Ceredigion Music Service

Welcome to the Ceredigion Music Service Website

In Ceredigion our lives are enriched by music. Taking part in music and other cultural activities can have a significant impact on young people’s development. As well as being valuable and enjoyable in its own right, participation in musical ensembles gives young people the opportunity to develop important life skills such as self discipline, confidence, effective communication and the ability to work within a team.

Ceredigion Music Service provides the opportunity for young musicians to participate in:

Weekly ensembles
Choirs
Performance
Achieving musical qualifications
Residential courses

Ceredigion Music Service aims to help Ceredigion children and young people to find their talent.

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News

BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Ticket Offer

Best available seats for £3 (a saving of up to £17 per ticket!)

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, 28.11.13 at 7.30pm

MATHIAS Dance Overture
ELGAR Sea Pictures
STANFORD Irish Rhapsody
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No 3 ‘Scottish’

Conductor – Francesco Angelico
Soprano – Jennifer Johnston

Take advantage of this offer by calling 0800 052 1812 and quoting “£3 offer” before 5pm on Thursday 27 November 2014.

Please note: This offer is only available when booking directly through the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Audience Line by telephone on 0800 052 1812 / The offer ends at 5pm 27.11.14 / It is subject to availability and cannot be used with another discount or applied retrospectively.

Spring NCO Course Report

National Childrens orchestras of Great Britain In April I went on the Main Orchestra course of the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain for 9 days. The course was held in Port Regis public school, Shaftesbury and I had a great time and I made many new friends from all over Britain. We were tutored in our departments by professional musicians and many were also teachers from the big music colleges so I got lots of great tips! During the sectionals we also rehearsed our group contribution for the talent show which takes place on the last-but-one night. We had lots of fun doing this (and of course, the Oboes were the best on the night!)

The program was The Perfect Fool by Holst, Isabella by Frank Bridge, Tales from the Vienna Woods by Strauss jr. and Debussy's La Mer. The full orchestra rehearsals were very difficult but a lot of fun. Howard Williams, the guest conductor, was very experienced and he helped us prepare the pieces to the highest standard. During free time the 'house staff' organised games and activities for us but there was also time for us to talk to each other. On the last day we had to take the bus down to Poole in Dorset for a public concert in The Lighthouse. The week was very tiring but it was really worth it because the concert was great. It was the best orchestral experience I’ve ever had and I can’t wait for the summer course!!

Efa Gregory (Oboe)

Wales International Harp Festival

National Childrens orchestras of Great Britain

A young harpist from Borth’s musical career is going from strength to strength following her recent success at the 3rd Wales International Harp Festival held in Caernarfon from the 20th – 26th April. Mared Emyr Pugh-Evans, a fifteen year old student at Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, was one of three young harpists to win a £1,500 scholarship in the Youth Section for students 19 years and under.

In the first round, 17 contestants from 8 countries presented a programme of 15 minutes to the panel of renowned judges: Jeremy Huw Williams, the noted Welsh baritone; Imogen Barford, Head of the Harp at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London; and Helen Davies-Mikkelborg, the well-known harpist based in Denmark, but originally from Aberystwyth.

The adjudication panel selected six harpists to move forward to the second round to present a different programme of 20 minutes to include a set piece by noted Welsh composer, William Mathias. Candidates were given the opportunity to present either his highly popular 3 Improvisations or one movement of his rarely heard Sonata for Harp.

Mared said: “When my teacher suggested I play a movement of the Sonata, I was a bit concerned because I’d never heard it before – but the second movement is a lovely, lively dance-like piece and was a challenge to learn.”

Following the second round, the three judges named Mared as the winner of the £1,500 scholarship presented by the Friends of Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, and Linda Simanauskite, Lithuania and Cassandra Tomella, Italy as winners of two £1,500 scholarships furnished by the Sickle Foundation.

Linda Simanauskaite - Lithuania, Mared Emyr Pugh-Evans Wales, Cassandra Tomella - Italy

All three winners entertained the visitors to the Festival in a short lunchtime concert on Thursday, and later Mared was invited by Dr Rhiannon Mathias to join her in a presentation about her composer father, who studied at Aberystwyth University, arranged especially for the students of the Pagoda Arts Centre in Liverpool. The children from the Chinese cultural centre were treated to a performance of the 2nd movement of the Mathias Sonata for Harp before hearing from Rhiannon what life was like in the composers’ household.

This is the pinnacle of an already successful 12 months for Mared, having won the Junior Blue Ribband at the Denbigh National Eisteddfod last summer and the Junior Prize of the Pencerdd Gwalia Festival in Bridgend a year ago.

Mared is taught by Caryl Thomas, Head of Harp, at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

2014 News Archive

2013 News Archive

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Calendar

Urdd Gobaith Cymru

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Information

Manager:

Mr Geraint Evans

Strings:

Mr David Cooper
Mrs Helen Williams
Ms Isobelle McGuinness
Mrs Katherine Owen
Mrs Pauline Jones

Harp:

Mrs Buddug Stephens
Mrs Eleri Turner

Woodwind:

Mr Chris Lockley
Miss Elizabeth Livsey
Mr Roger Briant
Mrs Sally Jones
Mrs Victoria Harwood

Brass:

Mr Alan Phillips
Mr Aidan Hassan
Mr Geraint Evans

Percussion / Rock:

Mr David Parker
Mr Mark Wenden

Vocal:

Mrs Delyth Hopkins Evans
Ms Elinor Powell
Mr Islwyn Evans
Mrs Lona Brierley

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Friends

FRIENDS OF CEREDIGION YOUNG MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION
Registered Charity Number: 517499

The Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians Association is a charitable organisation that aims to raise money to support the young musicians of Ceredigion. Monies raised through fundraising activities are entirely dedicated to the purchasing of musical instruments and equipment for the use of the young musicians of the county under the supervision of Ceredigion Music Service.

Friends often hold raffles at concerts performed by Young Musicians, organised by Ceredigion Music Service. Previous prizes include a Violin, a Trumpet, a Clarinet, many bottles of wine, boxes of chocolate, and bath soaps.

These efforts have afforded the association to, over the past two years, purchase: nine Cornets, four Flutes, three Clarinets, three Lap Harps, three Messina Violas, three Tenor Horns, two Clarinet cases, two French Horns, two Oboes, one Bass Clarinet, and one Multi-track Sound Desk for the use of Young Ceredigion Musicians

Members enjoy the benefit of a 5% discount at Cerdd Ystwyth, Aberystwyth.

The Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians Association has been running for over 30 years, and we hope to see many more years to come where we will come together for the benefit of Ceredigion’s Young Musicians. If you would like to join us in this effort, please see below on how to become a member:

The annual subscription to become a member of the Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians Association is £10. This can be submitted through completing the Bank Standing Order Form available on the website noted above, or by sending a cheque for £10 payable to: Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians Association

Please send the membership form and cheque to the Treasurer: Mr Gwyn Jones, 2 Coed y Bryn, Panteg, ABERAERON, Ceredigion, SA46 0DW

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Musical Notes

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Audio

CD - Concert in the Aberystwyth Great Hall Featuring:

Cerddorfa Ceredigion Orchestra
Côr Bechgyn Ceredigion Boys’ Choir
Côr Ieuenctid Ceredigion Youth Choir

17th December 2012 - CD Recording - £7.50 (ORDER FORM) 18kb

Samples of our music can be listened to via SoundCould. http://soundcloud.com/ceredigionmusicservice

If you wish to purchase full CDs then please get in contact.