Llangollen Festival 2010 Announces Concert Line-ups.

First Minister salutes Llangollen Festival as a “Global Phenomenon”
Virtuoso Violinist and Villa fan returns!”

“2010 sees the return of Llangollen Festival as they announce their star line up including some of the biggest names in the music industry who are at the top of their game - including Karl Jenkins OBE, Only Men Aloud, Llŷr Williams, Bond and the one and only…Nigel Kennedy! So this Eisteddfod will celebrate the classical, the contemporary, the traditional, the sexy…and the unexpected!” Stifyn Parri, Local Entrepeneur/Concert Producer/PR.

“With this year’s line up the Llangollen 2010 programme is possibly stronger than ever”, says Festival Director Mervyn Cousins. “It’s fantastic to have Nigel Kennedy back in Llangollen of course and we’re also proud to be featuring Karl Jenkins, one of our most distinguished musical figures. The excitement our line up has engendered is truly amazing - our season ticket income is almost as high as it was in 2009 – and it’s only January!”

Amongst the fifty thousand people hoping to visit this year’s Festival will be Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones. “Not only is this one of Wales’s major festivals”, he says, “it’s also a truly global phenomenon and one that we can be justifiably proud of throughout the land of song.”

A full twelve years after his Llangollen debut, the inimitable Nigel Kennedy returns to the North Wales town this year for a spectacular concert featuring music from Bach to Duke Ellington and which promises to raise the roof and bring the 2010 Festival to a close on the final Sunday with a stunning climactic crescendo! Nigel first played at the Festival in 1998 and it clearly left a big impression on him: “Apart from Aston Villa winning the Premiership I really can’t think of many things that could give me as much pleasure as walking out on that huge Llangollen stage and being greeted by the unmistakable Welsh welcome! Last time I performed here was a blast and I thought to myself I must return as soon as possible, so here I am!”

And there will be a huge welcome for Only Men Aloud too as they make their Llangollen debut on the Friday. These proud Welshmen have wowed audiences throughout the land recently with their sell-out UK tour and their chart-topping albums, and now they’re about to see some of that famed Llangollen magic for themselves. Says Only Men Aloud Leader Tim Rhys-Evans: “We’ve been on such a roller-coaster ride recently following the success of our number 1 second album and the accompanying tour and, of course, it’s been such a fantastic experience to take to the stage throughout Britain and the world but to be invited to sing at Llangollen for the first time is a great honour. This is such a special event and Llangollen Eisteddfod is justifiably respected throughout the world as a centre for musical excellence. So to headline a concert there is thrilling”.

Karl Jenkins OBE is one of Wales’s most distinguished composers and musicians- his works and performances having encompassed classical, jazz and rock- and this year, in a special concert on the Tuesday night, he conducts his own Mass for Peace with a ‘Wales and the World’ choir. “Last year”, says Karl, “I was privileged to be a Day President at the festival and, this year, I am honoured to have been invited to perform at one of Llangollen’s legendary concerts! It’s particularly thrilling for me to be conducting the marvellous musicians of Sinfonia Cymru and, of course, to be also sharing the stage with the exceptionally gifted Llŷr Williams. I am also delighted to be conducting a performance of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace - 2010 is an important year for this piece since it is the 10th anniversary of the commission by the Royal Armouries and the work is approaching its 1000th performance globally”.

The name is Bond. Just Bond. Yes, the striking four-piece string band ( featuring Cardiff-born Eos Chater ) will be in Llangollen on the Thursday night to take the festival by storm in an unforgettable extravaganza called Shine! “Llangollen is celebrated the world over for a very good reason”, says Eos, “it's unique and has such an incredible atmosphere. The whole musical world gets together in this exquisite Welsh town and everyone always has an amazing time. We are so excited to be part of this year’s party and, for me, it's particularly exciting to share Wales with the other BOND girls - we can’t wait to get on that stage to strut our stuff!”

Llangollen’s magic never ceases to cast its spell on audiences and artists alike, as Llangollen’s president Terry Waite is well aware. “Wales is often thought of as the land of music as indeed it is”, he says. “Given this fact, the country has a unique role to play in working for international peace and harmony. The sheer potency of music is something that never ceases to amaze me - of all the art-forms it is often the most successful when it comes to breaking down barriers and in uniting people from widely disparate backgrounds and cultures. Music, I believe, is a fundamental force for good in the world and the spirit of this beneficial quality is exemplified every year in the Llangollen Festival - which is why, of course, I am so proud to be the festival’s President”.

Magical, exuberant and vibrant, in 2010 Llangollen goes from from strength to strength. First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said: “Llangollen is well regarded throughout the world. For more than sixty years, musicians and dancers have flocked here from all four corners of the globe to compete and to create a superb atmosphere of peace and harmony”.

“It all promises to be a musical feast and there’s no excuse for you missing out on the festival vibe”, says Festival Director Mervyn Cousins. “This year, in addition to our popular Gold and Silver Season Ticket options we’re introducing the Platinum deal. This new ticket covers all the Eisteddfod concerts and competitions from Tuesday evening to Sunday evening in the same seat and represents a 25% saving on the full cost of these events; with no Booking Fee payable. And there is a free Festival Souvenir Programme too so it’s a winner all the way! Take this opportunity to join us for the whole week! It’s going to be the best Llangollen yet!”


www.llangollen2010.co.uk



Ticket Office 01978 862001 (or general number 862000).