Blogs

Wales’ largest youth movement, Urdd Gobaith Cymru is pleased to announce that applications are now open for its brand-new choir – Côr yr Urdd – which will travel to Alabama in 2022. 

The choir will be formed to mark the Urdd’s centenary in 2022 and offer a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people across Wales to come together and perform in Alabama. 

Any individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 can apply to be part of the choir and grab a seat on the exclusive trip. There is no need to be a member of a choir already or have previous experience of singing in a choir. Applicants are required to  complete an online form  and submit a short recording by the 14th of October 2021.  

16 winners of this year’s Eisteddfod T digital festival have already been offered the opportunity to join the choir. 

The opportunity comes following the transatlantic partnership between the Urdd and UAB, the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As well as organising for the Urdd Choir members to perform at concerts in Alabama, to learn more about the gospel singing tradition and the Civil Rights Movement and history in Alabama, the aim is to invite UAB Gospel Choir to perform at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire in 2022. 

The relationship between the Welsh and the Afro-American community in Birmingham, Alabama was formed over fifty years ago following a terrorist attack by the Klu Klux Klan on the 16th Street Baptist Church. As a sign of support and solidarity, the people of Wales donated a stained-glass window, and to this day, it is known as the Wales Window. 

Siân Lewis, the Urdd’s Chief Executive, and the then Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams’s official visit to the church and the young people of Birmingham, Alabama in 2019 strengthened that relationship. As a result, final arrangements for the UAB Gospel Choir’s visit to Wales and the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire were halted by the global spread of Covid-19. 

In light of the pandemic’s challenges, a virtual gospel choir was formed between some Urdd members and UAB students, and to celebrate Thanksgiving in November 2020, they joined forces to sing in Welsh for the first time, to release a cover of  Every Praise  by Hezekiah Walker, called ‘ Canwn Glod .’ 

As the Urdd approaches its centenary in 2022 it has ambitious plans to ensure Wales makes a positive impact, to ensure that more people know about Wales, offer international experiences for young people, and celebrate the cultural richness of Wales as well as share good practice with international contacts in the success of increasing confidence, use and enjoyment of a minority language. 

Mae Urdd Gobaith Cymru bellach yn gwahodd ymgeiswyr i ymuno â chôr ieuenctid newydd sbon – Côr yr Urdd – fydd yn teithio i Alabama yn 2022. 

I nodi canmlwyddiant y mudiad yn 2022 mi fydd Côr yr Urdd yn cael ei ffurfio er mwyn cynnig cyfle unwaith mewn oes i griw o bobl ifanc ddod at ei gilydd a pherfformio yn Alabama. 

Mae Côr yr Urdd yn agored i bob unigolyn rhwng 18 a 25 oed. Nid oes angen bod yn aelod o gôr ar hyn o bryd, nac ychwaith i fod â phrofiad blaenorol o ganu mewn côr. Yr oll sydd angen i ymgeiswyr wneud ydi llenwi  ffurflen gais ar-lein  a chyflwyno recordiad byr erbyn y 14eg o Hydref 2021. 

Cyhoeddwyd eisoes bod 16 o fuddugwyr gŵyl ddigidol Eisteddfod T eleni yn cael y cyfle i ymuno â’r côr. 

Daw’r cyfle yn sgil partneriaeth drawsatlantig yr Urdd gyda Phrifysgol Alabama ym Mirmingham (University of Alabama at Birmingham). Yn ogystal â threfnu fod Côr yr Urdd yn cael perfformio mewn cyngherddau yn Alabama ac yn dysgu mwy am y traddodiad canu gospel a hanes hawliau sifil yn Alabama, y bwriad yw i Côr Gospel UAB i berfformio yn ystod Eisteddfod yr Urdd Sir Ddinbych 2022. 

Ffurfiwyd perthynas rhwng Cymru a’r gymuned Affro Americanaidd ym Mirmingham, Alabama dros hanner canrif yn ôl yn dilyn ymosodiad terfysgol gan y Klu Klux Klan ar Eglwys y Bedyddwyr, 16th Street. Fel arwydd o gefnogaeth ac undod rhoddwyd ffenestr lliw i’r eglwys gan bobl Cymru, a hyd heddiw caiff ei hadnabod fel y ‘Wales Window’. 

Bu i ymweliad swyddogol Siân Lewis, Prif Weithredwr yr Urdd, a Gweinidog Addysg Cymru ar y pryd Kirsty Williams â’r eglwys a phobl ifanc Birmingham, Alabama yn 2019 gryfhau’r berthynas hon. O ganlyniad, roedd trefniadau taith Côr Gospel Prifysgol Alabama i ymweld â Chymru ac Eisteddfod yr Urdd Sir Ddinbych 2020 yn cael eu cwblhau pan fu’n rhaid gohirio’r cyfan wrth i Covid-19 ledaenu ar draws y byd. 

Ond yn wyneb heriau’r pandemig, ffurfiwyd côr gospel rhithiol ar y cyd rhwng rai o aelodau’r Urdd a myfyrwyr UAB, ac i ddathlu Diolchgarwch ym mis Tachwedd 2020 daethant at ei gilydd i ganu yn y Gymraeg am y tro cyntaf, er mwyn rhyddhau addasiad o ‘Every Praise’ gan Hezekiah Walker, sef ‘ Canwn Glod .’ 

Wrth i'r Urdd nesáu at ei chanmlwyddiant yn 2022 mae gan y mudiad gynlluniau uchelgeisiol i sicrhau bod Cymru’n cael effaith gadarnhaol a chodi ymwybyddiaeth mwy o bobl am Gymru, i gynnig profiadau rhyngwladol i bobl ifanc, i ddathlu cyfoeth diwylliannol Cymru yn ogystal â rhannu arfer da gyda chysylltiadau rhyngwladol yn sgil llwyddiant cynyddu’r defnydd, hyder a mwynhad o iaith leiafrifol. 

Following on from lead single ‘You’re The Summer’, ‘National Anthem’ is the next offering from the collaboration between the Cardiff electronic post-rock duo Ritual Cloak, and writer, comedian and spoken word performer Autumn Juvenile. The track is taken from: 'A Human Being is the Best Disguise’, which is a reworking of Ritual Cloak’s self-titled debut release, with new lyrics and vocals by Autumn Juvenile.

Autumn Juvenile outlines the thinking behind ‘National Anthem’:

“This is about Cardiff and the UK becoming a building site. It is about a vision of the high street becoming a shanty town for spice addicts. It is about the bureaucrats who wave the dragon flag with shit-eating grins as they turn our homes into dormitories for students and hoteliers.

I vividly remember writing this in my manager’s office at work, looking out over the well-kept back gardens of Pontcanna. Two unused lines: ‘For the uncle who called me a faggot/I’m happy being a maggot in the apple’; ‘I would say I have a massive chip on my shoulder, but I don’t want to lean into the stereotype that all Welsh people eat is chips’”

National Anthem is set to Unearthed from the album, Ritual Cloak.

The album was recorded at Kings Road Studios, Cardiff, produced by Ritual Cloak and Autumn Juvenile and mastered by Charlie Francis. It also features vocals from Jemma Roper, as well as Ritual Cloak’s Daniel and Andrew. The cover photography is by Daniel Barnett.


Ritual Cloak is comprised of Daniel Barnett, formerly of the band Samoans, and drummer / producer Andrew Sanders. The duo met in 2013 after Daniel answered an ad for a guitarist to join the backing band for singer Jemma Roper. An instant kinship was struck, with both Daniel and Andrew embracing experimentation and a shared love of electronic music. After the split of Samoans in 2018, the pair began playing around with instrumental textures and piano-led ambient soundscapes, all resulting in their well-received self-titled debut in 2019. They followed this with their second album, ‘Divine Invasions’, released on Bubblewrap Records in 2021.

Cardiff Psych Rock phenomena 'No Thee No Ess' are poised to release their 2nd single from anticipated new 'Dimmer Switch' Album out via Surk Recordings this September.

'Dimmer Switch'' is the 2nd single to emerge from the new LP and will be released on Friday 27th August, and 'Dimmer Switch' Album will be released on Friday 17th September 2021.

No Thee No Ess is a collaboration between Paul Battenbough (The Cosmic Array, King of Despair) and Andy Fung (Derrero, Cymbient). The two musical and visual artists first met whilst working in the kitchen of a Cardiff arts centre and bonded through a shared love of The Beach Boys, Neil Young, and West Coast psychedelia.

The partnership creates spontaneously, conceiving songs and ideas in the studio and then recording straight away to preserve their freshness and immediacy. The eighth No Thee No Ess album, 'Dimmer switch' was recorded with musician/producer Frank Naughton at his legendary Cardiff studio, ‘Ty Drwg.’

Naughton contributes additional instrumentation, bringing new lysergic colours to songs like “kaleidoscopic” and "Chorus.” The result is among no thee no ess’ most adventurous works to date, rich with experimental energy while retaining their characteristic blissed out vision. Dimmer switch will be released by Surk Recordings on vinyl, CD, streaming, and digital download in August 2021.

"Dimmer Switch is among 'No Thee No Ess’ most adventurous works to date, rich with experimental energy while retaining their characteristic blissed out vision".
-  PSYCHEDELIC BABY MAGAZINE

"There might be no thee or no ess but there’s plenty of effing joy pumping through this psycho-folk odyssey."
-  JOYZINE

"Full of ideas from master musicians and producer at the top of their respective games. It’s got a 60’s psychedelia, space-race, trippy-swirly feel to it."  
- LOUDER THAN WAR

No Thee No Ess on the Socials Here:

https://twitter.com/thee_ess
https://www.facebook.com/no-thee-no-ess-167376857062/
https://notheenoess.bandcamp.com

Cardiff Psych Rock phenomena 'No Thee No Ess' are poised to release their 2nd single from anticipated new 'Dimmer Switch' Album out via Surk Recordings this September.

'Dimmer Switch'' is the 2nd single to emerge from the new LP and will be released on Friday 27th August, and 'Dimmer Switch' Album will be released on Friday 17th September 2021.

No Thee No Ess is a collaboration between Paul Battenbough (The Cosmic Array, King of Despair) and Andy Fung (Derrero, Cymbient). The two musical and visual artists first met whilst working in the kitchen of a Cardiff arts centre and bonded through a shared love of The Beach Boys, Neil Young, and West Coast psychedelia.

The partnership creates spontaneously, conceiving songs and ideas in the studio and then recording straight away to preserve their freshness and immediacy. The eighth No Thee No Ess album, 'Dimmer switch' was recorded with musician/producer Frank Naughton at his legendary Cardiff studio, ‘Ty Drwg.’

Naughton contributes additional instrumentation, bringing new lysergic colours to songs like “kaleidoscopic” and "Chorus.” The result is among no thee no ess’ most adventurous works to date, rich with experimental energy while retaining their characteristic blissed out vision. Dimmer switch will be released by Surk Recordings on vinyl, CD, streaming, and digital download in August 2021.

"Dimmer Switch is among 'No Thee No Ess’ most adventurous works to date, rich with experimental energy while retaining their characteristic blissed out vision".
-  PSYCHEDELIC BABY MAGAZINE

"There might be no thee or no ess but there’s plenty of effing joy pumping through this psycho-folk odyssey."
- JOYZINE

"Full of ideas from master musicians and producer at the top of their respective games. It’s got a 60’s psychedelia, space-race, trippy-swirly feel to it."
- LOUDER THAN WAR

Gladfest 2021 details click here

AmeriCymru:  Hi Rhian and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. What can you tell us about the location and history of the Gladstone Library.

Rhian: Hi Ceri, nice to chat with you.  

Gladstone's Library is based in beautiful Hawarden in Flintshire, North Wales. The library collection was originally based in a temporary building set up by William Gladstone, who was prime minister several times over. After his death, a new building - the one which stands today - was designed and built. It has been described as an example of the Victorian Gothic style, but I'm not an architecture buff, so don't quote me on that. I can tell you it's the only library in the UK where you can stay overnight; the building houses 26 bedrooms. It has two wings - you'll find the Reading Rooms in one wing and most of the bedrooms in the other. Some of the books belonged to Gladstone himself. The beds are all new, though.

AmeriCymru:  You offer accommodation at the library. Care to share some details?  

Rhian: I think I accidentally answered that (and Q2) in my first response. Yes, there are bedrooms on-site, including two accessible rooms on the ground floor. They're designed to be simple and uncluttered; a lot of our guests come to Gladstone's to write or research, so the fewer distractions, the better. None of them have TVs, but they all have private bathrooms and fresh, uncomplicated decor. 

Gladstone's is a registered charity, and its remit includes supporting and hosting both emerging and established writers. Our Writers in Residence scheme is part of this. Katie Hale, who wrote  I am Monster , will be our next Writer in Residence, so she'll be staying with us in one of those rooms for an extended period - and she will also make an appearance at Gladfest. 

AmeriCymru:  There were guided tours of the library. Have these resumed 'post-pandemic'?

Rhian: Gladstone's did offer 'glimpses' of our Reading Rooms. This is a working library, and our Reading Rooms are silent study spaces, but we found that a lot of visitors who came here for cake and coffee were curious about what went on behind the library doors. Glimpses allowed us to show them the Reading Rooms, which are the really iconic part of Gladstone's, and to share a bit of the history. We are still thinking about how best to proceed when we reopen, but for now glimpses are on hold. 

AmeriCymru:  When was the first Gladfest held? What is the history of the event?

Rhian:  Gladfest was first held in 2013 and has been a mainstay of our calendar ever since. The pandemic in 2020 made it unworkable, and we were unsure whether it would go ahead this year, so we're really pleased to be able to offer what we can. It's going to take some adjusting, as our supporters are used to being at Gladstone's in person. We know the library building itself is a big part of the draw. Going online means that will change for our attendees. But if the event is successful, that will be a big boost in terms of ensuring Gladfest 2022 can offer both digital and in-person events.

AmeriCymru:  What are the main attractions of this years' festival?

Rhian: We don't really have a keynote speaker or headliner, exactly. All our writers offer unique and fascinating glimpses into the world of literature, whether that's fiction or non-fiction. So, really, they are all our main attractions! There is one slightly unusual talk this year, however. Peter Francis, who has been Warden of Gladstone's Library, is launching his debut, a memoir called  The Widening Circle of Us . The book features insights into the running of Gladstone's Library, as that has been a significant part of his life, so that's going to be interesting. 

AmeriCymru:  There is an online component to this year's festival. Care to tell us more?

Rhian: The festival is still based in Gladstone's Library. All the talks will be livestreamed from the chapel using 4k video feeds, so though it's online, it won't be like watching a teleconference through a webcam. We liked the idea of opening Gladfest up to the whole world, of having Gladstone's go global. We want to bring the library to you.

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

Rhian: Firstly, thank you for reading. If you do want to keep in touch, we have a mailing list which you can sign up to at  www.gladstoneslibrary.org . We also have a US branch of our Friends programme. Our Friends are financial supporters, and we're very grateful to them, as they make it possible for us to do what we do. Finally, if any of you find yourself in Wales, do pop in for a paned. 

Mae Tacsidermi yn ôl, ac O! Ry’n ni wedi’u colli nhw! Tacsidermi yw Gwenllian Anthony o enillwyr Y Wobr Gerddoriaeth Gymreig - Adwaith a’r aml-offerynnwr Matthew Kilgariff - gyda’i gilydd maent wedi creu cân bop ysblennydd - ‘Ble Pierre’. Mae pob nodyn wedi’u chwarae â phŵer ac yn atseinio hafau di-hid a rhamantus.

Mae Tacsidermi gyda chefnogaeth David Newington (Boy Azooga) ar y drymiau a chymysgu Matthew Evans (KEYS) wedi creu priodas berffaith rhwng Jane Birkin / Pop 60au Ffrengig Serge Gainsbourg, cerddoriaeth freuddwydiol y 90au gan Stereolab, The Happy Mondays a churiad calon Balearic.

Gyda llais hyfryd Gwenllian wedi’i ganoli yng nghanol y cymysgiad, mae’r gwrandäwr unwaith eto, yn cael ei swyno gan Tacsidermi!

Tacsidermi are back and how we have missed them! Gwenllian Anthony from the ‘Welsh Music Prize’ winning band Adwaith and multi instrumentalist Matthew Kilgariff have crafted a sublime pop song in ‘Ble Pierre’. Every note played is powerfully evocative of never-ending, carefree summers and romantic escape and wonder.

Tacsidermi with the support of David Newington (Boy Azooga) on drums and mixing by Matthew Evans (KEYS) find a perfect marriage of Jane Birkin / Serge Gainsbourg 60s French pop, Stereolab’s 90s dreaminess and The Happy Mondays, Paul Oakenfold infused Balearic heartbeat.

With Gwenllian’s beautiful restrained vocal delivery set at the centre of the mix the listener falls yet again under Tacsidermi’s spell!

Tacsidermi Online Links

https://twitter.com/tacsidermi?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/tacsidermi/?hl=en
https://www.libertinorecords.com/
http://www.pyst.cymru/?lang=en

‘You’re The Summer’ is the first taste of the collaboration between Cardiff electronic post-rock duo Ritual Cloak, and writer, comedian and spoken word performer Autumn Juvenile. The track is taken from: 'A Human Being is the Best Disguise’; a reworking of Ritual Cloak’s self-titled debut release, albeit this time with added lyrical and vocal contributions from Autumn Juvenile.

Autumn Juvenile reflects on the origins of ‘You’re The Summer’:

“I remember him bending down, hugging her with thick tattooed arms, tears in his eyes: “Thank you for the birthday card. We’ll be together soon. The ball is rolling, baby.” He was trying to get back into his daughter’s life. The files stated she had special needs.

I was still a support worker. The father had either been in prison or working abroad, the family couldn’t tell me. It had been hard to arrange a meeting. Lots of paperwork and listening to dial tones. But father and daughter were finally scheduled to meet at Roath Park. That day she’d dragged me all around town looking for stationery. It was summer, baking hot tarmac and car fumes. I was stressed. He called to say he’d be an hour late.

Me and her waited, fed the swans, sweated, watched the pedalos. An hour went by. Two. Two and a half. He never showed. I bought her ice cream. She took it well. I felt annoyed on her behalf. But the lyrics were written before this. That’s why they are hopeful and always will be.

I never saw the father again. She wrote in her diary that she knew he’d made mistakes, but she missed him. The family told me they reckoned he’d gone back abroad.”

The album was recorded at Kings Road Studios, Cardiff, produced by Ritual Cloak and Autumn Juvenile and mastered by Charlie Francis. It also features vocals from Jemma Roper, as well as Ritual Cloak’s Daniel and Andrew. The cover photography is by Daniel Barnett.

Ritual Cloak is comprised of Daniel Barnett, formerly of the band Samoans, and drummer / producer Andrew Sanders. The duo met in 2013 after Daniel answered an ad for a guitarist to join the backing band for singer Jemma Roper. An instant kinship was struck, with both Daniel and Andrew embracing experimentation and a shared love of electronic music. After the split of Samoans in 2018, the pair began playing around with instrumental textures and piano-led ambient soundscapes, all resulting in their well-received self-titled debut in 2019. They followed this with their second album, ‘Divine Invasions’, released on Bubblewrap Collective in 2021.