Wales’ only a cappella festival, the Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival, presented by Span Arts, makes a proud return for its eighth year from Thursday to Sunday, February 18-21, in an exciting weekend that celebrates the extraordinary diversity of singing without instruments.

Making a triumphant return to the 2016 festival will be the magnificent South African Zulu Male Choir, performing Friday, February 19. Formed from a core of artists who came to Britain in 1976 as part of the music and dance troupe Ipi Tombi, the group have toured internationally, appearing at many high profile events, including singing in Wembley Stadium at the release celebrations for, and in front of, Nelson Mandela.

Headlining on Saturday, February 21, are The Sons of Pitches, as seen recently on TV winning a high profile well known singing contest! With over one million YouTube hits, The Sons of Pitches are a multi-award winning British vocal group combining soaring solos, impeccable harmonies and sensational beatboxing, in a programme of inventive pop covers, original numbers and entertaining improvised songs.

This year’s festival launches on Thursday, February 18, with Côr Pawb, a coming together of community choirs and schools across Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. With over 200 participants ranging in age from seven to 70-plus, this exciting new venture will culminate in a brand new performance at Folly Farm.

Ending the festival on a high will be one of Wales’ premier mixed choirs, Côrdydd, who will be performing at the Sunday lunchtime concert in the beautiful St. Andrew’s Church, Narberth. Côrdydd has won the Choir of the Festival award at the National Eisteddfod more than any other choir, four times in all. In 2003 the choir also won BBC Radio Cymru’s Choir of Wales competition, and in 2009 came top of their category in S4C’s Choir of Wales competition.

As well as knockout performances, the festival also offers workshops throughout the weekend. Artists including The Sons of Pitches, South African Zulu Male Choir, Michael Deason-Barrow, Ffynonn, and Camilo Menjura will be offering a chance to experience an exciting range of genres, including Native American, Sardinian, Celtic, South American, Russian and Welsh language a cappella singing.

Plus on Saturday afternoon, The Big Sing, a completely free pop-up choir, invites members of workshops and the public to create a diverse choir from scratch with tea and cake!

The Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival is suitable for all ages and abilities. Tickets are available now at navf.co.uk or by phone on 01834 869323, with concessionary rates and half-price children’s tickets available. Weekend tickets are also available in advance offering great discounts for all the performances and workshops.

This year, the festival is led by a new director, Paula Redway. Paula is a versatile singer and highly experienced theatre, arts and festival manager who is passionate about the human voice, and is the new director of Salisbury Arts Centre.

Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival Opens at Folly Farm with Côr Pawb, Everyone’s Choir

A brand new partnership between Pembrokeshire Arts charity Span Arts and West Wales’ premier Adventure Park and Zoo, Folly Farm, will see a fantastic unique mass choir event take place next month in the prestigious Follies Theatre.

Côr Pawb, a choir composed of over 150 singers from West Wales, ranging in age from seven to 70-plus, will be singing their hearts out to raise funds for three very important causes and to launch Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival 2016.

This unique intergenerational choir is bringing together a combination of community choirs and local school pupils from across the region to kick off the festival at 7 pm on Thursday, February 18, on one of Wales’s largest stages.

The choir will be singing songs from around the world, including tunes from South America, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Croatia, Wales, England the USA and more, in an uplifting mix of three and four-part harmonies.

Chris Ebsworth, managing director of Folly Farm, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the opening night of Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival at Follies Theatre. Folly Farm is passionate about supporting local community ventures and helping raise money for worthwhile charitable causes.”

All profits from the concert will be split between three worthwhile charities nominated by the singers involved: Water Aid, the Paul Sartori Foundation and Span Arts.

Span Arts’ Cheerful Project, funded by the Big Lottery, has been running singing workshops and rehearsals for participating choirs and schools as part of their programme of community workshops and events.

The local schools participating are Ysgol y Preseli, Narberth Community Primary School and Ysgol Gymunedol Brynconin; and participating choirs include: Cor Megafon (Newport), Sweet Harmony Community Choir (Carmarthen), Singing Village (St Dogmaels), One Voice Choir (Narberth) and Llangranog Community Choir.

Janet Bridge, secretary of Singing Village choir in St Dogmaels, said: “As a committee we feel this is a fantastic opportunity to share our pleasure in singing and be involved in such a good and beneficial project, we hope lots of people will come and support us.”

Also involved is the Span Arts Caring Choirs project, funded by PAVS, which delivers singing sessions in care homes and day care centres in Pembrokeshire. The project will be bringing participants to the performance where they can join in with the songs they have learned.

This event is part of a huge line-up for the 2016 Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival which includes the South African Zulu Male Voice Choir on Friday, February, 19, Sons of Pitches on Saturday, February 20, and Côrdydd on Sunday, February 21.

To find out more or to book tickets call Span Arts on 01834 869323 or visit us online www.span-arts.org.uk

Singing workshops proven to tackle mental health issues

A top UK university has proven recently that involvement in community singing projects is significant in helping improve mental health.

Pembrokeshire arts organisation Span Arts is hoping to help tackle those winter blues by hosting a wide range of singing workshops, led by a breadth of musical masterminds and captivating a cappella groups.

Organised as part of the annual Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival, workshop hosts will include winning a cappella ensemble The Sons of Pitches - from Garath Malone’s The Naked Choir, and the world-renowned South African Zulu Males Choir, who have performed to Nelson Mandela.

Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, conducted a year-long research project starting December 2014, to discover how regular community singing affected mental health.

The study proved that by offering social interaction and peer support, the singing groups vastly helped improve the mental health conditions of those taking part.

Span Arts manager, Gwen Watson, is not surprised by the results.

“We always get such positive feedback from our festival go-ers, whether they’re seasoned singers, or people trying something for the first time, most people leave with massive smiles on their faces,” she said.

“There’s something so uplifting about all singing together. And of course often in a new language, or making new sounds. Last year a group of us learnt how to do Mongolian throat singing! There was a lot of laughter in the room!”

The workshops, which are open to all ages and abilities, have a track record of delivering the positive benefits of social interaction and community inclusion, as well as allowing those attending to learn and practice musical creations inspired by a range of countries, cultures and vocal traditions.

This year, the only a cappella festival in Wales also presents workshops from musical masterminds such as Michael Deason-Barrow - one of the world’s leading authorities on global vocal techniques, harmonic Welsh folk duo Ffynnon, and Colombian singer Camilo Menjura.

Plus there will be the opportunity to learn and perform a special piece of music to mark 50 years since the tragedy of Tryweryn, composed by workshop leader Seimon Morris.

All workshops have been designed to encourage people from all across Wales - to make beautiful music using just their vocals, and beat those dreary winter blues during one of the wettest winters on record.

The Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival will be held from Thursday to Sunday, February 18 to 21, with workshops being held in the Queens Hall, Narberth.

More information for all workshops and events on offer throughout the festival, can be found on www.navf.co.uk or by calling Span Arts on 01834 869323.