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Ymhlith y sgrinau sy'n tynnu sylw

y celwyddau sy'n chwedlau

sy'n gelwyddau

yn gwastraffu degawdau

bywydau pobl sy ddim

mynd i oroesi'r dyfodol

paid meddwl amdanaf fel clerc

neu swyddog

ney cynghorwr

neu gweinyddwr

neu diawl dof y Llywodraeth

dw i'n was i'r ser

y lleuad

y mor

a'r haul

y byd heb nenfwd

bugail clustiau'r gwenith

yn symud mewn awel gymedrol

fel neidr yn nesau at ei amcan

"Prynhawn da!

February 10 ^th is Dydd Miwsig Cymru (Welsh Language Music Day) – a day to celebrate all the Welsh language music in all its forms. There are events happening all over Wales and in London but also across social media using the hashtag DyddMiwsigCymru. So anyone can get involved by sharing their favourite music on the day for others to hear.

Playlists and poster, and logos available here:

Playlists

http://cymraeg.llyw.cymru/ More/projects/dydd-miwsig/ DyddMiwsigCymru-RhestrChwarae/ ?lang=en

Posters logos etc:

http://cymraeg.llyw.cymru/ More/projects/dydd-miwsig/0. 0CefnogiDyddMiwsigCymru/?lang= en

General page:

http://cymraeg.llyw.cymru/ More/projects/dydd-miwsig/? lang=en

Cofion cynnes (Warm regards)

Gareth Cardew-Richardson

Is-adran y Gymraeg/Welsh language Division

Llywodraeth Cymru/Welsh Government"

AmeriCymru spoke to Gina Lupini Pascolini, Choral Director for the Valley View High School about their forthcoming concert tour in Wales. Scroll down for a full listing of their itinerary. To donate please go here

Diolch yn fawr to Jerry Williams for the above presentation.

AmeriCymru:  Hi Gina and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Can you tell us a little about your musical background?

​Gina: I'd rather the article be about the students, their journey and talents. I've been teaching 20 plus years and each day I strive to improve as a musician and teacher as well as human being.

AmeriCymru:When was the Voices Of The Valley choir founded?

​​Gina: Voices was founded last January. In October 2015, the Valley View High School Choir was invited to join Cor Dathlu Cumtawe in concert during their visit to the Lackawanna Valley. The quoted text was written by Jerry Williams for our press release and his words are much better than mine:

"When Gina Lupini Pascolini, Choral Director for the Valley View High School, was asked if she and her students would perform with a visiting Welsh Male Choir, she had no idea that her acceptance would result in an international odyssey of friendship and song.

In October of 2015, Côr Dathlu Cwmtawe, (The Swansea Valley Celebration Choir), came to the Lackawanna Valley, a place of historical significance to Wales and America, to sing and honor those who had come before in the 1830’s. Gina’s talented youngsters had earned a reputation of excellence and professionalism. Gina, was known to the choir for her Vivace​! ​choir performance for The Saint Francis Assisi Kitchen. This was an unforgettable event featuring The Catholic Choral Society, The Burlington Welsh Male Choir, and Gina’s Vivace​!​. Their performance with the 60 voice Swansea choir directed by one of Wales’ most renowned conductors exceeded everyone’s expectations. ​"​

AmeriCymru: Can you tell us something about its history?​

​​Gina: The choir is made up of 30 auditioned students in grades 9-12 who are currently members of the high school choir.​

AmeriCymru: How did you come to receive an invitation for the choir to perform in Wales?

​​Gina: In 2008, the Valley View Select Treble Choir, Vivace!, was invited to join the Burlington Welsh Male Choir on their USA tour. Fast forward to 2015 and I was asked to have the same choir perform. Unfortunately, the Vivace! choir was put on hold while my duties at Valley View shifted to high school. The invitation was accepted and the Valley View High School Choir (75 members strong) . Members of this choir take the class as an elective.

AmeriCymru: What will be the Choir's itinerary?

​Gina:

6/18 SUN – LEAVE NYC AIRPORT IN THE PM

6/19 MON – ARRIVE LONDON AIRPORT (HEATHROW),
TAKE SIDE TRIP TO STONEHENGE, SPEND ABOUT 1 ½ HRS,

6/20 TUES –
T0 ST. PAULS CATHEDRAL (VISIT 1 1/2HRS),
10:15AM LEAVE FOR CHANGING OF THE GUARD BUCKINGHAM PALACE,
12:00pm LEAVE FOR BOOKED TIME
(12:45) RIDE ON LONDON EYE,
1:45PM LEAVE FOR TOWER OF LONDON VISIT.
5:30PM LEAVE FOR HOTEL

6/21 WED. PICK UP AT HOTEL AT 9AM FOR TRIP TO WALES WITH
STOP at Tintern Abbey on the way.(1 HR SING SONG).

6/22 THURS –RHOSSILY GOWER (2 HR VISIT).
LEAVE FOR 1/2HR RIDE TO Lunch at Oxwich BaYHotel (2 HRS).
3PM BOARD BUS ,BACK TO BLANCO HOTEL.

6/23 FRI TODAN yr OGOF CAVES (SING IN CAVES)(2HR VISIT),
1/4HR RIDE TO CRAIG Y NOS Castle (SING ONE SONG),
1/2HR RIDE TO 3PM BUFFET in Ystradgynlais RFC,
7PM CONCERT IN St Cynogs Church.
Afterglow Ystradgynlais RFC LEAVE AT 11PM(1HR RIDE ) BACK TO BLANCO HOTEL.

6/24 SAT –NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS (3HR VISIT SING)
.3/4HR RIDE On To DYLAN THOMAS BOAT HOUSE Laugharne(1HR VISIT)
.3/4 HR RIDE On to Tenby for afternoon/evening,
LEAVE AT 6PM FOR 1 1/2HR RIDE TO BLANCO HOTEL.

6/25 SUN TO Pembroke Castle(1 1/2HR VISIT).
1 ½ HR RIDE to ST. DAVID’S Cathedral (Lunch in Refectory)(3HR VISIT).
Back to BLANCO HOTEL, Port Talbot for evening.

6/26 MON –BUS TO CONCERT DAY IN LLANDEILO LEAVE AT 9:30PM

6/27 TUES –TO ST. FAGAN(Welsh Museum of Life)
THEN ½ HR RIDE TO CARDIFF BAY(Welsh Senedd and Millenium Theater)

Good area for Lunch. Cardiff Castle/ City Centre

6/28 WED – CONCERT AT BLANCO HOTEL AT 7PM

6/29 Thurs - Free Time Suggest Public Transport to SWANSEA. (Waterfront Museum Transport Museum Dylan Thomas Theater etc ) .

6/30 Fri - BUS TO CONCERT MORRISTON.

7/1 Sat - BUS TO CONCERT PONTARDDULAIS

7/2 Sun - TO BIG PIT(1 ½ HR VISIT)
then RIDE ON TO ABERGAVENNY FOR STOP(2HR VISIT).
THEN 1/2HR RIDE TO RAGLAN CASTLE(1HR VISIT) 4:30PM BUS BACK TO BLANCO HOTEL.
7/3 Mon - LEAVE HOTEL 6AM BUS GO TO CARDIFF FOR FLIGHT HOME​

AmeriCymru: Where and with whom will they be performing?​

​Gina:

6/23 - Cor Dathilu cwmtawe at St. Cynog;s Church, Ystradgynlais
6/26 - At St. Teilo's Church, LLandeilo with Ysgol Gyfun Bro Dinfwr Choir
6/27 - Port Talbot at either Blanco Hotel or New school in town - guest choir still working on
6/30 - Morristown RFC male choir, still waiting for definite site in Morristown
7/1 - Cor meibon Pontarddulais still waiting for definite site​

AmeriCymru: How often do you rehearse? Could you describe a typical rehearsal session for our readers?

​Gina: ​The choir rehearses every Monday and Wednesday for two hours. Of course, there are some exceptions.​ At present, the choir is preparing for the upcoming Christmas concerts and winter holiday performances. They have a total of five between December 2 and December 14.

AmeriCymru: The logistics and expense of a trip like this must be somewhat daunting. How can our readers help out with fund raising?

​​Gina: By visiting our website: gvgb.co/voicesofthevalley​

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

​​Gina: We are honored, thrilled and most excited to travel to Wales. We are thankful and full of gratitude for all the work that has been done thus far and yet to be done to make this trip happen. We are looking forward, with much anticipation, to sharing our love of music and the gift of song with our friends in Wales!​

Y Lolfa has published a new edition of its bestselling guide book to the must see places in Wales.

Wales in 100 Places is the updated version of Wales 100 places to see before you die which won the Welsh Book of the Year prize and was adapted to a popular television series on S4C. The publishing of the new version of the acclaimed volume follows the death of author and historian John Davies in 2015.

Wales in 100 Places combines words and pictures from two leading authorities in their fields; the late historian John Davies shares his remarkable depth of knowledge of the history of Wales; the photographer Marian Delyth travelled the length of the country in all weathers to create the magical atmosphere of the hundred places observed.

From Anglesey to Monmouthshire, from Pembrokeshire to Flintshire, these are a hundred places that we should visit in our lifetime.

‘During my travels, I came to realize how fortunate we are in Wales. Our country contains an astonishing range of examples of the fruits of human efforts’ said John Davies during the first publication, ‘Citizens of the larger nations of Europe cannot hope in the span of a single lifetime to visit all the highlights of their country’s heritage. But Welsh residents and visitors to Wales can, by the time they reach three score years and ten, visit, appreciate and love all its glories.’

‘The constantly changing light on the varied landscape of such a small country, and the wealth of histories and characters within our wonderful communities never cease to excite me’ added Marian Delyth, ‘I hope that the photographs in some small way reflect those particular qualities.’

John Davies (1938 - 2015) was a native of the Rhondda and was a presenter of the popular History Hunters TV series. In 2015 Y Lolfa published his autobiography A Life in History, translated from Welsh by Jon Gower. He received the Glyndŵr Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in in Wales in 2015 and was described as “one of the most influential Welshmen of our era” by Prof Richard Wyn Jones.

Marian Delyth is a freelance graphic designer and photographer working from her studio near Aberystwyth. She has worked primarily for the publishing industry in Wales and has won many awards incuding the Tir na n-Og prize for best children's book on two occasions. She has worked on many collaborations with writers and poets and now devotes most of her life to her photographic work and shares her enthusiasm and knowledge in workshops and lectures. A prominent campaigner in the promotion of Art in Wales, she was a founder member of Ffotogallery and Gweled. She has exhibited her work in Wales and internationally.

Wales in 100 Places by John Davies and Marian Delyth (£19.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

The post office is not where it used to be

but the original building still stands

now with a different purpose

with the proud insignia of its past

betraying its creation myth

the clocks not synchronised

at midnight on New Year

everything playing at once

nothing changes

Jimmy Jangles has been a has been

and now does not know where he is

he hates days when there is no

scheduled postal delivery

and that some men think

of lesbians only in voyeuristic terms

he has failed to download the app

of elegies he required

so he finds himself

rearranged out of the town

in which he was born

walking a triangle of sodden fields

to the nods of starlings