Entertainment
Fishguard and West Wales International Music Festival tickets go on sale today
TICKETS go on sale today (Monday 16 May) for this year’s Fishguard and West Wales International Music Festival concerts. The full programme is available to view on the Festival website www.fishguardmusicfestival.com and features the largest number of performances in the Festival’s history extending over three weeks in August and September.
The events will be staged at thirteen venues across Pembrokeshire from 20 August to 10 September, with a launch concert by the National Youth Brass Band of Wales at St David’s Cathedral on 5th August.
Artists performing at this year’s festival include Dame Sarah Conolly who appears as soloist with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, and Welsh pianist Llŷr Williams. There will be song recitals by renowned Welsh soprano Rebecca Evans with pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen, and tenor Stuart Jackson with Jocelyn Freeman. Chamber music concerts include performances by the Sacconi Quartet, Peter Donohoe, Harriet Mackenzie and Morgan Szymanski. The European Union Chamber Orchestra and WNO Chamber Orchestra make welcome return visits, and The Marian Consort performs ‘Music from the Sistine Chapel’ at St David’s Cathedral as well as taking part in the ‘Saints and Stones’ tour of historic churches and chapels. Folk group Vrȉ will perform alongside Pedair, and Khamira will close the Festival on Saturday September 10th with a fusion of Welsh and Indian music at the Merlin Theatre, Haverfordwest.
Tickets will be on sale from 9.00am on Monday 16th of May and can be booked via the Festival website at www.fishguardmusicfestival.com
Gillian Green MBE, Artistic Director of the Fishguard and West Wales Music Festival, said: “I am very excited about the variety of events in this year’s Festival which comprise a feast of world-class music covering six centuries as well as new commissions by Welsh composers Nathan James Dearden and Geraint Lewis. Pembrokeshire will greet musicians from across the UK, Mexico and India and there will be a talk by Professor Michael Spitzer whose book The Musical Human was a recent Radio 4 ‘Book of the Week’.
Education
Pupils take centre stage for dance competitions
MORE than 230 Pembrokeshire pupils have taken part in exciting dance competitions at primary and secondary school levels.
Sport Pembrokeshire hosted the primary school dance competition on March 19th at Fishguard Leisure Centre.
Seven schools from across the county and more than 160 pupils took part, including both boys and girls from school years 3-6.
All style and street dance were the categories that teams, solos and duos could enter. There were 55 solo performers entering the street dance solo category.
Pupils from Ysgol Bro Gwaun performed a group dance and some performed brilliant solos for the primary pupils to watch.
Finola (FF Dancers), Kelly (Kelly Williams School of Dance) and Lowri (Lowri Jones School of Dance) judged the high standard of competitions with dance coaches Lucy Kerrison and Kelci Francis helping out during the day.
They are all thanked for their help and expertise as putting on an event of this nature would not be possible without their valuable input.
Forty eight medals, 22 trophies and numerous certificates were presented, including awards for stand-out performers.
The atmosphere was great and it was brilliant to see the pupils taking part, getting creative and showcasing their skills, all with a smile on their faces.
The secondary schools dance competition was hosted on Thursday, 29th February at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.
In total 77 girls from school years 7-11 competed in various categories such as teams, duos and solos. These included street, all style, freestyle, jazz and cheer.
Finola and Kelly judged the day with the help from Lucy and Kelci. Kelci, a former Ysgol Harri Tudur pupil, also gave showstopping performances.
It was a great day with a fantastic atmosphere and very rewarding to see so many girls taking part in sport and enjoying every minute.
Some of the schools who attended are now through to the UDOIT Dance Competition in Cardiff.
Hundreds of pupils have enjoyed school dance competitions over recent weeks.
Entertainment
Coastal adventures and home revelations: BBC Wales’ exciting new lineup
BBC WALES is set to enchant viewers with a fresh slate of programming that spans a rich tapestry of Welsh culture, lifestyle, and adventure. Leading the charge are Wales’s beloved presenters, Wynne Evans and Joanna Page, who will take audiences on a scenic journey with their new show, Wynne Evans and Joanna Page: Lost at Sea. This program promises to be a celebration of the Welsh coastline, packed with culinary expeditions, musical interludes, and the spirit of discovery aboard their motor yacht.
Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning at BBC Cymru Wales, expressed excitement over the diverse array of new and returning series that aim to mirror contemporary Welsh life in all its vibrancy. From the nuances of cooking and music to the intricacies of interior design and the rustic charm of sheep shearing, there’s an offering for every palette.
Lost at Sea will see Evans, celebrated as 2023’s Celebrity MasterChef winner, and Page delving into Wales’s coastal treasures, from quaint fishing villages to bustling towns, unearthing unique dining experiences and cooking up storms themselves.
Another anticipated return is Wales’ Home of the Year, now in its third season with a special Christmas edition on the horizon. Judges Owain Wyn Evans, Mandy Watkins, and Glen Thomas will traverse Wales to spotlight homes that stand out for their architectural and design ingenuity, culminating in the crowning of Wales’ Christmas Home of the Year.
In a gripping narrative departure, Hunting Mr Nice will chronicle the life of Howard Marks, a Welshman turned notorious cannabis smuggler. This two-part series for BBC Two and iPlayer is set against the backdrop of the War on Drugs, featuring exclusive interviews that piece together Marks’ enigmatic existence.
Music aficionados can look forward to Kelly Jones with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, where Kelly Jones, famed for his Stereophonics legacy, will premiere new solo work alongside timeless hits, reimagined with orchestral flair.
Chris Cooks Cymru introduces viewers to Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts, who embarks on a culinary journey across Wales, celebrating local cuisine against stunning landscapes and communal cookouts.
The lineup also boasts a slew of returning favorites and new ventures that explore Welsh life’s breadth, from the competitive spirit of sheep shearing in Rockstar Shearers to the heartfelt community project in Dream Team, and the spiritual and ecological explorations of Skanda Vale Life.
Nick Andrews lauded the lineup, highlighting the joy and impact talent-fronted shows have on audiences. With such a rich and diverse offering, BBC Cymru Wales is poised to keep viewers hooked to their screens, celebrating Welsh culture, heritage, and the universal themes of exploration, creativity, and community spirit. These shows are expected to roll out on BBC Cymru Wales and iPlayer in the coming months, promising a blend of entertainment, insight, and celebration for viewers across the UK.
Advertorial
10th anniversary of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre
PEMBROKE Dock Heritage Centre is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Since the museum was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014, the centre has gone from strength to strength.
Today the museum is a ‘go to’ for information on the military, maritime and social history of Pembroke Dock, an archive of specialist research knowledge on the role of the Sunderland flying boats, and a beacon for Star Wars fans.
The importance of the Heritage Centre will be celebrated on Saturday April 27th with an Open Day.
The museum will be free to enter, from 11am to 3pm.
The Heritage Centre was the culmination of many heritage initiatives and over the years so many volunteers have given their time, skills, energies and enthusiasm to these – from the Gun Tower Museum to the Flying Boat Interpretation Centre, the Fleet Surgeons House and now in the magnificent Royal Dockyard Chapel.
Those at the Heritage centre look forward to welcoming everyone, especial any former volunteers and family members of those involved in past years.
See the website www.pdht.org also Facebook and X for further details.
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