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AmeriCymru: Hi Aled and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Care to tell us a little about your history and background of the Three Welsh Tenors?

Aled: The Three Welsh Tenors (Tri Tenor Cymru) first came together in 2009 to sing as a trio for Celtfest in the Cardiff International Arena as part of a line-up of stars to entertain rugby fans prior to a Wales versus New Zealand match. Since receiving a standing ovation for their performance that day, they have performed together at several major festivals in Wales, corporate events and concerts and have appeared on radio and television programmes. The trio now comprises Aled Hall, Aled Wyn Davies and Rhys Meirion. All three of us are professional tenors, with solo careers in our own rights. We have contrasting voices and unique personalities which complement each other as we perform classics from opera, musicals, Welsh songs and hymns, contemporary compositions and medleys. The Three Welsh Tenors have set Wales on fire over the past seven years and the heat from that fire is now felt throughout Britain to North America, Canada and beyond.

I (Aled Wyn Davies), the new member of the trio, although a sheep farmer from day to day started my career as a folk-singer, but after winning all the important prizes in folk-singing at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 1999 and the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2001, I broadened my horizons as a tenor soloist. One of my greatest achievements so far is that I have won the national tenor solo competition three times in succession in 2004, 2005 and 2006, then I won the ultimate accolade at the Swansea National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2006 – the famous Blue Riband vocal prize. I have had considerable success at all of our major eisteddfodau including “Singer of the Year” at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2005 and the prestigious Blue Riband at the Cardigan Musical Festival in July 2006.

AmeriCymru: This is not your first visit to Canada or the US? Care to tell us something about your previous experiences and performances in the 'Americas'?

Aled: I have been lucky enough to perform as a soloist on three occasions at the Welsh church in Los Angeles and at the North American Festival of Wales twice, once in Chicago in 2008 and again in 2011 at Cleveland, Ohio. I also sang in concerts in Toronto and Ottawa in 2009.

In 1997, Rhys Meirion sang as a soloist with the Dunvant choir tour to Florida. In 2014, he was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in the US premiere of Karl Jenkins’ The Bards of Wales to celebrate the composer’s 70th birthday. Both Rhys Meirion and Aled Hall took part in the NAFOW, Toronto, in 2013 and have also performed in Los Angeles and Seattle.

AmeriCymru: What will you be performing at the Ontario Welsh Festival? Any sneak previews?

Aled: I am very proud to say that we will be performing our first new song recorded together on my latest album called Erwau’r Daith which will be available to buy at the festival . Our brand new song called Y Goleuni, written by Caradog Williams, our fabulous resident accompanist, describes the lives of miners in south Wales and how they struggled against their circumstances by attempting to improve their education and broaden their horizons through building miners’ institutes. We are also looking forward to performing a bit of everything; from opera favourites, English classics to popular Welsh songs and hymns – we perform music to suit every taste and occasion. We might also throw in a rugby medley in the Noson Lawen on Friday night!

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us a little about your latest album Tarantella?

Aled: Tarantella is the second album by The Three Welsh Tenors. Tarantella was released in 2014, before I joined the line-up. The album contains a vast array of songs and provides a combination of the traditional and new, the popular and classical. Many of the songs on the album will be performed in both Ottawa and the USA.

AmeriCymru: What's next for the Three Welsh Tenors? Any new albums or tours coming up?

Aled: Hopefully, in the near future, a new album is on the cards and maybe another tour or two to other cities in Canada and the USA, perhaps – we’re open to offers!

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?

Aled: Following the fantastic welcome we received at the NAFOW in 2013, we’re looking forward to performing once more among friends. It is a tremendous honour to be invited to sing in Canada and the USA and we would like to thank the valued members and readers of AmeriCymru for their continuous friendship and support. Diolch yn fawr.

Here are a few links of some of our songs and performances which are available to watch on YouTube: