NEW Paul Mealor work, with words by Menna Elfyn, will be performed by 150 young people from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire

A new composition by internationally acclaimed Welsh composer Paul Mealor will bring this year’s National Eisteddfod to a spectacular close, as 150 young musicians from across west Wales take to the Pafiliwn stage.

Côr a Cherddorfa’r Tair Sir, the Three Counties Choir and Orchestra, will perform Angerdd a gerdd, a new work specially commissioned from Professor Mealor, with words by celebrated poet Menna Elfyn.

The concert will close the Pafiliwn programme on the final Saturday evening of the festival, bringing together young performers from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire for what organisers say will be one of the highlights of the week.

Côr y Tair Sir was originally formed following the creation of Dyfed in the 1974 local government reorganisation, becoming well known across the region and beyond. It has now been revived especially for this year’s National Eisteddfod, with support from the National Music Service of Wales and sponsorship from the Gwendoline and Margaret Davies Charity, Gregynog.

Rehearsals began in the spring, with pupils meeting regularly to prepare for the performance.

Professor Mealor said he had been delighted by the response from the young musicians.

“One hundred and fifty young people came together to rehearse my new work, to Menna Elfyn’s powerful words, and it sounded wonderful from the very first rehearsal,” he said.

“It’s a challenging piece for young voices, but I’ve been hugely impressed by their commitment, and I’m certain it will be a thrilling experience for the audience on the night.”

Mealor, who was born in St Asaph and raised in Connah’s Quay, has long-standing links with Wales’ musical tradition. He studied composition with Professor William Mathias at the University of York and has credited Mathias as the inspiration behind his musical career, particularly his passion for choral music.

The new work will also showcase the words of Menna Elfyn, one of Wales’ leading poets. Since the publication of her first poetry collection, Mwyara, 50 years ago, she has produced numerous volumes of poetry, children’s books and anthologies, while also writing for stage, radio and television. Her work has received widespread critical acclaim and many awards.

As well as marking the end of the festival week, the concert will celebrate the National Eisteddfod’s rich musical heritage and give a new generation of performers the chance to present a major choral work on one of Wales’ most prestigious stages.

Classical music will feature prominently across the Maes this year, with events taking place at Y Stiwdio and Encore.

Among the highlights is a performance of Atgof o’r Sêr, Memory of the Stars, composed by Robat Arwyn with words written especially for Bryn Terfel. First performed at the 2001 Denbigh National Eisteddfod, this year marks the 25th anniversary of its premiere.

The eight-song cycle will be performed by recent winners of the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize, including Steffan Lloyd Owen, Meinir Wyn Roberts, John Ieuan Jones, Llinos Haf Jones, Dafydd Jones, Siriol Elin, Joshua Mills and Lisa Dafydd.

Another highlight will be a rare opportunity to hear two songs by composer Meirion Williams, marking the 50th anniversary of his death.

On behalf of the Eisteddfod, musician Sioned Webb and Steffan Prys explored the archive of the late soprano Ceinwen Rowlands, with the assistance of Maredudd ap Huw at the National Library of Wales.

Sioned spent time in London during the 1980s researching and completing an MA dissertation on the life and work of Meirion Williams, but she was unaware of the Ceinwen Rowlands collection at the time.

This year she discovered two previously unperformed pieces in strict Welsh metres, cywyddau by Siôn Cent and Huw Morys, also known as Eos Ceiriog. She edited them for performance with the assistance of Eurig Salisbury.

It will be the first time the two songs have been heard in more than 80 years. Nerys Williams, the composer’s daughter, has been invited to attend the Eisteddfod and present the scores to Tŷ Cerdd.

Betsan Moses, Chief Executive of the National Eisteddfod, said: “There’s a strong programme of classical music across the Maes this year. We’re delighted to welcome so many former competition winners back to perform, celebrating the connection between competing at the Eisteddfod and their career in music.

“We’re also using Rhosygilwen, near the Maes, as the venue for our music prelims during the week, and everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the performances.

“The Pafiliwn event on the final Saturday evening promises to be one of the highlights of the festival. It is wonderful to give classical music such a prominent place at its heart, while offering talented young local musicians the chance to be part of a unique experience, working alongside one of Wales’ best-known composers and bringing the words of one of our leading poets to life through music.

“It will provide a memorable finale to a week of music and creativity.”

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol y Garreg Las will be held in Llantwd, north Pembrokeshire, from August 1 to 8. Further information and tickets are available at eisteddfod.cymru.

ADULT Welsh learners must not be overlooked if the Welsh Government is serious about reaching its target of “a million and more Welsh speakers”, the founder of an online Welsh learning programme has warned.

Suw Charman-Anderson, founder of Ymestyn.Cymru, said ministers needed to do more to support learners who have moved beyond beginner level but are struggling to progress towards fluency.

Her comments follow a statement by Anna Brychan, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, setting out the Welsh Government’s latest plans to support the language through childcare, education and community use.

Ms Charman-Anderson said she welcomed the commitment to strengthening Welsh, but warned that adult learners, particularly those at Canolradd, or intermediate level, appeared to have been left out.

She said: “It is heartening to hear Anna Brychan commit to a variety of interventions that will strengthen Welsh learning and its use in childcare, education and the community.

“But once again, there’s no mention of adult learners, particularly those who’ve reached the Canolradd level, for whom there is currently little to no targeted support or content outside of the limited Dysgu Cymraeg Canolradd courses.”

According to figures from the National Centre for Learning Welsh, only around 23% to 26% of Mynediad learners have progressed to Sylfaen over the last five years, while the number of Canolradd learners has remained below 2,000.

Ms Charman-Anderson said this showed a “leaky learner pipeline”, with too many adults dropping out before reaching fluency.

She said: “If we want a strong and vibrant future for the Welsh language, we need to support Canolradd learners through to full fluency.”

She also argued that adult fluency is essential if children are to use Welsh outside school.

An Institute of Welsh Affairs report previously warned that children taught through Welsh, but who do not speak Welsh at home, are less likely to overachieve by the end of primary school.

Ms Charman-Anderson said confident Welsh-speaking adults were needed in homes, workplaces and communities to help normalise the use of the language.

She said: “For the Government to achieve its ambition of a million and more Welsh speakers, children need the support of fluent speakers at home and in their communities.”

She also pointed to concerns about the availability of bilingual teachers, citing Senedd research which found that 39% of teachers reported having intermediate Welsh skills or higher, while only a quarter were currently teaching Welsh or through the medium of Welsh.

The same research also identified a downward trend in the number of teachers able to teach through the medium of Welsh.

Ms Charman-Anderson said more focus was needed on helping learners overcome the “intermediate plateau”, where they have a solid understanding of grammar but lack the vocabulary and confidence to use the language day to day.

She said: “None of the available Welsh courses focus on expanding vocabulary or helping learners memorise key grammar points. They introduce concepts and expect learners to fill in the gaps at home, without providing any tools to do so.”

Ymestyn.Cymru describes itself as a fully online programme designed specifically for Canolradd learners. It uses games, quizzes, articles, videos, transcription and speed-reading exercises to help learners build vocabulary, improve listening skills and practise grammar in real-world contexts.

Ms Charman-Anderson added: “The Welsh Government should be supporting programmes like Ymestyn, which are essential to fixing the leaky learner pipeline.

“More help for Canolradd learners will translate into more fluent speakers who are using Welsh day to day, with their children, communities and at work.”

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has promised a new focus on delivery as it seeks to secure the future of the Welsh language and reach its target of one million Welsh speakers.

Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language Anna Brychan told the Senedd on Tuesday (July 7) that the Government would now move from “ambition to action” after years of discussion about how best to strengthen Cymraeg across Wales.

At the heart of the plan is a commitment to build a clearer Welsh-medium education pathway, from childcare and the early years through to post-16 learning.

Ministers say the Welsh Language and Education Act will be implemented in full, with the aim of ensuring every child has a fair opportunity to become a confident and independent Welsh speaker.

An urgent review of Welsh in Education Strategic Plans is already under way. Its findings will shape a new national framework designed to ensure that half of all children in Wales begin their education journey through the medium of Welsh by 2050.

The Welsh language will also form part of the Government’s planned childcare offer, which will provide 20 hours of funded childcare each week for every child aged between nine months and four years.

Ms Brychan said the aim was to make Welsh-medium provision available from the earliest stages of a child’s life, while also expanding opportunities for teenagers and young adults to continue learning, working and living through Welsh after the age of 16.

The announcement will be closely watched in west Wales, where Welsh-speaking communities remain a vital part of local identity but where concerns have been raised for many years about housing, migration, school reorganisation, transport, employment and the long-term sustainability of the language in daily life.

The Welsh Government says work has already begun with local authorities to decide how areas with a higher density of Welsh speakers should be formally designated, with the aim of strengthening everyday use of the language in those communities.

Ministers are also looking at further legal and non-legal measures to support Welsh-speaking areas in the long term.

However, the Government says its plans are not limited to traditional Welsh-speaking heartlands. It says the language must also grow in areas where there are currently lower or medium levels of Welsh speakers.

A cross-government response is being developed following the second phase of the Commission for Welsh Communities.

Ms Brychan said responsibility for the language could not sit with one minister or department alone. She said housing, health, transport, the economy, local government, culture and sport all had a role to play in meeting the target.

The Minister also confirmed that Welsh language standards will be extended to new sectors, including UK Government bodies.

She said she is writing to major technology companies to press them to ensure new digital developments support the Welsh language, amid growing concern that artificial intelligence and online platforms could either help or hinder minority languages.

Work is also under way to standardise and record Welsh place names, while options for protecting them in law are being explored.

Ms Brychan said: “People from all parts of Wales are proud of our language and want to see it thrive.

“Cymraeg belongs to us all, and we should move away from seeing ourselves as ‘Welsh-speaking’ and ‘non-Welsh-speaking’ Welsh people. We are all somewhere on the same journey, and we all belong.

“The existing goodwill and ambition provide us with a strong foundation, but the challenges are real and the coming years will be critical.

“Our focus now is on turning ambition into action and securing the strongest possible future for the Welsh language in our schools, our communities and our workplaces. We have already started this work within our first 100 days.”

She added: “The future of the Welsh language depends on people as well as policy. I encourage everyone to use whatever Welsh they have, to support one another in learning and using the language, and to play their part in building a Wales where the Welsh language belongs to us all.”

The Welsh Government’s long-standing ambition is to reach one million Welsh speakers by 2050. The latest announcement signals that ministers want to put education, childcare, community planning and digital policy at the centre of that effort.

For many communities, the key question will now be whether the Government can turn those commitments into practical change, including enough teachers, childcare staff, post-16 courses, affordable housing and local job opportunities to make Welsh a living language for the next generation.