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Mainly Village Halls Tour

Published Saturday 16 April 2022

Sinfonia Cymru launches its Mainly Village Halls Tour –
Live performances at 20 rural venues during May 

Sinfonia Cymru will take on a national tour of Wales this May, and it’s doing it in style with 20 live performances at 20 rural venues. The Mainly Village Halls Tour was originally planned for the orchestra’s 25th birthday in 2021, but Covid meant the tour had to be postponed until now.

Sinfonia Cymru is a unique under-30s professional orchestra, passionate about taking high quality music to rural areas, where audiences wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to experience such concerts. Thanks to the funding from the Arts Council of Wales, and major support from the Colwinston Charitable Trust as well as other support from the Community Foundation Wales, D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, Fidelio Charitable Trust and the Oakdale Trust, Sinfonia Cymru is able to offer these performances for free, making them accessible to a wider audience in rural areas across Wales.

Peter Bellingham, Chief Executive of Sinfonia Cymru said: “We want everyone to have access to high quality music, and we hope this tour will break down the perceived barriers.  This is a great opportunity to hear some of the best young musicians in the UK at work in an informal and relaxed concert, making it accessible to people from across the communities that we’re visiting.”

If you’re not sure about classical music, don’t worry.  Sinfonia Cymru isn’t your typical orchestra! This tour will include a wide range of music, with something for everyone including children. All concerts will be chilled and informal and lasting just under an hour, with an opportunity to meet and chat to the young professional musicians after the performance.

Unlike other national tours, Sinfonia Cymru have also programmed four different concerts across Wales. Audiences in mid-Wales can enjoy a string quartet, in south Wales and the Valleys audiences can enjoy a wind group, in the south-west of Wales four cellos take centre stage, with audiences in north-west Wales enjoying a mix of harp, flute and cello. If you’ve enjoyed your local performance, why not visit a venue in another part of Wales to enjoy a different performance, all free!

The demand for these performances has been overwhelming, with venues across Wales keen to offer these unique performances for their communities.

“We had a great response to our social media shoutout for venues which led to an interview with Shân Cothi on BBC Radio Cymru. We’ve been inundated by requests by venue organisers and volunteers which shows the demand for high quality music in rural areas.” Heulwen Davies, Marketing Consultant, Sinfonia Cymru.

The Mainly Village Halls Tour kicks off in mid-Wales with the first performance at Neuadd Dyfi, Aberdyfi on the 4th of May, before travelling to Derwenlas, Cletwr in Tre’r-ddôl, Llangammarch Wells Church Institute and Carreghofa Primary School.  This first leg of the tour is partnered by Gregynog Hall, where the string quartet will be based, undertaking a week-long residency at the iconic venue.

Next, it’s on to south Wales and the Valleys on the 13th of May, starting at Blaengarw Workmen’s Hall, before going on to Porthcawl Grand Pavilion, Tylerstown Welfare Hall, The Met at Abertillery and Beaufort Hill Welfare Hall. In south-west Wales, performances are launched at Rhosygilwen on the 20th of May, then on to Peppers in Fishguard, Solva Memorial Hall, Ffarmers Village Hall and Seven Sisters Community Hall. Finally, the north-west leg of the tour opens on the 27th of May at Rhosybol Village Hall, followed by the Iorwerth Arms at Bryngwran, Pentrefelin Hall, Llanffestiniog Hall and ending at Yr Heliwr in Nefyn on Sunday the 29th of May.

This project is supported by:

Colwinston Charitable Trust

Community Foundation Wales  –  D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust  –  Fidelio Charitable Trust  –  Oakdale Trust

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