The inaugural Ty Cerdd Conference will take place in Cardiff this weekend with a strong emphasis on brass forming a major part of its list of attractions

The international conference event for singers and instrumentalists will be held at the imposing Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, with an opening reception at the Senedd, home of the Welsh Assembly.

Leading bands

The leading Welsh bands of Cory and Tredegar will be featured on the Friday evening, with the National Champions in concert at the Hoddinott Hall at 8.00pm with guests the Nidaros Band from Norway, whilst the British Open champion will be featured in the opening reception at 6.00pm.

Howard Snell

Both bands will also be conducted in items by Howard Snell, who is one of the high profile keynote speakers at the event, and who will be giving a special address as well as a question and answer forum hosted by 4BR Editor Iwan Fox.

Partners involved the conference include Welsh National Opera, BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) and Making Music, as well as composers Paul Mealor and Meryn Burtch and Adrian Partington from BBC National Chorus of Wales and Andrew Duncan of the Scottish Brass Band Association.

Concerts

Saturday night features a concert by BBC NOW and explores the riches of Ty Cerdd’s archive, with works by Grace Williams, Daniel Jones, Alun Hoddinott and William Mathias.

Students are granted free admission to the conference, with Ty Cerdd members charged at £5.00 and non Ty Cerdd members £20.00.

Celebration

Ty Cerdd Director Gwyn L Williams, who recently announced his hopes of being able to bring the 2019 European Brass Band Championships to Cardiff, told 4BR: "We intend this conference to be the first of many which celebrates the work of Ty Cerdd and its affiliated society members."

We intend this conference to be the first of many which celebrates the work of Ty Cerdd and its affiliated society membersDirector, Gwyn L Williams

Awards

The winner of the prestigious W.S. Gwynn Williams Award will also be announced at the Conference on Saturday June 7th.

The prize of £1,000 is presented to the society that has made the greatest progress in, or contribution to, music-making in Wales in the previous two years, and this year both City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) Band and the Cory Academy are on the short list of nominations.