There’s a free-for-all at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on St David’s Day – with a special musical twist.
It’s free admission for everyone in honour of our patron saint and there’s an invitation to “Bring your fiddle (. . . or your tuba, recorder, bass, piccolo and marimba)” to take part in a special Welsh music-making project.
Thursday March 1st sees the launch ‘Sesiwn dros Gymru’ organised by Clera, the Society of traditional Welsh Instruments and funded by the Arts Council.
The aim is to give people right across Wales the chance to attend Welsh music and culture workshops and learn beautiful folk songs and dancing, with the expert help of some of Wales’ best musicians and performers.
The Garden event will include a free ‘taster’ session at 2pm, which is open to all.
Local organiser Helen Adam said: “Please bring any instrument you play – no matter how well or badly! Singers and listeners are also very welcome.
“We will learn a few tunes by ear, in the friendly company of professional musicians and in the fantastic surroundings of the Great Glasshouse, which is just waking up for spring. This ‘taster’ session will be followed by a very informal short performance at about 3.30.”
The music starts at 11.30am when the popular folk duo Fiddlebox will be playing.
Harpist Shelley Fairplay will be performing, too, and Lovespoon carver Tony Martin and wood turner Les Bryan will be making special St David’s Day gifts.
Heather Henderson, a member of the West Wales Herb Group, will be giving a talk on plants entitled “Poisons: fact and fiction”.
* For more information about the Sesiwn dros Gymru project, go to www.clera.org and follow the link to Sesiwn dros Gymru, check out www.sesiwn.org.uk to learn more about March 1 events, or get in touch with your local organiser: Helen Adam at [email protected]
