At the 2013 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Côr y Cwm celebrated its fifth anniversary. The choir was formed especially in 2008 to compete at this international festival of music and dance. Since its first appearance at that Eisteddfod, Côr y Cwm has established itself as a prominent part of the Rhondda Valley’s cultural scene.

As musical directors, our aim has been to nurture young people who are proud of their heritage, their language and culture and to achieve this in an area that has witnessed a resurgence in Welsh pride and identity. As a choir, we have established a strong musical society that has grown to be one of the most successful children’s choirs in Wales. Côr y Cwm has a total of 40 members who rehearse twice a week at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn. The choir has participated in music festivals, competitions and concerts all over Wales and beyond. Without a doubt, one of our highlights was winning the first prize in the Junior Children’s Choir category at the 2009 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Following this success, the choir has had many others, including reaching the final youth choir round of the 2012 Choir of the Year competition and appearing in the final round of the 2013 S4C Côr Cymru competition, where the choir won the “viewers’ vote” prize awarded during the live broadcast. Having secured several first place prizes at the Urdd Eisteddfod, in 2012 the choir made its debut appearance at the National Eisteddfod.

The winning streak continued - Côr y Cwm took first place in the youth category for singers under 25. This was recognised as a major achievement by such a young choir. At the 2011 Llandeilo Festival the choir had the honour of sharing the stage with the celebrated Welsh harpist Catrin Finch. Another highlight for the choir was to be selected for the first Welsh performance of Karl Jenkins’s The Peacemakers, conducted by the composer himself at the Llangollen International Pavilion. The choir has received several invitations to perform as part of official events at the National Welsh Assembly, including the official royal opening of the Assembly Government by the Queen. The choir also performs at an annual charity event held at St David’s Hall, and has shared the stage with renowned artists, brass bands and orchestras in a variety of concert venues throughout Wales. To us, Côr y Cwm is much more than a choir: it’s a family. We feel privileged to share the company of so many talented and committed young performers and also their friends and families - the backbone support of the choir. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to them all for five happy years full of laughter, unforgettable experiences, kindness, priceless support and an everlasting bond of friendship.

This album is a summary of these experiences and memories, and it highlights specific stages during the choir’s five-year journey. We sincerely hope that you enjoy these performances as much as we have enjoyed recording them. The experience of recording, made at the school hall in Llwyncelyn, was pure pleasure from beginning to end. Thanks to everyone for their support over the past five years, and a special thanks to Mrs. Rhiannon Williams for her kind support and generous donation towards the cost of this recording. We look forward to an exciting future for Côr y Cwm!

Tracks -

1: Gwenllian

2: Friends

3: Hava Nageela

4: Os Oes Gen i Gân

5: Pueri Hebraeorum

6: Bring on Tomorrow

7: Hotaru Koi

8: Cymru

9: Yr Oen

10: Dwy Law yn Erfyn

11: African Noel

12: Un Ydym Ni.

Yn Eisteddfod Ryngwladol Llangollen 2013 roeddem yn dathlu pum mlynedd o fodolaeth Côr y Cwm. Ffurfiwyd y côr yn arbennig ar gyfer cystadlu yn yr wyl arbennig hon yn 2008 ac ers hynny mae’r côr wedi dod yn rhan amlwg o ferw diwylliannol Cwm Rhondda.

Ein gweledigaeth fel arweinyddes a chyfeilydd yw meithrin plant a pobl ifanc sy’n falch o’u hetifeddiaeth, eu hiaith a’u diwylliant, a hynny mewn ardal sy’n brysur adennill ei Chymreictod. Fel côr, ry’n ni wedi creu cymdeithas gref ac wedi tyfu i fod yn un o gorau plant amlycaf Cymru. Erbyn hyn, mae gan Gôr y Cwm hyd at 40 o aelodau ac ry’n ni’n cwrdd ddwywaith yr wythnos yn Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn.

Bellach, mae’r côr wedi teithio hyd a lled Cymru a thu hwnt yn cymryd rhan mewn nifer o wyliau cerddorol, cystadlaethau a chyngherddau. Heb os, un o’n huchafbwyntiau oedd dod yn fuddugol yn Eisteddfod Llangollen yng nghategori’r corau plant iau yn 2009. Ers hynny, mae’r côr wedi mynd o nerth i nerth ac wedi mwynhau profiadau a llwyddiannau niferus. Ymysg y rhain mae cyrraedd rownd derfynol y corau ieuenctid yng nghystadleuaeth Choir of the Year, 2012, cyrraedd rownd derfynol Côr Cymru, 2013, gan ennill ‘Gwobr y Gwylwyr’, ynghyd â dod yn fuddugol ar sawl achlysur yn Eisteddfodau’r Urdd. Yn 2012, mentrodd y côr am y tro cyntaf i’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol a chipio’r wobr gyntaf yno yn y gystadleuaeth i gorau ieuenctid o dan 25. Tipyn o gamp yn wir! Ry’n ni wedi cael y fraint o gwrdd a pherfformio gyda rhai o gerddorion amlycaf Cymru. Profiad arbennig iawn oedd rhannu llwyfan a chyd-berfformio gyda Catrin Finch yng Ngwˆyl Fawr Llandeilo yn 2011. Uchafbwynt arall i ni fel côr oedd perfformio The Peacemakers gan Karl Jenkins o dan arweiniad y dyn ei hun a cherddorfa broffesiynol ar lwyfan pafiliwn Llangollen. Mae’r côr wedi cael sawl gwahoddiad i ganu yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, Caerdydd a hynny unwaith i ddathlu agoriad swyddogol y Senedd yng nghwmni’r Frenhines.

Mae’r côr hefyd yn perfformio’n flynyddol mewn yngherddau elusennol yn Neuadd Dewi Sant ac mewn capeli, eglwysi a neuaddau ledled y wlad, a hynny yng nghwmni bandiau pres, artistiaid adnabyddus a cherddorfeydd blaenllaw. I ni, mae Côr y Cwm fel ail deulu. Ry’n ni’n cael modd i fyw yng nghwmni plant talentog ac ymroddgar Cwm Rhondda, eu rhieni, eu teuluoedd a’u ffrindiau. Hoffwn ddiolch o waelod calon iddyn nhw am bum mlynedd o hwyl a chwerthin, cwmni braf, llu o atgofion melys, cefnogaeth di-flino, caredigrwydd a chyfeillgarwch oes.

Mae’r casgliad o ganeuon sydd ar ein CD yn crynhoi ein taith fel côr ac yn dynodi gwahanol gyfnodau yn ein hanes. Gobeithiwn yn fawr y gwnewch chi fwynhau’r amrywiaeth o gerddoriaeth sydd arni. Mwynhad llwyr oedd y profiad o’i recordio yn neuadd Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn. Diolch i bawb am eu cefnogaeth ar hyd y blynyddoedd. Diolch yn arbennig i Rhiannon Williams am ei chymorth hael a’i chefnogaeth wrth i ni recordio’r CD hwn. Edrychwn ymlaen at ddyfodol cyffrous i Gôr y Cwm!

Traciau -

1: Gwenllian

2: Friends

3: Hava Nageela

4: Os Oes Gen i Gân

5: Pueri Hebraeorum

6: Bring on Tomorrow

7: Hotaru Koi

8: Cymru

9: Yr Oen

10: Dwy Law yn Erfyn

11: African Noel

12: Un Ydym Ni.