Competition: Unique Tour of North Wales - Win a Place For Two on the AmeriCymru North Wales Tour

GO HERE TO POST NOMINATIONS AND VOTE

Are you an American or Canadian of Welsh descent from the North Wales area? Ever wanted to visit sites of specific American Welsh interest in Snowdonia and Ynys Mon/Anglesey? If so, read on.

This tour which is being organised by Celticos and jointly promoted by Celticos and AmeriCymru has been designed with an American Welsh audience in mind. Here are six highlights from this exciting two day itinerary:-

• Where Madoc sailed from to discover America.
• Llanberis where there is a stone for President Jefferson
• Homes of other prominent Americans
• More recent events such as the GI camps in the area and the American sea planes which came across to the Menai Straits.
• Fort Belan's interesting story.

The Great American Songbook - Interview With Daniel and Laura Curtis

Daniel & Laura Curtis

AmeriCymru: Hi Dan and Laura and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. What is 'The Great American Songbook' and what inspired the project? 

 

Dan & Laura: If you were to Google the term ‘The Great American Songbook’ the most common answer you will find is music from Broadway and Hollywood Musicals from 1920 to 1960. For me it far outreaches this, think of a song like Alexander’s Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin that was written back in 1911. Although most people agree that the birth of Rock and Roll ended the era of the Songbook.  

I often get asked why the Great American Songbook is so important to me. It goes back to Sunday afternoons at my grandparent’s house where I used to spend hours watching the great Hollywood Movie Musicals and going through their endless record collection. My grandmother idolised the Italian American Tenor Mario Lanza who did record a large quantity of music from the Great American Songbook and I was first introduced to many of these songs through his recordings. Laura was a chorister in Lincoln Cathedral and she was taught many of the songs during her singing lessons and they were always her favourites. I put an advert out looking for a pianist and didn’t ever realise I would find a wife as well. Such is the power of this great music!

AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little more about your repertoire? 

 

Dan & Laura: Our repertoire is quite wide reaching and includes the works of composers such as Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Cole Porter. We also perform many other songs associated with Broadway and Hollywood Musicals.

AmeriCymru: What are your personal favorites? Which songs do you enjoy listening to and performing the most? 

Dan & Laura: This is really one of the hardest questions to answer, there are so many great songs. I think George Gershwins ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is one of the most fantastic pieces of music ever written. Bobby Darin’s Mack the Knife is amazing and also a recording by Danny Kaye and Louis Armstrong called the ‘Five Pennies Saints’ that is very funny.  

As far as songs to perform the song ‘How Deep is the Ocean’ written by Irving Berlin is one of our favourities. We also love to perform ‘Well Gather Lillacs’ by Ivor Novello. Other favourties include ‘My Way’, ‘If I Loved You’ and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’

AmeriCymru: You hold a number of workshops with young people about the Great American Songbook. Care to tell us a little of your experience at these events? 

Dan & Laura: As well as the performance side of things we have been working with young people to try inspire them to listen to the music with the aim of ensuring that it never gets forgotten. We have been holding schools workshops and teaching them songs like ‘I got Rhythm’ which has been a great success. In a World where music has changed so vastly it’s great to see the younger generation perform these great songs. We also tell them stories about the composers which they find really interesting.

AmeriCymru: You also record people's memories of the musical classics you seek to preserve. Any particularly poignant or interesting tales that you can share with us? 

Dan & Laura: For this project we have been going around the country recording the memories of elderly people e.g. the first time they saw Singing in the Rain and talking about their experiences of the music. We are putting together a website and writing a book which will be about our findings so it can be preserved for generations to come.  

We have had some really interesting tales come out of doing the recordings. We spoke to Debbie Reynolds of Singin’ in the Rain when we performed a post show concert for an event she did called Debbie Reynolds in Conversation at the British Film Institute.  

She told us how when she was selected to play the part she had no real dance experience. She spent six months prior to filming learning how to dance and she knew what a perfectionist Gene Kelly was. One day she was just not coping and went and sat underneath a piano in the studio and started crying. Someone walked over and asked if she was ok and that person was the great Fred Astaire. He asked her what was wrong and she explained and he invited her into a usually closed rehearsal that he was doing. She watched for the next three hours as he went through creating his dance sequences pouring with sweat and clearly giving everything he had. Afterwards he walked over to her and said well now kid you realise what it takes to be great! From then on she threw everything she had into practice and the results can be seen on screen for themselves.

AmeriCymru: You have appeared on radio and television many times and given a number of community performances. What has been your proudest moment so far? 

Dan & Laura: We were recently on the BBC One Show with Tony Bennett discussing the importance of preserving  the music. It was fantastic to appear with such a legend. 

We recently received a quote from Nancy Sinatra that we can use for our preservation work, we felt very honoured that she had taken the time to support us. What an amazing lady! 

Appearing at West End Live to 10,000 people at Trafalgar Square in London was just incredible.  

We recently performed at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando and that was a very special concert, it’s always special to come to the US and perform. 

Daniel and Laura on the BBC One Show with Tony Bennett

AmeriCymru: Any live shows coming up? 

Dan & Laura: We tour all through the year so lots of great performances coming up this year which will take us all over Wales and England. 
 

To mention just one. We are very excited about performing at St Fagan’s the National History Museum of Wales on the 27^th August. We will be at the Oakdale Workmen’s Insitute in full costume. The Workmen’s Insitute will be transformed back to the 1940s and we will be doing a series of performances throughout the day with someone on hand from the museum explaining about the time and the songs. Very excited about that one.

AmeriCymru: Any plans to visit the U.S.? 

Dan & Laura: We will be visiting New York City at some point later this year or very early next year to do some concerts.  

We are trying to raise some funds/sponosrship at the moment to come and do a mini tour of the U.S. and perform at churches, community groups linked to Wales for free where possible. Would love to make this happen.  

If anybody knows of any places where we could come and perform, please do let us know.

AmeriCymru: Where can people go to hear and/or purchase your recordings online? 

 

Dan & Laura: Our website is: www.greatamericansongbook.co.uk – there are lots of recordings and video on there. Please feel free to have a look.

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

 

Dan & Laura: It is always a pleasure hearing from people who are passionate about this inredible collection of music. If anybody has any questions or would just like to have a chat about the music or if you have any stories, please get in touch. Be wonderful to hear from you.  

Interview by Ceri Shaw Home Email

A Message From The 'Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation' ( Please Circulate )

Hello,

We're sending this to everyone in our address book and if this isn't of interest to you or you can't remember who the heck we are or why we'd be writing you, our sincere apologies!

We run an Oregon arts and culture non-profit, the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation. An eisteddfod is a Welsh performing arts festival and the purpose of our non-profit is to bring Welsh art and artists to the US, to introduce Americans to these traditions and give American artists this opportunity to present their work. We've done three years of presenting this festival, the first two years in Portland the third in LA. We brought Welsh musicians, authors and artists to American audiences, writers from our first two years gave free presentations and lectures at Portland area schools and libraries on writing and poetry and spoke at Wordstock. In our third year, more than 2,000 people attended free presentations on music, literature, poetry and heritage at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood and found our more about Welsh people in America.

We are 100% funded by donations, we're full-time + volunteers who take no pay, all proceeds of donations go to fund the programs we deliver and we need help to make it happen.

Chase Bank is doing the Chase Community Giving competition on Facebook again this year: basically, this is a sort of beauty contest for non-profits. Facebook members vote for non-profits and Chase gives out grants as prizes. We're working to get to the bottom tier and qualify for one of several $25,000.00 grants, which would be enough to fund our annual arts and heritage festival and fund another smaller event in addition, like a writing activity for school children or a local literary and literacy event.

I'm writing to ask you to please vote for us in the Chase competition now - if you're a Facebook member, log in and vote at the link, below, if not, please consider joining Facebook to vote for us at the link below. Just click on the link, log in, click the button to like the application at the top left and then click the big, green VOTE button on the page:

http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/263243673-mlmef?src=vote_share

Make sure you vote by hitting the big, green VOTE button, not just like the charity or the page. If you have any trouble, if the VOTE button doesn't work or something else goes wrong, please email me or message me on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/gaabriel.becket and let me know!

(After you vote for us, you have nine more votes you can cast for other worthy charities.)

This doesn't cost you a penny, will only take a few moments and you can really help us out by doing something quick and easy! We have only two weeks to make it, PLEASE vote for us and help us get there!

Thank you so much for your time and attention -  Gaabriel Becket

Late News from the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association

featuring the 80th Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu September 1 - 4, 2011 Cleveland, Ohio Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association July 10, 2011 QUICK LINKS  Registration Form               Our Website                      Americymru Take advantage of our special room rates* and make your hotel reservations at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre by one of these methods  1. Visit  our website for hotel information and travel information and a direct link to our room block; or 2. Click HERE to reserve now; or 3. Call toll-free 1-877-208-2519 and mention "Festival of Wales," or use the code "WNQ". Remember, when you choose to stay at the festival hotel, you will be in the middle of the action! Also you are helping the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association meet its contractual obligation to fill the room block specially reserved for festival attendees. If you experience any difficulties making a hotel room reservation, please email  president@wngga.org for assistance. *Special Rates available only until all our Festival rooms are booked.      Don't be late! Reserve Your Hotel Rooms Now for NAFOW 2011! If you have waited to reserve your stay at the Festival hotel, now is the time to do it. The Special Festival Rate is not guaranteed after August 10, and our block of rooms may sell out before then. However, there are still rooms available NOW, and it is very important that WNGGA fills those rooms to avoid paying a penalty. The contract we have with the hotel, which allows us to offer such a great room rate to our Festival-goers, requires that we fill the rooms we say we will fill. The hotel takes a risk by holding rooms for us, when they could rent them at a higher price.  We encourage you to stay where the action will be--at the Festival hotel! Avoid driving , walking or taking a taxi or train to and from your hotel. Stay up late and be only steps from your bed at the Crowne Plaza! __________________________ A Riddle: What is free, but priceless? Everyone can spare a couple hours out of what is going to be a fun-filled weekend--even if you just need a chance to sit down! Put those hours to work by volunteering for a simple 2-hour (or less) shift helping to keep the NAFOW running smoothly. Many tasks can use more hands. Volunteers are needed to check tickets at the doors, work in the tearoom, help at the WNGGA hospitality and sales table, and in other areas.  If you can help, please email   cleveland2011@nafow.org with your name, email and phone number, and your  preference for tasks or times. Remember, the entire NAFOW is only possible because of a handful of dedicated volunteers working very hard all year long! Thank you! _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Testimonials: My wife and I find time at the Festival a wonderful uplift in our life.  We never fail to meet new people.  It reaffirms our love for things Welsh and especially our love of Welsh hymns.  If circumstances keep us from attending it's like going for a year without Christmas or Easter.  Make the effort to attend and you won't be disappointed. From upstate NY *********************** I used to attend with my parents and grandparents. Now I am bringing my own children. We wouldn't miss it! From Colorado  _________________________________________________________________________ 2009 Eisteddfod competitors. DEADLINE FOR EISTEDDFOD ENTRIES IS   JULY 15! Your chance to shine? The eisteddfod tradition at NAFOW began in 1994 at the National Gymanfa Ganu in Bellevue WA. Though the competitions have changed over the years, an eisteddfod has been held at each Festival since.  In general, the program of competitions appeals to singers and elocutionists.  Thanks to generous sponsors, cash prizes are available.  Certificates will be awarded at each competition.    Please join us and show off your talents to the Festival, by entering the competitions! Click HERE for the Eisteddfod Entry Form, Rules and Details. Remember, the deadline to enter is July 15! For more information and queries regarding the competitions, please contact: Jenny Hubbard Young, Chair Tel: 770-333-1964  E-mail: eisteddfod@nafow.org. The competitions are in Singing (three competitions - Hymn Singing; Solo Voice, Solo Voice Semi-Professional); and Recitation (one competition each for Youth and Adult categories).  A professional accompanist will be available, if required. Rehearsal time will be arranged with the accompanist in Cleveland. Competitions are held Friday and Saturday (depending on the category), with an Eisteddfod Concert on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. All Festival attendees are invited to attend the competitions and concert. The entire Eisteddfod schedule is on our website.    All winners will receive cash prizes and certificates. Some competitions award a trophy to the first place winner as well. We deeply appreciate the devotion and the generosity of the following individuals and organizations in financing these awards.     * Recitation: The Eisteddfod Committee Award     * NEW! Solo youth Recitation (in English) under 18:  Anonymous Donor     * Hymn Singing Competition: The WNGGA Past Presidents' Award     * Solo Voice Competition: Pacific Northwest Welsh Societies Award     * Solo Voice Semi-Professional: The David G. Morris Memorial Award   New Entrance Category: Guidance and Adjudication Only A new option of guidance and adjudication only is available in 2011. The aim is to promote performance of Welsh singing and recitation and to encourage newcomers or the shy, so that in future they will enter the eisteddfod competitions and vie for the prizes! Anyone electing this option to gain experience will perform alongside the other competitors, not in competition for the prize but to receive constructive advice and critique from an experienced adjudicator. This option is open for all competitions except the Solo Voice Semi-Professional for the David G. Morris Memorial Award.                  CALLING ALL KIDS! This year we are especially encouraging families with children and teens to attend the North American Festival of Wales. Special programs and activities just for children and young people will offer opportunities for them to become involved in the Festival and expand their horizons, all while having fun and celebrating all things Welsh.  The Youth Showcase will give young people an opportunity to demonstrate their talents in a concert-type event.  The registration deadline is July 15, 2011. Click HERE to register. The Children's Room will offer activities such as arts and crafts and storytelling. The Saturday session will conclude with a Welsh Puppet Show. No pre-registration is required for the Children's Room. In addition, many of our regular Festival offerings, such as Welsh language lessons, singing instruction (Ysgol Gân), and folk dancing, will  also appeal to young people. Cinema Wales is another option, and this year we will be including two shorts produced by Cineteg, a production company that works with youth from different parts of  Wales who help write, shoot and animate the films.  So, look around. Is that a child or grandchild with 'nothing to do'? Bring them along to the NAFOW--there's fun for all ages this year! More information about these events is available on our website. Additional information may be requested by emailing youth@nafow.org.

80th Welsh Gymanfa Ganu - Cleveland 2011

September 1 - 4, 2011 Cleveland, Ohio

June 2011                                                                    Join us Labor Day Weekend to celebrate The 80th Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Raising Hwyl for 80 years! Yma o Hyd,* Indeed! In less than three months, we will gather in Cleveland at the annual North American Festival of Wales. This is our yearly opportunity to celebrate our Welsh heritage and  meet friends from all over the world. As one attendee said last year, "It's our chance to recharge our 'Welsh batteries'!" The officers and trustees of the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association look forward to welcoming you to the 2011 NAFOW and the 80th Anniversary of the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu. This special edition of our e-letter is devoted to the Gymanfa Ganu. It was not possible to include all 80 years of history in a single issue, so watch your in-boxes for Part Two later this summer.  * "Yma o Hyd" means "Still here" and is also the title of a popular folk song by Dafydd Iwan. Did You Receive Your Registration Packet? If not, have you changed your address? All members should have received their registration materials  in May. Non-members* desiring registration materials should email their requests to exec_dir@wngga.org. Registration forms are also now available on our website HERE. To ensure that you don't miss any communications from WNGGA, we encourage you to keep your contact information updated via phone (740-587-3936) or email.   *You do not need to be a member of WNGGA to attend the NAFOW, but members do receive a discount.  The Origin Of The Species "Gymanfa Ganu" and Its Variants gan/by Alun Hughes reprinted with permission Alun Hughes takes a grammatical  look at the Gymanfa Ganu.  Many people with Welsh roots have attended a Gymanfa Ganu. In this article, Alun Hughes, one of Cymdeithas Madog's* longest serving teachers and a frequent contributor on grammatical matters, has a look at gymanfas, cymanfaoedd and all sorts of other strange animals. "You say tomayto, and I say tomahto, you say potayto and I say potahto." You know the  problem.  We Welsh have our own version, which goes, "You say gymanfa and I say cymanfa,  you say gymanfas and I say cymanfaoedd." It doesn't scan too well, and it's more than just a  matter of pronunciation, but it's the same sort of thing. So which is it, gymanfa or cymanfa? READ ON. *Cymdeithas Madog sponsors a yearly week-long Welsh language course (Cwrs Cymraeg) and has generously provided the Welsh lessons teacher for many years at the NAFOW. Visit their website at www.madog.org for more information.  Alan Thomas, Long-Time Accompanist, to Retire reprinted (with edits) from HWYL Alan Thomas AlanThomas,  keyboardist extraordinare , will retire as Festival Accompanist after the 2011 NAFOW.  Alan first accompanied the 69th Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu in Ottawa in 2000 and then returned to accompany the North American Festival of Wales at Buffalo in 2004 and  has returned every year since.  Alan's genial personality, his good humor and his enormous talent have endeared him to festival goers over the last decade. During that time he has accompanied competitors, soloists, the Worship Service and the Gymanfa Ganu, applying his skill to both the piano and the organ. We shall miss him, and we wish him happiness for years to come. The Search Begins With the retirement of Alan Thomas, WNGGA begins the search for a replacement. Potential applicants are encouraged to read through the job description HERE and contact International Headquarters HERE  with questions on any additional requirements and compensation. Applicants will be expected to furnish a performance CD.  WNGGA Members' Corner The WNGGA welcomes comments, letters, articles, and photos from our members. Especially this year, as we prepare to celebrate our 80th Gymanfa Ganu, we'd love to hear what the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu has meant to you and your family. What are your favorite memories? How many have you attended? Did you come with your parents or your grandchildren? Please send any material to publicity@wngga.org, along with a note granting us permission to use it for any of our publicity purposes. You will retain copyright, if requested.   This issue, we are pleased to present a member article about the gymanfa ganu tradition. Michael Hieber prefaced his article by saying,   " I would enjoy writing an article about the Gymanfa experience, as it is one of our most sought-after activities of the year.  Welsh congregational singing is in our blood now and we wish we could go to even more.  We started regularly attending local Gymanfa Ganu in 2001 at Venedocia, Gomer, and Columbus, Ohio.  We have also attended a local in Cambria, Wisconsin, and last fall attended one near Rio Grande in Southwestern Ohio. We are heading for the Ontario National in Niagara Falls this coming April. Our first NAFOW was the most recent one in Cincinnati, and we followed this by going to Washington, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.  We did not make it to this past National as we were in Ebbw Vale, Wales, for the National Eisteddfod of Wales.  That Gymanfa was grand with over 3,000 singers in the tent, a large standing choir, and a brass band on stage."    (edited for publication) "Singing Through the Day and Night" These are the last words in the chorus of a popular Welsh hymn, 'Calon Lan'. If you come to a gymanfa ganu, you will not literally sing all day and night, but for a few hours you will experience some of the most heartfelt and moving music you can encounter. Gymanfa ganu, a Welsh cultural tradition, is characterized by choral hymn singing in four-part harmony which dates back more than 150 years. It literally means an assembly or meeting for singing and it originated in Wales, where singing in four-part harmony still thrives. READ ON. Be Prepared! Order Your Hymnals now! (and remember to pack them!) The Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association publishes the Official Hymnals used at the annual Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu. These hymnals are also very often used by local Welsh societies across the continent at their gatherings. Consider purchasing one or more now for your use, as gifts , or for your local Welsh society or church. Hymnals will also be sold during the NAFOW,  but will not be available for loan.  Visit our website  to order Hymnals and other WNGGA publications.  Hymnal   Official WNGGA Hymnal (6" x 9") Pronunciation Guide, and 118 Hymns in Welsh and English Price: $12.00 (US) or $10.80 each for 10 or more copies   Lg. Format Hymnal Official WNGGA Hymnal Enlarged Edition (8 1/2" x 11") Price: $17.00 (US) or $15.30 each for 10 or more copies     Phonetic Hymnal Official WNGGA Hymnal (5.5x 8.5") Phonetic Version A wonderful aid for non-Welsh singers. Price: $11.00 (US) or $9.90 each for 10 or more copies

Time is Running Out!   Book Your Hotel NOW to Get the Best Rates! * Take advantage of our special room rates* and make your hotel reservations at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre by one of these methods  1. Visit  our website for hotel and travel information and a direct link to our room block to reserve on-line; or 2.Click HERE to reserve now; or 3. Call toll-free 1-877-208-2519 and mention "Festival of Wales" or use the code "WNQ";  Remember, when you choose to stay at the festival hotel, you will be in the middle of the action! Also you are helping the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association meet its contractual obligation to fill the room block specially reserved for festival attendees. If you experience any difficulties making a hotel room reservation, please email president@wngga.org for assistance. *Special Rates available only un