The Ontario Welsh Festival, 2006
 As I drove home from Stratford
after an exhilarating weekend, the question I kept asking myself was "What were the highlights of this year's
Ontario Welsh Festival?" Everyone will have a different opinion but I hope you won't mind if I share mine
with you.
Top of my list is Sheryl
Clay. Her soprano solos, especially her exquisite rendition of "Y Nefoedd' are still prominent in my memories.
Sheryl's performances at Saturday night's concert and Sunday's two Cymanfa sessions were truly wonderful. However,
Y Nefoedd was superb. We were so blessed that Sheryl agreed to be Cantorion Pontarddulais's soloist. Originally
from Gilfach Goch, South Wales, she is well known and loved in the Ontario Welsh community. We are very proud of
her.
The pinnacle of the Festival
weekend is the Gymanfa. This year's Gymanfa was one of the best that I have experienced. We gave our all to conductor
Ifor Miles, the director of the guest choir, Cantorion Pontarddulais. The sound that was produced must have raised
the very rafters of Heaven.
David Prosser of the Stratford
Shakespearian Festival presented an excellent seminar on Saturday afternoon. He talked about the Bard's Welsh connections
-nebulous, but fascinating - and the Welsh characters in some of Shakespeare's plays. Mr. Prosser kept us spellbound,
but, unfortunately, his talk was scheduled for one hour only. A definite highlight!
This year's visiting choir
has won first prize in the National Eisteddfod five consecutive times. One of the pleasures of having a mixed choir
was a much more varied repertoire. I was especially affected by Y Tangnefeddwyr (The Peace Makers) - especially
commissioned for Cantorion Pontarddulais, and sung to the words of pacifist poet Waldo Williams. The poem was written
during World War 2 when Waldo could see Swansea burning as a result of the bombing.
In spite of the overwhelming
success of the weekend, there were some gaps. I missed Myfanwy Bajaj's inimitable emceeing of the Noson Lawen.
Due to ill health, she was forced at the last minute to hand over to Gwyn Jones, a member of the visiting choir.
We also missed the Rev. Deian Evans and Annette. Annette was rushed to Emergency as a result of eye problems. I
am delighted to report that she is recovering well.
A special "Diolch yn
fawr" to the Rev. John Gratton Roberts for standing in for Deian at Sunday morning's service.
I heard nothing but positive
comments the entire weekend. Thank you everyone who attended and especially those who participated in any way to
ensure the success of the weekend. The Board announces that Hefina Phillips has taken over the position of President
with the Rev. Deian Evans as Vice-President. Gwen Dobson and Margaret Williams remain Treasurer and Secretary respectively.
Other Board members are David Pugh, Past President, and Trustees Mabel Hastings, Betty Cullingworth, Barbara Coulton,
Arun Bajaj, Trish Stevenson, Hywel Pritchard, Alison Lawson and Myfanwy Bajaj.
Hope to see you all at the
Holiday Inn in downtown Kingston in 2007.
Hefina Phillips
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