Tag Archives: Llangollen International Eisteddfod 2014

Cantabile look forward to this year’s Llangollen Eisteddfod …

This year Cantabile are greatly honoured to have been asked to perform in the Heart of Llangollen concert on Tuesday evening which is “a feast of music and dance from the best of the Eisteddfod’s international competitors” and “will also include the official opening ceremony, Procession of Nations and the annual International Message of Peace.”

But that’s not the only event for them on Tuesday  – it will follow the the spectacular opening parade through the town which Cantabile will also be taking part in after their lunchtime concert with Shallaway Newfoundland & Labrador Youth (Canada) in St Collens Church at 1 pm.

On Wednesday they will be competing in the Senior Children’s Choir in the morning and then the Folk Children’s Choir in the afternoon.

It’s a fantastic chance to meet old friends and new and soak up the unique atmosphere that this Welsh international celebration of music creates.

The two clips below show the Cantabile competition performances in 2014:

Folk Children’s Choir

Senior Children’s Choir

Tuesday

Recital at St Collens Church in Llangollen Village – 1pm
International Parade, walking parade through the streets of Llangollen – 4.30pm
The Heart of Llangollen Concert, Main Pavillion – 7pm

Wednesday

A9 Senior Children’s Choir – 9.10am performance, main pavillion
A10 Folk Children’s Choir – 1.50pm performance, main pavillion

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Jo Williamson and Cantabile Rehearsing in St John’s

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Cantabile putting Jo’s advice into action at St John’s

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The Girls walking onto the Pavilion stage for their first competition of the day

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Great reaction to their performance of Bobby Shaftoe

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Relaxing after their performances

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Loving the sunshine and keeping their fingers crossed …

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Enjoying the Eisteddfod

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This is sadly the last Eisteddfod with Cantabile for the fab four …

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All the girls together outside the Pavilion

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Jo gives the girls a pep talk

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Nervously waiting for the adjudication in the Pavilion

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Cantabile join the other prizewinning choirs on the stage

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Jo and the Cantabile girls enjoying their well-earned success on the stage

Cantabile and the 2014 Llangollen Eisteddfod

Cantabile Girls Choir at Llangollen 2014

Cantabile sing in the Children’s Folk Choir

Jo Williamson’s preparations for the Eisteddfod this year followed their usual precise course aided by the newest member of the team from Hereford Cathedral Schools’s Music department, Mrs Cuthbert, joining forces with Mr Lane our accompaniest.

The choir’s hard work was almost scuppered by a contagion of summer colds which left Jess Price, the lead soloist in ‘I got a Robe’, taking a hit for the team and withdrawing from her vocal solo competition to save her voice for the choir entries. Our other two soloists were Rachel Roper in ‘O Waly Waly’ and Charlotte Pawley in ‘A Bunch of Thyme’.

Although no choir to date has won three years in a row, Cantabile gave it their all and despite the strength of the competition won third place in the Children’s Folk Choir. They gained the third highest mark across the three Children’s choir classes for their renditions of ‘A Bunch of Thyme’ and ‘Bobby Shaftoe’.

The welsh choir Côr Heol-y-March , who Cantabile just pipped to 6th place in the Senior Children’s Choir competition, won Choir of the World. The Russian Krasnoyarsk City Children’s Choir in the Children’s Folk Choir competition was spectacular to watch.

You can enjoy all the entries at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod website on Llangollen.tv and have fun seeing if you agree with the judges who had some tough choices! You can also glimpse edited clips on the welsh television channel S4/C.

If you like Cantabile’s performances please feel free to like, share, link to and comment.