Eisteddfod returns tomorrow with musical showcases
Musicians across the island are fine-tuning their instruments and warming up their vocal cords in preparation for the return of the Eisteddfod.
The event will begin tomorrow at 2pm with a piano sonata. This marks the start of two weeks of musical showcases at the Beau Sejour.
The adjudicator for this section, Christopher Field, will arrive tomorrow morning from the UK.
Though new to the local Eisteddfod, Mr Field brings a wealth of experience as an adjudicator, diploma examiner, teacher and conductor. As a schoolboy, he sang at the coronation service of the late Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey and played double bass in the London Schools Symphony Orchestra. He went on to become a schoolmaster and for over 40 years, his published teaching works have appeared in examination syllabuses.
Music coordinator Katherine Wegerer said that tickets for some of the musical pieces this year had been selling fast, despite numbers being slightly down due to the crossover from the dance festival. She expects Friday night’s performance, Songs from The Shows, to be particularly popular and the variety of performances will have something for everyone. There will also be a Jersey choir competing in Sunday’s sacred music day at Les Capelles Church.
‘We decided years ago to make every session like a concert,’ said Eisteddfod secretary Barbara Minta. ‘You’ve got some strings, some brass, some piano, some singing... that way people have a variety to watch.’
Mrs Wegerer said new to this year will be a scratch band, which entails bringing a selection of individual musicians together to form a band at short notice. This will take place on the final Saturday evening.
‘We will tell them at some point on the Saturday what song they’ve got to play or sing and they can do whatever they like with it. But they’ve only got a few hours to prepare and then they’ve got to get on stage and do it,’ she said.
The scratch band will be among the ‘fun ones’ for the last night, along with the novelty songs and a grade one-a-thon where musicians are assigned an instrument they’ve never played before and have six weeks to learn before they are due to perform.
‘The first year we did it was hilarious,’ said Mrs Minta.
‘One man was playing the piano and had all of the names of the notes stuck on there so he could see what he was doing, it’s very funny.’
A couple of the trophies for this year, however, are still missing. Anyone in possession of any trophies that should have been returned is asked to contact one of the Eisteddfod directors.
Key Eisteddfod dates
Music: 6-15 March at Beau Sejour (except Sunday 9 March when some sacred music competitions will be held at Les Capelles Methodist Church)
Speech and Drama: 17-22 March
Ticketed Sessions
Music: Friday 7 March – 7pm; Wednesday 12 March – 7pm
Speech & Drama: Thursday 20 March – 6.30pm; Saturday 22 March – 2pm; Saturday 22 March – 6.30pm
Gala Night – Beau Sejour
8 April, 7pm
Ticket Booking: From 6 March – 8am online at www.guernseytickets.gg or at the island’s box offices
Exhibition
18-22 March at Beau Sejour, David Ferguson Hall
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am – 6.30pm.
Thursday 9am-8pm
Saturday 9am-5pm
Eisteddfod Expo – Royal Court
Monday 24th March – Thursday 3rd April, 9am to 4.30pm daily
Friday 4th April, 9am to 12pm
(free entrance)
French
27 March, at Beau Sejour Saumarez Room
Guernesiais
Junior Competitions – Monday 10 March (morning) at Beau Sejour
Adults Competitions – Saturday 29 March, at Beau Sejour Saumarez Room
Artistic Roller Skating
Saturday 26 April at Beau Sejour.
