Noson Lawen
It’s been busy again. But I can’t complain too loudly because the things I’ve been busy with have been quite fun.
On Saturday last week me and Y Derwentydd (something like a folk band I’m sometimes in) did a gig at Nottingham Welsh Society’s Noson Lawen. I was quite pleased with how it went. We did a twenty-minute set – two guitars, melodeon, whistles, me on harp and flute and our pal Jenny on fiddle. We’re due to record a CD pretty soon. Don’t ask me how I get myself into these things.
Talking of CDs, Friday’s busyness was taking my boy chorister to an Arts Competition. He came joint first with another treble earning a very respectable 83 points. I’m jolly proud of him and our next project is a recording of him singing his repertoire before that soaring treble fades away forever. It’s hard not to feel a bit tragic and weepy about that change on its way, but that’s what makes boys’ voices so beautiful I think – the fact that they’re a gift for such a short space of time and so rarely trained to be at their best. I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to work with boys like this.
Monday evening ended up with me in the Theological College in Nottingham recording a radio programme in Welsh where I met Dafydd Iwan. I was flattered to be asked to answer a question about student fees, despite it being a goodly while since I was at university. I guess compared to most of the others in the room I was the nearest to student there. It was fun though a bit terrifying having a microphone shoved in your face. Still, beats having a microphone stand meet your toe. Poor Ed.