Country representing: Cymru
Number of performers in the whole group: 36
Group Website: Facebook
Competitions Participating In: Senior Children’s Choirs, Children’s Open Choirs, Children’s Folk Song Choirs
Biography:
Merched Plastaf girls’ choir from Cardiff started in September 2010 as part of ‘Adran Salem’, a new branch of the Urdd movement, with the aim of creating cultural opportunities for young people through the medium of Welsh, beyond school.
The choir is made up of girls from Cardiff’s three Welsh-medium secondary schools – Plasmawr, Glantaf and Bro Edern. Under the leadership of musical director Caryl Ebenezer, the choir’s repertoire has expanded greatly, ranging from the more traditional Welsh folk and Cerdd Dant repertoire to classical and modern pop. Since its inception, the choir prides itself in supporting Welsh composers, and has commissioned several works by some of Wales’ most prominent composers such as Richard Vaughan, Geraint Cynan and Euros Rhys Evans.
As well as performing regularly at concerts, through the years Merched Plastaf has had many successes at the Urdd Eisteddfod, the national Gŵyl Cerdd Dant festival and in some of the most prestigious competitions at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. The choir takes great pride in maintaining its very high standards when performing on stage in Wales and abroad.
One of the recent highlights was the choir’s memorable trip to Rome in April 2023, where Merched Plastaf partnered with a world-renowned Italian youth choir Coro Giovanile in a gala concert at one of Rome’s oldest Basilicas on Palm Sunday. The choir also had the honour of performing in the Pantheon, one of Rome’s most historical buildings, as well as singing Calon Lân for the Pope in St Peter’s Square!
The choir has been busy of late recording their first album, which is due for release in Spring 2025 under the Sain label.
Musical Director: Caryl Ebenezer
Accompanist: Erin Jardine
