UPDATE . . 07.05.08 . . . UPDATE . . 07.05.08 . . UPDATE . .07.05.08. . UPDATE . . . 07.05.08

 

YMARFERIADAU NESA' : NEXT REHEARSALS

Dydd Sul / Sunday 11.05.2008 @ 1400

CROESO I BAWB - ALL WELCOME

Ystafell yr Eglwys Santes Fair, Betws y Coed

St Mary's Church Room, Betws y Coed

NEXT CONCERT:- 14th June, WHITTINGTON

(Contact the choir Secretary for further information)

 

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NEW VICE CHAIRMAN

During the last rehearsal ,Cantorion members were very pleased to welcome John Puw, (first Tenor and a popular Choir soloist ) as their new Vice Chairman, in succession to Geraint Anwyl.

Concert in ROWEN ,CONWY VALLEY on 3rd May

Cantorion Colin Jones opened its 2008 concert season with a successful event in the delightful village of ROWEN on Saturday last, the 3rd MAY. The concert was in aid of funds for the Urdd Eisteddfod being held in the region this year. Many of the choir members had not had the opportunity to visit this beautiful little village, somewhat hidden away from the main Conwy valley, but all were very pleased to have the chance to support such a worthwhile cause and in such ideal surroundings. The concert was held in the local chapel and a large audience was treated to a typical Cantorion Colin Jones performance.The choir and soloists were rewarded with much warm applause which added greatly to the evening's enjoyment for everyone. There was special recognition for local member and choir 2nd Bass Jon Hughes who together with his colleague and local farmer, Tom Owens , had worked so hard on behalf of the choir to participate in the concert . Cantorion is especially grateful for their efforts and those of the organising committee who had prepared a very welcome buffet for choristers who had travelled long distances to attend. Of course,after the concert there was the usual 'warm down' in a local inn. Cantorion wish the very best for the success of the Urdd Eisteddfod later this year and no doubt some members will be reflecting on their previous experiences as competitors and participants in such events in years gone by!

 

TEYRNGED Y CADEIRYDD

  A dyn yw ef

O'i gymryd oll i gyd

Nas gwelaf i ei debyg

Byth eto yn lle'n byd. ( Shakespeare )

Sylwais ar y dyfyniad yma, yn Saesneg, wrth gerdded ar lan afon ym mis Chwefror mewn parc yn nhref Lismore, Awstralia. Gan fy mod ar wyliau estynedig er y Tachwedd cynt bum yn meddwl am yr hyn a gollais gyda'r Cantorion yn ystod y cyfnod yma, yn enwedig y canu, yr hwyl, y cyfeillgarwch ac, fe gredaf, un miri teledu mawr go arbennig. Wrth weld y dyfyniad yn arysgrifenedig yn y parc fe sylweddolais pa mor addas ydoedd i ddisgrifio Colin Jones a'r cyfraniad nodedig a wnaeth i‘r traddodiad corau meibion yng Nghymru a thu hwnt dros yr hanner canrif diwethaf.

Bûm yn aelod o'r Cantorion am ddegawd a mwy a chael y fraint o fod yn gadeirydd am y bum mlynedd diwethaf. Yn yr ennyd hwnnw o fyfyrdod fe'i teimlais yn bwysig, onid yn ddyletswydd, i fynegi fy niolchgarwch a'm hedmygedd o ymdrechion Colin ac yn enwedig ei lafur gyda'r Cantorion. ‘Rwyf yn siwr fy mod yn siarad dros gantorion y gorffennol a'r presennol, yn ogystal â'r llu cyfeillion ac edmygwyr y Cantorion.

Ar unryw fesur gwr diymhongar yw Colin. Tybiaf nad yw Colin yn sylweddoli pa mor arwyddocaol fu ei gyfraniad a chymaint y parch a enynnodd o'r herwydd. Mae'n amheuaeth gennyf hefyd os yw'n sylweddoli maint yr edmygedd a'r hoffter sydd iddo ymysg y nifer dirifedi sy'n dymuno'n dda iddo a'r llu unigolion, yn unawdwyr ac aelodau corau, a dderbyniodd ei gymorth hael dros y blynyddoedd. Gwr tawel yw Colin hefyd, yn berffaith fodlon i fod yn y cefndir tra bo'r côr yn derbyn cymeradwyaeth ac eraill yn ennill clod. Rhydd o'i amser a'i adnoddau yn hael i'r côr hefyd, yn hollol ddi-gwyn ac yn amlwg fe'i had-delir yn ewyllysgar gan yr hogie, yr hen a'r ieuanc, y profiadol a'r newydd-ddyfodiaid fel ei gilydd.

I'r rhai sydd wedi cael y pleser o ganu iddo mae dull Colin o addysgu, ymarfer ac arwain yn chwedlonol. Nid yw'n arddangosiadol, yn chwifio'i freichiau fel melin wynt. Gwell ganddo yw'r cyfarwyddyd distaw, a bys arwyddocaol, y codi aeliau neu'r ‘edrychiad arbennig. ' Yn gerddor wrth reddf mae ganddo ffordd reddfol a rhyfeddol o ddehongli cerddoriaeth corau meibion, wedi ei hogi gan ei flynyddoedd o ddysgu sut i gynhyrchu'r llais unigol, ei brofiad o wres cystadlu o'r safon uchaf ac o'r holl fympwyon sy'n gysylltiedig â beirniadu. Mae o hefyd yn ymwybodol iawn o ddisgwyliadau ac ymateb y gwrandawyr gan ei fod wedi cynnal cynifer o gyngherddau dros y blynyddoedd ar gyfer gwahanol gynulleidfaoedd mewn amryw leoedd ac mewn llawer gwlad.

Yn llythrennol mae Colin yn arwain o'r tu blaen gan rhoi ystyr i'w anghenion gydag eglurebau syml a doniol, lleisiol ac offerynnol, er mawr foddhad a deall i'r cantorion, ac fe'i gwobrwyir yntau gan eu teyrngarwch. Weithiau mae ei ddull digynnwrf a chynnil yn cuddio manylder trylwyr a dyfnder deall o'r hyn sydd ei angen a'r ffordd orau i'w gyflawni. Fel arfer fe gyrhaeddir y nod ac mae sain y Cantorion (neu sain Colin Jones) yn unigryw ac yn adnabyddus yng Nghymru ac mewn gwledydd tramor.

Mae'n debyg y gall gwell sylwebyddion na mi roi adroddiad gwell a thrafod yn fwy rhesymegol a llai gorddrychol am Colin ond fe dybiaf na fynn neb wadu nad oes fawr neb yr oes hon, wedi cyflawni cymaint. Yn syml, mae Colin yn unigryw ac am hynny'n unig ‘rwyf yn bersonol ddiolchgar iddo. Hir y parhao Colin i godi cerrig miltir i nodi datblygiad y Cantorion ar ‘ffordd cynnydd.' Ffodus ydym o'i gael fel ein sylfaenydd a'n cyfarwyddwr cerdd.

A CHAIRMAN'S TRIBUTE

‘He (is) a man.

Take him all in all

I shall not look

upon his like again'. (Shakespeare)

  I noted this quotation whilst strolling around a riverside park in the town of Lismore , Australia , one day in February. Having been on extended vocation since the previous November, I had been thinking about what I had possibly missed with Cantorion during this period, especially the singing, the fun, the friendship and I believe a special TV extravaganza! Seeing the quotation inscribed on a park feature made me realise how well it also ‘fitted' Colin Jones and the remarkable contribution he has made to the male voice choral traditions in Wales and elsewhere over the last 50 years.

I have been a member of Cantorion for over a decade and also privileged to have been its chairman for the last five years, and in that moment of reflection felt it important , if not an obligation, to express my own admiration and gratitude for his efforts and especially his work with Cantorion. I'm sure I also speak on behalf of choristers past and present and the many choir ‘friends' and admirers.

A very modest man, measured by any standard, I guess that Colin doesn't realise how significant this contribution has been and how well he is respected for it. I doubt whether he also knows the high regard and affection in which he is held by countless well-wishers and the many individuals,(soloists and choristers), he has helped over the years. He is also a quiet man, happy to stand in the background while his choir takes the applause and others the centre stage. Generous too, ready to give of his time freely and much else, to support his choir without complaint and excuse. Clearly, his loyalty is readily reciprocated by the ‘boys,' old and young, the experienced and newcomer alike.

Colin's way of teaching, rehearsing and conducting is legendary with those who have had the opportunity to sing for him. He is not demonstrative, aiming his arms and hands in all directions. He prefers quiet direction with a discreet finger point, a raised eyebrow or with his ‘special look'. A ‘natural musician' he has an uncanny and instinctive way of interpreting male choral singing , undoubtedly honed over the many years he has been involved with teaching individual voice production, with the heat of choral competition at the highest level and with the associated vagaries of adjudication. He is also very sensitive to listener expectation and reaction, having performed over the years many concerts for differing audiences in all sorts of venues in a number of countries.

He leads from the front, literally, and qualifies his actions by simple and generally humorous explanation and demonstration, with voice and piano, which choristers understand and enjoy; their loyalty is a just reward. His sometimes casual and understated approach belies an underlying attention to detail and a depth of understanding of what is required and how best to achieve it. He usually gets it and the Cantorion(or Colin Jones ) sound is both distinctive and well recognised in Wales and abroad.

I've no doubt that better commentators than me will provide more reasoned and less subjective accounts and critiques of Colin than I, but I'm sure no one will argue that in this day and age few will cast a similar shadow of achievement. Quite simply, he is unique, and for that alone I am personally grateful. Long may he continue to build the milestones marking Cantorion's progress on this ‘road of achievement'. We are lucky to have him as our founder and musical director.

TB. March 2008