Première Byd i Gyfansoddwraig Leol yng Nghadeirlan Bangor
Bydd digwyddiad terfynol Gŵyl Barddoniaeth a Chelfyddydau RS Thomas eleni yn cynnwys perfformiad cyntaf darn o gerddoriaeth gan gyfansoddwraig o Fangor sydd wedi cael ei hysbrydoli gan y bardd a'r offeiriad Cymraeg enwog RS Thomas. Mae’r digwyddiad - 'RS Thomas ar gyfer Cenhedlaeth Newydd’ - yn rhan o wasanaeth Gosber yng Nghadeirlan Bangor prynhawn Sul, Gorffennaf 1, am 2:30yp.
Bydd y cyfansoddiad o'r enw 'Pererindodau’ gan Ellen Davies yn cael ei berfformio gan Ensemble Cymru a'r Delynores Frenhinol, Anne Denholm. Mae 'Pererindodau' yn waith cerddorfaol mewn tri symudiad a ysbrydolwyd gan dair o gerddi RS Thomas. Enillodd Ellen Ragoriaeth yn ei Gradd Meistr o Brifysgol Bangor am ei cyfansoddiad ’Pererindodau’.
Cyn pob symudiad cyflwynir 'sainwedd', sef darlleniad o'r gerdd berthnasol gan Ifor ap Glyn, Bardd Cenedlaethol Cymru, sydd wedi'i blethu a’i gymysgu â seiniau'r môr a'r tirwedd o amgylch Aberdaron a Phenrhyn Llŷn. Ffocws gweledol y perfformiad fydd Cwrwgl traddodiadol Gymreig, a fydd yn cael ei harddangos yn y Gadeirlan cyn y perfformaid.
Mae cyflawniad Ellen yn fwy rhyfeddol oherwydd ei bod wedi goresgyn dyslecsia. Wrth edrych ymlaen at y perfformiad, dywedodd Ellen 'Mae'r tîm o Gadeirlan Bangor wedi bod mor galonogol gyda rhai syniadau gwych am sut i lwyfannu’r digwyddiad hwn a'r arddangosfa ryngweithiol o'r Cwrwgl. Mae'n anrhydedd mawr ac yn gyffrous iawn bod fy ngwaith newydd yn cael ei berfformio yng Nghadeirlan Bangor fel rhan o ddigwyddiad olaf Gŵyl RS Thomas 2018. Rwy'n gobeithio y gallaf ddod â Llŷn i Fangor mewn ffordd fach! '
Eitem arall arloesol fydd Owen Lowery yn perfformio dwy o'i gerddi ei hun, a ysbrydolwyd gan RS Thomas. Ym mis Ionawr eleni, derbyniodd Owen y wobr ‘Literature Matters’ gan y Gymdeithas Llenyddiaeth Frenhinol. Mae ei waith a'i berfformiad yn fwy rhyfeddol oherwydd yn 18 oed, cafodd Owen ei barlysu o'r ysgwyddau i lawr mewn cystadleuaeth Jwdo a bellach mae angen peiriant arno er mwyn anadlu. Ar ôl dwy flynedd yn yr ysbyty, cafodd ei ysbrydoli trwy lenyddiaeth i oresgyn cyfyngiadau ei anafiadau. Pan mae'n perfformio, mae'n gwneud hynny gydag amseriad ei beiriant anadlu.
Dywedodd Susan Fogarty, Cyfarwyddwraig Cymdeithas RS Thomas a'r Ŵyl, 'Mae'r Gymdeithas yn falch o gefnogi a chydweithio ag Ellen fel cyfansoddwraig raddedig ac ag Owen Lowery sydd yn ysbrydoliaeth gan ei fod wedi goresgyn anabledd difrifol o ganlyniad i anaf i'r asgwrn cefn i gyflawni ei lawn botensial fel bardd. Mae Ellen ac Owen yn haeddu pob cefnogaeth yn eu hymdrechion artistig.'
Hefyd bydd première byd arall gan y cyfansoddwr Americanaidd, Robert Moran, o Philadelphia. Bydd ei osodiad cerddorol newydd i gerdd adnabyddus RS Thomas 'The Other', yn cael ei berfformio ochr yn ochr â geiriau'r gerdd a ddarllennir gan Susan Fogarty.
Bydd cyn Esgob Bangor ac Archesgob Cymru, Dr Barry Morgan, a oedd â chysylltiad agos â RS Thomas yn cymryd rhan yn y gwasanaeth, lle bydd Côr Cadeirlan Bangor yn canu’r Gosber ynghyd â anthem gan William Mathias.
Mae’r gwasanaeth a’r digwyddiad hwn yn rhad ac am ddim, ond mae llefydd yn gyfyngedig. Cewch gofrestru trwy dudalen ar Eventbrite, neu dewch i’r Gadeirlan ar y prynhawn. Mae'r digwyddiad yn rhad ac am ddim diolch i haelioni Cymdeithas Frenhinol Llenyddiaeth a Thŷ Cerdd.
- Cynhelir Gwyl Barddoniaeth a Chelf RS Thomas & ME Eldridge o 28 Mehefin hyd Gorffennaf 1 yn Aberdaron a Bangor : https://rsthomaspoetry.co.uk
- Ellen Davies : http://elliedaviesmusic.co.uk/
- Ensemble Cymru : https://ensemble.cymru/cy/
- Anne Denholm : http://annedenholm.com
- Ifor ap Glyn : http://www.llenyddiaethcymru.org/ein-prosiectau/national-poet-wales/
- Owen Lowery - Gwobr ‘Literature Matters’ : https://rsliterature.org/award/rsl-literature-matters-awards/
- Robert Moran : http://robertmorancomposer.com
- Am ragor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â Susan Fogarty (ebost)
World première for Local Composer at Bangor Cathedral
The final event of this year’s RS Thomas Poetry and Arts Festival will feature the world première of music by a composer from Bangor who has been inspired by the great Welsh poet and priest RS Thomas. The event, called ‘RS Thomas for a New Generation’, is part of Bangor Cathedral’s Evensong Service on Sunday, July 1, at 2:30pm.
The composition called ‘Pilgrimages’ by Ellen Davies will be performed by Ensemble Cymru and the Royal Harpist, Anne Denholm. ‘Pilgrimages’ is an orchestral piece in 3 movements inspired by three of RS Thomas’ poems. Ellen gained a Distinction in her Masters Degree from Bangor University for this composition.
Each movement will be preceded by a ‘soundscape’, which is a reading of the relevant poem by Ifor ap Glyn, National Poet of Wales, which has been recorded and mixed with sounds of the sea and landscape around Aberdaron and the Llŷn Peninsula. The visual focus of the performance will be a traditional Welsh coracle, which will be on display in the Cathedral before the performance.
Ellen’s achievement is more remarkable because she has had overcome dyslexia. Looking forward to the performance, Ellen said ‘The team at Bangor Cathedral has been so encouraging with some great ideas about staging this event and the interactive Coracle display. It is a great honour and very exciting to have my new work performed in Bangor Cathedral in the final event of the RS Thomas Festival 2018. I hope that in a small way we can bring the Llyn to Bangor!’
Another innovative item will see Owen Lowery performing two of his own poems, which were inspired by RS Thomas. In January this year Owen he was received the Literature Matters award from the Royal Society of Literature. His work and performance is more remarkable because at the age of 18, Owen was paralysed from the shoulders down in a Judo competition and he now needs machine in order to breathe. After two years in hospital, he was inspired through literature to overcome the limitations of his injuries. When he performs, he does so in time with his breathing machine.
Susan Fogarty, the Director of the RS Thomas Society and Festival, said, ‘The Society is delighted to be supporting and collaborating with Ellen as a graduate woman composer and the inspiring Owen Lowery who has overcome severe disability as a result of a spinal injury to achieve his full artistic potential. Both of these people deserve to be supported in their artistic endeavours.’
There will also be another world première by the American composer, Robert Moran, from Philadelphia. His new musical setting to RS Thomas’ well-known poem ‘The Other’, will be accompanied by the words of the poem being read alongside his new music by Susan Fogarty.
The former Bishop of Bangor and Archbishop of Wales, Dr. Barry Morgan, who had a close association with RS Thomas, will be taking part and the Choir of Bangor Cathedral will also be singing the Evensong service and an anthem by William Mathias.
This service and event is free of charge, but seating is limited. Interest can be registered through Eventbrite, or you can come on the day. The event is free thanks to the generosity of the The Royal Society for Literature & Tŷ Cerdd.
- RS Thomas & ME Eldridge Poetry & Art Festival is being held from 28 June to 1 July in Aberdaron and Bangor : https://rsthomaspoetry.co.uk
- Ellen Davies : http://elliedaviesmusic.co.uk/
- Ensemble Cymru : https://ensemble.cymru/en/
- Anne Denholm : http://annedenholm.com
- Ifor ap Glyn : http://www.literaturewales.org/our-projects/national-poet-wales/
- Owen Lowery - Literature Matters Award : https://rsliterature.org/award/rsl-literature-matters-awards/
- Robert Moran : http://robertmorancomposer.com
- For more information contact Susan Fogarty (email)
