FILLING THE GAP LEFT BY EISTEDDFOD
THE first week of August has always been a busy time for the thousands of people who either attend or compete in the National Eisteddfod. But as the festival is postponed again this year, a huge gap has been created in Wales’ cultural and social calendar.
S4C will be offering a variety of entertainment in a full and exciting schedule for any Eisteddfod-goer who is missing being able to visit the festival again this year
Elen Rhys, S4C’s Entertainment Commissioner said: “S4C will be offering something for all tastes by presenting an exciting variety of content from the Eisteddfod throughout the week.
“One of the main developments since last year is that the competitions will be playing a prominent role in our programming, with S4C broadcasting throughout the week from Central Square in Cardiff.
“There will also be a chance to celebrate the success of the winners of the main Gorsedd competitions in ceremonies which will be very different to usual and will be held in the evening during the highlights programme on S4C.”
There will be daily live programmes on S4C from Monday, August 2, to Friday, August 6, from 3pm to 6pm with Nia Roberts presenting. Jennifer Jones will be presenting a nightly programme looking back at the day’s highlights between 8pm and 9.25pm.
During the week, there will be several special programmes on S4C beginning on Friday with Maes B: Merched yn Gwneud Miwsig (Women Making Music) – an hour-long programme which celebrates the contribution women have made to Welsh music.
Filmed in the Eisteddfod warehouse in Llanybydder, this special programme includes performances from Adwaith, Thallo, Eadyth, Hana Lili, Gwenno Morgan and Casi Wyn and is presented by Sian Eleri (BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio Cymru).
On Saturday night there will be highlights from the Eisteddfod Gudd (Hidden Eisteddfod) concert – Cyngerdd yr Eisteddfod Gudd 2021 – filmed across two days on an outdoor stage in Aberystwyth.
With Ffion Emyr and Gethin Evans leading us through the event, there will be performances from some of Wales’ top artists including Eden, Yr Ods, Huw Chiswell, Candelas and Welsh of the West End.
The Eisteddfod wouldn’t be the same without the cymanfa ganu (congregational singing) so the Cymanfa Ganu Eisteddfod AmGen 2021 will be broadcast on S4C on Sunday at 8pm from the Eisteddfod Gudd stage in Aberystwyth.
As well as celebrating the cymanfa tradition, this year brings an opportunity to explore and experiment with traditional hymns as well as honouring the familiar hymns under the versatile musician Huw Foulkes.
This is a lonely and challenging time for many, so the cymanfa will celebrate bringing everybody together in a period where we have spent so much time apart.
Côrdydd will be performing arrangements of the hymns Pantyfedwen and Builth by Jeffrey Howard, who puts a new spin on some of our most familiar hymns.
There will also be new jazz arrangements of one or two hymns by some of our most talented artists, Mared Williams, Jalisa Andrews and Gwyn Owen, plus special guests. The event will be presented by Iwan Griffiths.
The Cymanfa Ganu brings a week of special programmes to an end – but for those who want to re-live some of the festival’s highlights there will be a special programme on Saturday, August 14 – Uchafbwyntiau Eisteddfod AmGen 2021.
For further information
S4C website www.s4c.cymru