Welsh learners, or Welsh speakers who want a bit more practice, come down to the LWC on Thursday evenings at 7 and join the Cylch!

Dewch i gael sgwrs yn Gymraeg a chwrdd â ffrindiau newydd. Mae’r cylch yn croesawu dysgwyr o bob safon sy eisiau ymarfer eu cymraeg, ac hefyd, Cymry Cymraeg sy eisiau ein helpu ni. Mae’n cyfle i gael sgwrs mewn awyrgylch cymdeithasol gyda ffrindiau newydd a hen.

Dyn ni’n cwrdd bob nos Iau o saith o’r gloch ymlaen yng nghanolfan Cymry Llundain yn y bar.

In October the London Welsh Centre played host to the finest Welsh singing talent all fighting it out to be named Young Welsh Singer of the Year 2009.  For a full report see the London Welsh Magazine, but here are a few shots of the competitors courtesy of John Downing:

Not put off by the nights drawing in and winter approaching, a party of over 40 choristers and supporters of the Gwalia Male Voice Choir braved the early November elements on a trip to Antwerp for a weekend of hwyl, camaraderie, beer and song.

The many younger choristers embarking on their first Gwalia trip nervously wondered what travelling mishaps would ensue, whether their bar repertoire would be up to it and whether they would be able to take the pace! The warning signs were there as Eurostar over-indulgence resulted in a couple of example-setting choristers ending up in Holland!

Fortunately we all managed to gather on the Saturday evening, with the choir performing a concert with the mandolin ensemble, Royal Estudiantina “La Napolitaine” at the cosy Sint-Antoniuskerk Church in the small town of Edegem on the outskirts of Antwerp.  The church had a fantastic acoustic and mandolinists and choristers combined to overcome broken strings, creaking floor boards and the chill in the air to put on a great performance for a very welcoming and appreciative audience.  As well as performing individually, the Gwalia and La Napolitaine combined to perform a number of songs from their respective repertoires, including “Myfanwy” and “In a Persian Market”.

Food and refreshments had kindly been arranged by Gwalia vice-president Winnie Desair and after the bar staff decided it was time to let the beer flow, so did the singing.  A number of choristers proved that you’re never too old to stand on a chair and give it some welly!  One of the highlights for me was the rendition of “We are climbing up Sunshine Mountain” lead expertly by baritone Steve Davies.

It was back to the hotel for some to make sure that the grand piano in the bar wasn’t gathering dust and welcome returning choristers as the sun began to rise on a beautiful Sunday morning in Antwerp.  After a power nap, some breakfast provided an opportunity to check on the health of fellow choristers and then it was back to London on the Eurostar with the feeling of satisfaction (just about!) masking the hangover.

I had been looking forward to my first tour with the Gwalia and it certainly didn’t disappoint.  Indeed it proved once again what a friendly and welcoming bunch the Gwalia choristers and supporters are with old and young, mingling, singing and drinking together.  A big thank you to Steve Davies and Dave Hurlbut of the Gwalia and our host and Gwalia vice-president, Winnie Desair, for their sterling work with the organisation.  Also thank you to Royal Estudiantina “La Napolitaine” who we hope to be able to welcome back to the London Welsh Centre in the near future. 

Looking forward in anticipation to the next time the Gwalia take to the road.

Michael Brown (2nd tenor)

Magnificent Meinir kicks of "An evening with...." in style. Picture: "Christian Feature"

As part of the LWC Entertainment Committee’s effort to establish the Centre as a major venue on the Welsh music scene, the LWC introduced ‘An evening with Meinir Gwilym’ in October.  The evening was an outstanding success with the bar full to the brim of members and international guests.  Meinir, an acclaimed singer-songwriter from Anglesey, is established as one of the best selling Welsh language artists and the LWC bar proved a perfect setting for her inspired compositions and her unique voice.

Meinir’s punchy lyrics, catchy melodies and command of the guitar (which has earned her an international endorsement from Yamaha) made for a very entertaining set.  She composes all of her own songs and she is able to deliver the intensity of her words with tenderness, emotion and comedy in equal measure.  Meinir’s previous albums have seen her being awarded BBC Radio Cymru’s ‘Composer of the Year’ and ‘Best Female Artist’, and her latest album ‘Tombola’ features Bryn Terfel.  Meinir’s set included a touching rendition of ‘Hâf’’ (‘Summer’) a song about a summer full of hope but one that brings nothing but rain, ‘Siglo dy Sail’ (‘Shaky foundations’) a gritty song about the cyclicality of destructive relationships and a couple of English numbers including Meinir’s own called ‘Land’, about the simplicity of life, and a beautiful cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘You’re gonna make me lonesome’.

Meinir Gwilym at a packed London Welsh Centre

Meinir, who is also a roaming reporter for Welsh daily magazine show “Wedi 7” had spent the day interviewing LWC members. The show also featured the first ever performance by a new young choir recruited by LWC member, Mike Williams and conducted by Dr. Haydn James.  The choir, mostly composed of singers under 30, produce a very special sound, and all the choir is lacking is a name!  Suggestions range from “Only Well Endowed” to “Boyos in Black”.  Members of the LWC are welcome to participate in the name-quest by sending suggestions to: pencerdd@hotmail.com.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next instalment of the “An Evening With…” / “Noson Yng Nghwmni…” which should continue in December! All of Meinir’s albums, including “Tombola” can be purchased via ITunes or www.cerddystwyth.co.uk.

If you just want to hang out with other Welsh people, come and have a drink at the bar.  We show Welsh TV, we have Welsh beer on tap and when Wales are playing there’s always a big crowd to watch the rugby and football on the big screen.

If you are passing by, drop in and head upstairs where Dave Jones has been serving thirsty Welshmen and women for the past 15 years.  No one knows the LWC like Dave so for everything from tales of Tom Jones’ visits, to finding out how we get S4C in London, Dave’s your man.