This concert was an absolutely fantastic start to the 2007 Criccieth Festival! A very special thanks to the sponsors, Carl Kammerling International and Salvi Harps, for enabling the 20 piece New World Ensemble (more akin to a mini orchestra than the name implies) to perform at Criccieth Festival. Conductor Andy Long, also played solo/first violin, did all the introductions and was even game to do a comedy routine at the end! Nobody had enough energy to play an encore, having expended all their energy on a fabulous programme (see left) with Flautist Nicola Phillips and harpist Deian Rowlands joining them for Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp. A tremendous, memorable night, so shame on the no-shows! Some of the comments overheard during the interval and after the concert speak for themselves:

"No wonder they were invited to play for the Royal Family. That was fit for a Queen" (reference to Nicola and Deian playing for HM's 80th birthday).
"The harp was played with puckish glee, which was intoxicating and infectious!"
"What a joyous performance! It has left my heart singing!"
"It is one of the most memorable highlights of our visit to Wales" (two tourists disappointed by the lack of live music during their stay in "the Land of Song")
"I never knew classical music could be so much fun"
"It is the first time I have heard the whole of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in concert... And I must say Andy Long's introduction to each season increased my enjoyment a lot."
"What a fantastic start... People will be kicking themselves they missed it".
"What an extraordinary experience! I can still feel bubbles of happiness rising up inside me"
"I will need a very strong nightcap to bring me back down to earth..."
"I am on a real high, without a hint of substance abuse!"
"Not only talent, but personality... their joy and enjoyment (playing) was tangible"
"Andy Long played, conducted AND spoke... He must have been exhausted, but he certainly made it 100% accessible to big low brows like me"
"That is a man with a fiddle and with an attitude... Look out Nigel Kennedy, is all I can say..."

What a night! tabove: New World Ensemble taking a bow at the Criccieth Memorial Hall  below: Arnold Kammerling of sponsors CKI Ltd. with Nicola Phillips and Deian Rowlands The lively programme delighted the audience.

Sunday: Plant Fair and David of the White Rock

Fundraising Plant Fair: Ty'n y Berllan, Lôn Ednyfed, Criccieth
Sir Jeremy (left), Lady Chance and daughter, Victoria, kindly opened their garden to raise funds for the festival. Delicious teatime treats were served on the terrace above this beautifully designed garden in what was a former orchard. A variety of plants and herbs changed hands on the lawns of 'The House in the Orchard', as did advice on various gardening matters, thanks to the plantsmen who also took part in this highly popular event. And as can be seen left, Sir Jeremy needed his straw hat, on what turned out to be a very sunny and jolly hot summer's afternoon. Whilst tea was being served at Ty'n y Berllan...

...a sellout concert was taking place just down the road at St. Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn in Pentrefelin: David of the White Rock performed by Harriet Earis & Gwenan Gibbard (left) here standing with harps at the graveside of Dafydd y Garreg Wen (front) with church warden Suzanne Milliard and Gill Green (far right). Photo: Paul Rook

A beautiful sunny Summer's day, an historic little church in a wildly romantic location steeped in myth and legend. What better venue for two gifted Celtic harpists to woo their audience? The church was beautifully decorated by custodian, Suzanne Millard and friends. The audience sang the praises of both harpists, and were captivated by Gwenan Gibbard's natural singing voice. Day two of Gwyl Criccieth Festival proved yet again, that small can be very beautiful.

Monday: Festival Luncheon and Amigos
The Amigos with Billy Thompson
Wow! What a night! Maybe a glass of wine helped the audience unwind, but everyone seemed to loosen up even more for the second half of this gig. What was billed as "a contagious mix of Gypsy influenced music from all around the World", it was certainly that -- and more! The Amigos line-up of Gary Phillips and Andy King on guitar, Andy "Wal" Coughlan on double bass and Nigel Hopkins on accordion were joined by Billy Thompson (fiddle) of Paraphernalia fame. They performed a whole gamut of styles, from Hot Club classics and Latin rhumbas to classic jazz riffs and Hungarian Gypsy music. Finally, Billy danced round the whole hall, up and down aisles, up, over and on chairs, fiddling all the way! Yes, this gig really did live up to the blurb on the packet, and more some! Tremendous fun for everyone, even the stuffiest jazz dummies!

Tuesday: Morning Recital
Caryl Hughes mezzo soprano Joseph Middleton piano

Originally from Aberdaron, Caryl is regarded as a local talent worth keeping an eye on. She recently completed her studies at the Royal Academy of Music and has been accepted at the newly established Academy of Voice in Cardiff. Accompanied by Joseph Middleton, her programme included music by Rossini, Obradors, Grieg, Granados, Faure and traditional Welsh songs.

Wednesday: Flower Festival, Piano Concert, DLG Lecture
The Church of the Holy Spirit, Caernarfon Road, Criccieth
Flower Festival -- Our Church in the World of 1957
The variety and scope of the arrangements are truly, "more adventurous each year". 2007 was a celebratory festival to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the church building.  More photographs (high resolution suitable for printing will be uploaded in due course).

The exhibits celebrated the world both within and outside the church. Elvis and his Blue Suede shoes (being admired by church warden, Mary Hughes left) as just one of the "takes" on 1957. Other subjects included the 50th anniversary of the independence of Ghana, ladies' fashion in 1957, start of the space race with the launch of the sputnik, the founding of Mowtown Records, Golden Wedding celebrations, the signing of the Treaty of Rome, Manchester winning the Championships, Siegfried Sassoon winning the Queen's Gold Medal for poetry and Church of the Holy Spirit 1957-2007 photographic and memorabilia display with flowers on the steps up to the altar. Not forgetting the "spaghetti tree" in the entrance... Yes, that famous BBC April Fool's hoax on Panorama was also fifty years ago!

From Russia with Love: Evgenia Startseva & Yuri Paterson-Olenich

Yuri started off by playing several of the parts from Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky. An impressive performance without the aid of sheet music, it was nevertheless unfortunate he had not been advised to play with the lid down on the concert grand piano, which proved much too harsh and resonant for Russian technique at this venue. For the second half, Evgenia joined her husband to play six Epigraphes Antiques by Claude Debussy followed by Fantasy in F minor for four hands by Franz Schubert. Adolf Ruthardt's arrangement Peer Gynt Suite No 1 by Edvard Grieg ended the concert on a high note. Less "From Russia with Love" and more from Russia with technical skill and enthusiasm for their music to a level which can only be learned at conservatories across the breadth of Europe.

David Lloyd George Memorial Lecture by Baroness Williams of Crosby

Baroness Williams follows a line of well-known politicians and distinguished figures to give the DLG Memorial Lecture, however, she was the first to arrive a tad late due to a bomb scare! It could be said (possibly with the exception of Paddy Ashdown's) that this year's lecture was by far the most engaging of the series. By addressing social justice, both today and in an historical context, it was completely "in DLG's footsteps" in spirit. The sell-out audience were also treated to a question and answer session in conclusion. Born in 1930, Baroness Williams joined the Labour party at the age of fourteen, which means this energetic woman who was still shaking hands and engaging in debate late into the evening, has been a political activist for over half a century. She has lost none of her passion or astuteness over that time. Footnote: Baroness Williams planted a tree at the Lloyd George Museum, before returning to London to take part in Any Questions on BBC Radio 4, although she had intended staying in Wales to research her family tree for a couple of days. For a short history of the DLG lectures, see here

Gang of Three?
Shirley Williams (centre) with sponsor Greta George (left) and Annwen Carey-Evans (right) who introduced the guest speaker.

Thursday: Children's Concert and Sacconi Quartet

Polyphonic Brass Quintet Concert for Children:
They were extremely excited about returning to the Criccieth Festival and their audience certainly enjoyed their fun music along with lots of noisy audience participation! There is a space here for one of any of the children who attended this concert to write a review. Please email or post to the festival office with name and age written clearly on it. Include a drawing if you would like to.

The Sacconi String Quartet + David Campbell

Since appearing at Criccieth Festival 2006, the talented young Sacconi String Quartet with Ben Hancox, violin, Hannah Dawson, violin, Robin Ashwell, viola, and Cara Berridge, cello have received an Angel Award from The Herald newspaper for outstanding performances at the Edinburgh Festival. This year Sacconi were joined by established clarinettist David Campbell, who is internationally recognised as one of Britain's finest musicians. The programme kicked off with Schubert's String Quartet and the first half was completed with the more challenging Brahms's Clarinet Quintet. The second half was dedicated completely to the better known Clarinet Quintet in A, K581 by Mozart. They all enjoyed playing for a warm and appreciative Criccieth audience and will be playing elsewhere throughout the UK this summer, before going on tour to the Continent in September. Footnote of local interest: Mair Newman, Cara's proud grandmother who used to live at 10 Marine Terrace travelled over from Anglesey for this concert. Sacconi Quartet with David Campbell relaxing after their concert left

Friday: Afternoon Talk and Operatic Evening Concert
Winner of the National Eisteddfod Chair in 2001 and the Crown in 2003, Dr Mererid Hopwood made a welcome return to Criccieth Festival to give her talk "Singing in Chains". In her own inimitable way, she took us on a brief journey through the history of "cynghanedd" and the joy of composing contemporary verse. Talking in English, it was a rare opportunity for non-Welsh speakers or Welsh learners to learn about writing in this strict form.

Cardiff International Academy of Voice

Pianist Michael Pollock combined his role as accompanist with that of compare for the evening. His instructive and often witty introductions helped hold the programme together. He gave Dennis O'Neill's apology for not being present at the first performance by the Cardiff International Academy of Voice in North Wales (he is currently in Australia) and read his message of good will for the evening and the continued success of Criccieth Festival, which he remembers with affection having performed here back in 1988.

The audience were enchanted by all three young singers who will soon be appearing at venues around the world. A programme of solo performances was interspersed by three duets -- Bizet's famous Pearl Fishers, Fuggi, crudele, fuggi! from Don Giovanni, Gershwin's  Bess, you is my woman now, and Michael Pollock's own arrangement of Somewhere from West Side Story performed by all three singers

This reviewer tips on Korean baritone Seung-Wook Seong above right going far fast, because his laid-back, leisurely yet assured stage presence along with graceful, understated gesture all helped to captivate his audience no less than his Rich Big Voice. Norah King's rendition of two Irish ballads from her homeland showed her ability to jump genre admirably - no mean feat for any classically trained soprano voice. Gergely Nemeti from Romania, will need to acquire a little more stagecraft to compliment his terrific tenor tones if he is to make any impression on the world stage.

The penultimate concert of this year's festival was a definite hit with the small but non-the-less appreciative North Wales audience. Let us trust Cardiff Academy will be back with more hand-picked singers, despite the very disappointing turnout for these young international guests this time around.

Saturday: Grand Festival Finale + Firework Display
Venue: The Memorial Hall, Criccieth
The fine timbre of the Rhos Male Voice Choir, soprano Margaret Williams, pianist Annette Bryn Parry with her Band and Japanese Harp/Koto player Hiroko Sue (left) brought the 20th Gwyl Criccieth Festival to a close in a grand
Festival Finale
What looked a little incongruous on paper, worked well enough on the night, although the programme was somewhat fractured by giving the main performers alternating slots. It was a Choir-Williams-Sue turnabout for both halves of the evening.
Slate Train (A470 Suite) written by Hiroko Sue and one of the pieces which celebrates her time in Wales, was well received, considering most of the audience had never heard of a koto before and are unfamiliar with Japanese music tradition. Sue's poise, youthful freshness and obvious delight made the old trooper Margaret Williams look jaded, but then she has been pounding the boards for longer than anyone cares to admit. Needless to say, the Choir were and remained the main attraction of the evening performing a rousing finale, before the audience dispersed to various vantage points around Criccieth to enjoy the real "finale" of every festival...

Firework Display over Criccieth Castle

Yes, Criccieth Festival ended with a bang once again! A tremendous sight at a unique site and just in time as the penetrating drizzle turned into pretty heavy rain soon after the last burst of colour. Following the wettest June since records began, it could have been a great deal worse both on the final night and during the whole festival week.