Posts Categorized: Featured

Dance group which survived Nepal earthquakes to arrive at Eisteddfod

A GROUP of young dancers from Nepal who endured the earthquakes which devastated their country will take centre stage at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Saturday.
Thanks to a major fundraising drive, more than 30 members of the Rising Culture Group from the World Heritage site of Bhaktapur, about 10 miles from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu and around 100 miles from Mount Everest, had been planning to travel 5,000 miles to compete at the Eisteddfod this week.
Then their dream of coming to Llangollen suffered a huge setback when their region was shattered by two massive earthquakes within weeks in April and May, which claimed thousands of lives and caused widespread destruction.
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Massive response to global appeal launched to secure iconic festival

An urgent global appeal has already attracted £40,000 of pledges to help secure the future of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
The appeal was only launched at the weekend because this year’s event is heading for a financial loss as a result of disappointing ticket sales.
Eisteddfod officials are delighted with the response after urging supporters to keep on giving towards a target of £70,000 to clear the books this year.
Concert-goers for the Burt Bacharach curtain-raiser to this year’s event dropped almost £500 in collection buckets at the event and there has been a steady stream of donations, large and small all week.
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Gemma blows up a storm

A Heswall student has landed a top award at the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod.
Gillian Blair, 24, who is studying music at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music, beat off top competition to win the first ever International Young Musician title and land the £1,500 prize and international medal.
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Eisteddfod competitors tuck into Village Bakery Welsh cakes made by royal hands

HUNGRY competitors at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod have had the chance to sample Welsh cakes made by the royal hands.
On Tuesday Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the headquarters of the Village Bakery on Wrexham Industrial Estate and during a tour of the production area donned white coats and hats to help flip a batch of the traditional Welsh delicacy on a hot griddle.
The following day a team from the award-winning bakery delivered a complimentary consignment of over 200 packets of the cakes to the Eisteddfod’s hospitality department – including the ones which the royal couple helped to prepare. (more…)

Peace champion Terry Waite’s inspiring message to young Eisteddfod volunteers

LEGENDARY peace champion Terry Waite has told young first-time volunteers at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod that they are helping to promote international understanding and hope for the future.
Sixth-formers from Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen are among over 50 youngsters from three schools in the region, including Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham and Ysgol Glan Clwyd in Rhyl, who have given up their time to work as unpaid welcome hosts at the festival, greeting visitors from across the globe.
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Dancing prince waves off parade on Eisteddfod’s opening day parade

PRINCE Charles used a giant Welsh dragon flag to wave off the traditional opening day parade at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod yesterday afternoon.
The prince, who is the Eisteddfod’s Patron, also got into the spirit of the occasion by accepting an invitation to have a brief dance with members of a Punjabi bhangra group as he watched the colourful line-up leave the field on its way to the town centre.
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Britain’s Got Talent singing sensation Jonathan is heading for Llangollen

Britain’s Got Talent singing sensation Jonathan Antoine is looking forward to following in the footsteps of another larger than life tenor when he takes to the stage at this summer’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The down-to-earth 20-year-old, who split from singing partner Charlotte Jaconelli last year, can’t wait to step out onto the stage where the great Luciano Pavarotti performed. He said: “Performing at Llangollen is going to be so exciting. It’s a breeding ground for creativity and to be on the same stage that someone like Pavarotti performed on is just a wonderful thought. I’m really, really looking forward to it.” (more…)