy four-day residential event for young people between 11 and 18 years of age. It takes place at Glanllyn, the Urdd Residential Centre in Bala. We offer places to approximately 40 young people.
Structure of the course
There are instrumental, vocal and clog dancing
lessons during the day, followed by informal
sessions, concerts, get-togethers, twmpathau and
more in the evenings, with opportunities for the
young people to take part in some of the fun
outdoor activities which Glan-llyn has to offer,
too. Towards the end of the course, there is
also a chance to perform.
Instrumental workshops
Players need to have their own instrument, and
be able to play at least to a basic standard.
Instrumentalists are asked to tell us on the
enrolment form their approximate level of
experience, from the following options: Relative
Beginner: has basic command of instrument; can
play easy scales and a few simple tunes
Intermediate: a player of increasing assurance
with a reasonable familiarity with different
tune types Advanced: a confident player with a
significant amount of performance experience.
Ability to read music is not a requirement, nor
is previous experience of folk music, though
participants must be aware that most of the
workshops will be taught by ear.
Song Workshops
These are open to everyone from beginners to
experienced participants. No previous experience
of folk singing is needed.
Dance workshops
This year there will be two clog dance classes;
an intermediate and an advanced class. Previous
clog dancing experience is therefore required.
2019 Tutors
Patrick Rimes
Advanced Fiddle
Patrick Rimes is a fiddle player, piper, singer and composer/arranger based in Cardiff. Born and raised in Bethesda, Gwynedd, his style is firmly rooted in the distinctive fiddle tradition of that area, but he enjoys drawing on a wide variety of other influences too, from orchestral music to jazz and bebop. He’s studied at the University of Leeds, Janáckovo Akademie Múzických Umení (Czech Republic) and the Royal Welsh College in Cardiff. He performs regularly all over the world with Calan and is part of the new ‘chamber folk’ trio Vri.
Aneirin Jones
Intermediate Fiddle
Aneirin Jones is part of the new wave of young traditional musicians coming from Wales. Having already been working professionally since the age of 16 with the likes of VRï, Nogood Boyo and Pendevig, he is now studying traditional fiddle at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – but he remains a Welshman through and through!
Gwen Mairi
Harp
Clàrsach player and pedal harpist, Gwen enjoys a busy and varied career on both instruments but it is with the clàrsach that she feels most at home. A graduate of the Royal Scottish Acdemy of Music and Drama and with mixed Scottish/Welsh heritage, she fuses music from both cultures with unexpected rhythms and world influences. She is half of the Celtic folk duo Tornish. A fluent Welsh-speaker, Gwen was chosen to be part of trac’s ground-breaking Welsh traditional music project, 10 Mewn Bws.
Jordan Price Williams
Cello and whistles
Jordan is a founding member of VRï, NoGood Boyo and plays double bass with Elfen and ’cello and whistles with super group Pendevig. A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama he is spearheading the presence of the ’cello in Welsh Traditional Music, developing a ’cello-fiddle style to fit within the tradition. Alongside his VRï band mates Jordan is helping creating the “chamber-folk” style of playing in Wales.
Bethan Rhiannon
Advanced Clog dance
Bethan Rhiannon first began clog dancing when she was 7 years old and has won titles at the National Eisteddfod. She performs with the band Calan all over the world as accordion player, singer and dancer and is now also part of the new group NoGood Boyo. Over the past 10 years Bethan has developed a style of stepping which is unique, mixing standard Welsh repertoire with syncopated beats and modern rhythms. She is also a composer of lyrics and tunes and a singer with a voice one critic described as ‘pure gold’.
Huw Williams
Intermediate Clog dance
Huw Williams began dancing when he was fifteen and has been described as the ‘public face of clog-dancing in Wales’. He was the first dancer to introduce syncopated rhythms into the tradition and many of the steps he developed have become standard repertoire for Welsh clog dancers. He toured Europe and North America with the band Crasdant and in a previous incarnation was a singer song-writer working alongside Fairport Convention and Ralph Mctell. His pupils have included comedian Rory Mcgrath and hurdler Colin Jackson.
Dan Lawrence
Guitar
Dan plays guitar and mandolin with Olion Byw and Galician-Welsh band Maelog, tutors young bands, runs his own recording studio and composes for the theatre.
Branwen Haf Williams
Folk song
Branwen Haf Williams has been part of the folk world in various ways for a decade. She is a member of the folk Americana band Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog and her own folk band, Siddi, alongside her brother Osian. She also conducts Eryrod Meirion, a folk choir that has won for the past two years at the National Eisteddfod in the folk choir competition.