September 14th 2011 - by Steven Jones
Snowdonia For Music Lovers
Making and appreciating music is a huge part of Welsh culture. With centuries-old traditions
of harping, singing, poetry and folk music still very much a part of modern Welsh culture - you'll hear all of
these and more at special cultural festivals called 'Eisteddfodau' (the plural of 'Eisteddfod'), held locally and
nationally throughout the year in Wales - it's hardly surprising that Wales has, over the past couple of centuries,
earned itself the moniker "the land of song".
All sorts of music are popular - and created - in Wales. Opera, folk, jazz, rock, and even unique traditional
styles of poetry and music like 'cerdd dafod' and 'cerdd dant' are all as popular as ever in Wales.
In Snowdonia, music is as much a part of everyday life as it is throughout the rest of Wales, and the region has
produced musical artistes of worldwide acclaim; the opera star Bryn Terfel, for example, is from the Snowdonia
village Pant Glas, near Caernarfon, while celebrated pop songstress Duffy hails from Nefyn on the Llyn
Peninsula.
If you're a music lover and would like to enjoy a concert or two during your visit to Snowdonia, here are five
Snowdonia music venues you won't want to miss.
1. Ty Siamas
We'll start with the ultimate Snowdonia music venue, Ty Siamas in Dolgellau. Ty Siamas is the National Centre for
Welsh Folk Music, and as well as providing a venue for Snowdonia's musicians to perform and for visitors to
discover new music, Ty Siamas is a wonderful educational centre where you can learn everything there is to know
about Welsh folk music.
At Ty Siamas there's an excellent interactive exhibition where you can try your hand at playing traditional Welsh
musical instruments, a performance auditorium, recording studio, cafe, and a shop packed with musical goodies
ranging from sheet music and CDs to musical instruments.
Performances at Ty Siamas in 2011 have included local bands, open mic nights, talent contests and folk dancing;
there's something for everyone at Ty Siamas, so make sure it's on your Snowdonia to-do list!
2. Neuadd Dwyfor
In Pwllheli is Neuadd Dwyfor, a cinema-cum-theatre-cum-music venue that's occupied its prime position in the town
centre for over a hundred years.
When Neuadd Dwyfor was young, it was Pwllheli's town hall and a penny would buy you the best view of the town, from
atop the building's roof.
These days, Neuadd Dwyfor is the place to be on the Llyn Peninsula if you want to watch movies, dance performances,
plays and of course music concerts.
The programme at Neuadd Dwyfor is extremely varied, and the music season really begins in earnest in the run-up to
Christmas, when you'll be able to feast your ears on all sorts of musical treats.
3. Galeri
Galeri in Caernarfon is one of Snowdonia's newest arts centres, occupying a gorgeous spot overlooking Caernarfon
Marina and the Menai Strait. There's an outdoor seating area for warmer evenings, when you could spend the
intermission enjoying a stunning Snowdonia sunset with a good cup of coffee or something a little stronger from the
Galeri bar.
Like many of Snowdonia's performance venues, Galeri offers a wide range of arts events all year round. Welsh and
English language film, local bands, comedy, art exhibitions and even Christmas markets - there's always something
going on at Galeri to suit all ages and tastes.
4. Theatr y Ddraig
Formerly an English Congregational Chapel, the building that now houses Theatr Y Ddraig in Barmouth was improved
and extended in the post-war years by a committee of local amateur dramatics enthusiasts dedicated to finding
funding to create a permanent arts venue to be enjoyed by townsfolk and visitors.
These days, Theatr y Ddraig - the Dragon Theatre - is almost entirely self-funded, receiving the occasional small
grant from Gwynedd Council and the Barmouth Town Council to help things along.
Performances at Theatr y Ddraig include variety shows, plays, music, dance, workshops - a real mixed bag, with
something for everyone.
5. Theatr Harlech
Theatr Harlech, in the shadow of Harlech castle and backing onto the sand dunes at historic Harlech on Cardigan
Bay, is another of those wonderful Snowdonia venues that hosts all sorts of performances and arts events all year
round. Some of these even take place on the beach; in the past, some of Theatr Harlech's most popular events have
been sand sculpture workshops and sandcastle competitions.
In October 2011, look out for two very special live music events at Theatr Harlech: a concert night featuring Cor
Meibion Ardudwy (the Ardudwy Male Voice Choir) and the Harlech Silver band, and later in the month a performance of
Madam Butterfly by the Mid Wales Opera.
| Steven Jones is Senior Tourism Services Officer at Cyngor Gwynedd Council, a Welsh
local authority whose not-for-profit Snowdonia Mountains and Coast website provides visitors to
Snowdonia with a wealth of useful information about the region. The site also
enables visitors to search an extensive database of Snowdonia accommodation. |
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Source: http://articlesabroad.com
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