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Rhyl Journal
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Composer's Medal winner revealed at National Eisteddfod
She received her award during a special ceremony at the Eisteddfod Pavilion in Is-y-Coed near Wrexham on Saturday evening (August 9). The Composer's Medal is awarded to the most promising composer for a chamber ensemble composition, using imagery from Rhondda Cynon Taf as inspiration. To mark the centenary of the birth of Islwyn Ffowc Elis, one of Wrexham's most prominent sons, this year's theme for the Composer's Medal is Cymru Fydd ('The Wales to Come'). Eisteddfod organisers invited composers to present ideas on how they could respond musically to his epic science fiction novel Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd ('A Week in the Wales to Come'). The judges were Richard Baker, Lleuwen Steffan, and Graeme Park. Richard Baker said the decision was not easy and that all three composers had produced exceptional work. In his adjudication, he said: 'In line with the novel's message, each composer looks to the future with hope. But also, there is a consistent sense of anxiety pressing on that hope. The challenge was to convey this concept through instrumental music, and all three should be praised for their ambition. It was very difficult to reach a decision. To be honest, we didn't entirely agree. In the end, it came down to personal taste. But we have a winner. Complex ideas require top-tier technical resources to realize, and the winning piece meets the competition's requirements perfectly.' Speaking about the winning piece, he said: 'Cysgodion Bywiog ('Vivid Shadows') by Sarah Lianne Lewis focuses on the most famous scene in Elis's novel, when the main character meets the Old Woman of Bala, the last speaker of the Welsh language. The piece is highly theatrical with a strong narrative, and the dialogue is very clear between the material representing grief and the material representing hope.' Sarah Lianne Lewis was one of three composers who worked with professional musicians for the premiere of her winning piece. The other two were Jonathan Guy and Owain Gruffydd Roberts. She studied at Cardiff University, earning a BA (Hons) in Music and History and an MA in Composition. Since then, her music has been performed in Europe, Canada, and Australia, broadcast on several radio stations in the UK and Europe, and featured in numerous international festivals. Her current interests include exploring semi-implicit gestures within larger ensembles and the dialogue that arises between composer and performer. As a composer and soloist, she also runs workshops in schools, focusing on nurturing creativity and composition in the classroom, as well as leading vocal masterclasses for amateur musicians. The Cymru Fydd Composer's Medal project offers a paid opportunity for three music creators to compose for a Sinfonia Cymru chamber ensemble. Over recent months, the three selected composers worked with three highly versatile string players: Simmy Singh (violin), David Shaw (violin/viola), and Garwyn Linnell (cello) in workshops leading up to a live performance of their works on the final day of the Eisteddfod. Simmy, David, and Garwyn play strings differently: they are comfortable stretching across a wide range of genres, using loop pedals, shruti boxes, hand percussion, and their voices in the compositions. All three composers received a fee for participating in the face-to-face workshops and online sessions. In addition to the medal, the winner received a £750 cash prize. The project is a partnership between the Eisteddfod, Tŷ Cerdd, Sinfonia Cymru, and the Welsh Music Society, with this year's mentor-composer being Professor Pwyll ap Siôn.
Times
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
The Times Saturday Quiz: August 9, 2025
1 Which art gallery in Trafalgar Square banned selfie sticks in 2015? 2 A brookie is a chocolate brownie crossed with which other baked good? 3 William the Conqueror built Battle Abbey 'to the memory of his victory' at which event? 4 Terence Rattigan's play A Bequest to the Nation depicts the romance between Horatio Nelson and which mistress? 5 The Sinfonia Cymru is an orchestra based in Bute Street in which city? 6 On ITV, which Scottish chef hosted the first series of Hell's Kitchen and Next Level Chef? 7 Napoleon Bonaparte lived in a pavilion on the Briars estate during his first two months on which island? 8 In Christian tradition, St Anne is the mother of which New Testament figure? 9 The UK's three native snake species are the smooth snake, adder and which creature, aka Natrix natrix? 10 In which 1933 film does Charles Laughton say: 'The things I do for England'? 11 In 1875, which Scottish-born industrialist opened his first steel plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania? 12 Which type of white blood cell has regulatory, cytotoxic and helper varieties? 13 Reading, Chieveley, Membury and Leigh Delamere are services on which motorway? 14 Which 2025 debut novel by Florence Knapp follows three alternative paths that a child's future could take? 15 Daughters of the architect Sophie Hicks, the fashion models Edie and Olympia share what surname? 16 Which Romanian was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 1945 to 1952? 17 Born in Ipswich, which former Federal Communications Commission press secretary released the albums Live Forever (2020) and Horror (2025)? 18 Volleying is not allowed in which Olympic racket sport? 19 Which rugby wing recently equalled Serge Blanco's record of 38 tries scored for France? 20 Associated with Ernest Shackleton, which ship is pictured? Scroll down for answersAnswers1 National Gallery 2 Cookie 3 Battle of Hastings 4 Lady Emma Hamilton 5 Cardiff 6 Gordon Ramsay 7 St Helena 8 Virgin Mary 9 Grass snake 10 The Private Life of Henry VIII 11 Andrew Carnegie; it was called the J Edgar Thomson Steel Works 12 T cell or T lymphocyte 13 M4 14 The Names. The titular names are Bear, Julian and Gordon 15 Campbell 16 Sergiu Celibidache 17 Bartees Strange 18 Table tennis 19 Damian Penaud 20 Endurance
