Welsh artists to broaden their horizons with seven-date tour

BBC Cymru Wales and Arts Council of Wales have selected artists from across Wales to be a part of the Horizons project. These artists have been part of the unique project since April 2014, and in the final month of their tenure, they head out on tour before passing on the baton to a new crop of musicians.

The aim of Horizons is to develop new, independent contemporary music in Wales, supporting and promoting emerging Welsh music talent to wider audiences. Having played festivals across Wales and internationally, been featured regularly on BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales, and been privy to unique experiences like taking part in a Maida Vale session or being filmed for BBC Wales TV, the first group of Horizons artists are preparing to set off on their own musical paths with this farewell tour.

Lisa Matthews, Portfolio Manager at the Arts Council of Wales, says: “Playing live is the lifeblood of any band or artist developing their careers so it’s brilliant that we’re able to support the Horizons acts on this tour. As the first year of Horizons draws to a close, it’s a chance for audiences to see and hear the acts in the flesh.”

Bethan Elfyn, Project Manager Horizons, says: “This will be the first Horizons Tour. We’ve already seen these exciting artists at festivals and studios, playing to the crowd or in intimate surroundings, and now we hit the road for two weeks at the end of March to celebrate their successful 12 months with us.
“We’ve chosen some special venues for the tour, and two locations outside of Wales, so we set off on a new Horizons adventure with the Class of 2014 before welcoming our new group of artists in April 2015.”

Horizons Tour Details: (artists in alphabetical order)

FRIDAY 13 MARCH
The Drum, Aberystwyth
Candelas
Climbing Trees
Kizzy Crawford
Seazoo

THURSDAY 19 MARCH
Louisiana, Bristol
Baby Queens
Kizzy Crawford

FRIDAY 20 MARCH
Queens Hall, Narberth
Baby Queens
Climbing Trees
Seazoo

SATURDAY 21 MARCH
Ty Siamas, Dolgellau
Chris Jones
Gabrielle Murphy
Plu

FRIDAY 27 MARCH
Redhouse, Merthyr
Climbing Trees
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
The People The Poet

SUNDAY 29 MARCH
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Baby Queens
Chris Jones
Climbing Trees
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
Kizzy Crawford
Seazoo
The People the Poet

TUESDAY 31 MARCH
Sound Control, Manchester
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
Seazoo

The artists on the tour are (in alphabetical order):

• Baby Queens: female five piece, cross between rock, hip hop, soul and reggae. Cara Elise (Guitar/Vocals), Estelle Ios (Guitar), Monique Bux (Vocals), Ruth Vibes (Vocals/Guitar) and Vanity (Vocals), (from Cardiff Bay)
• Candelas: five piece band, rock music with a hint of blues - alternative rock and blues band. Osian Williams (Guitar/Vocals), Ifan Jones (Guitar), Tomos Edwards (Bass Guitar), Gruffydd Edwards (Guitar), Lewis Williams (Drums), (from Llanuwchlyn/Bala)
• Chris Jones: singer-songwriter, guitar and bouzouki player, contemporary Welsh folk balladeer (from Caernarfon)
• Climbing Trees: four-piece multi-instrumental ensemble. Matthew Frederick (Piano/Guitar/Vocals), Colenso Jones (Guitar/Bass/Vocals), Martin Webb (Guitar/Bass/Vocals), James Bennetts (Drums/Vocals), (from Pontypridd)
• Gabrielle Murphy: singer, performs her own tracks, encompasses a multitude of genres (from Merthyr)
• Houdini Dax: three piece indie mods. Jack Butler, David Newington and Owen Richard (from Cardiff)
• Kizzy Crawford: singer-songwriter, fuses bilingual soul/jazz (from Merthyr)
• Seazoo: five piece indie pop band, (from Wrexham)
• Plu: Welsh language folk music with hints of country/Americana. Elan Mererid Rhys (Vocal/Autoharp), Marged Eiry Rhys (Vocal/Accordion/Piano/Melodica), Gwilym Bowen Rhys (Vocal/Guitar/Bouzouki/Mandolin) (from Bethel/Caernarfon)
• The People The Poet: five piece rock band. Leon Stanford (Vocals), Tyla Campbell (Guitar), Lewis Roswell (Drums), Pete Mills (Bass Guitar), Greta Isaac

More information on the tour will be available via www.bbc.co.uk/horizons

Notes to Editors

The Horizons acts of 2014 in the past 12 months have experienced:

• playing live at a range of 20 events and festivals across Wales from Laugharne Castle, Hay Festival, Sŵn, to Festival no 6
• a BBC Maida Vale recording session (the BBC’s legendary London recording studios since 1946);
• promotional tools including a number of produced session videos and a professional photo-shoot;
• bespoke mentoring at a weekend at Fforest in Cardigan;
• national and international musical opportunities; Houdini Dax have been to India, Sŵnami to Eurosonic in the Netherlands, and The People The Poet head to SXSW music festival in March.
• nominations through BBC Introducing to play at major events across the UK - Kizzy Crawford played at Glastonbury, and Baby Queens went to T in the Park.
• national coverage on BBC Wales TV; Gabrielle Murphy featured on Children in Need, Climbing Trees on the Really Welsh Christmas Show, and all 12 featured on the two part Horizons TV programmes.

What is Horizons?

Horizons is a two year partnership between BBC Cymru Wales and Arts Council of Wales to develop new music talent and give it a platform to reach audiences. The 12 acts were chosen by an expert panel of representatives from the partnership and the wider music sector.

Cerys Shore - cerys.shore@bbc.co.uk

Pictures of the 12 bands/artists are available on request.

ARTISTIAID CYMREIG YN EHANGU EU GORWELION AR DAITH SAITH NIWRNOD

Bydd rhai o gerddorion mwyaf cyffrous Cymru yn mynd ar daith saith niwrnod ar draws Cymru a Lloegr fis Mawrth.

Dewiswyd artistiaid o Gymru gan BBC Cymru a Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i fod yn rhan o’r prosiect Gorwelion. Mae’r artisitiad wedi bod yn rhan o’r prosiect unigryw ers mis Ebrill 2014, ac yn ystod eu mis olaf gyda’r prosiect, bydd yr artisitiaid yn mynd ar daith arbennig cyn trosglwyddo’r awennau’r i artisitiad newydd.

Bwriad Gorwelion yw datblygu cerddoriaeth cyfoes newydd ac annibynnol yng Nghymru, a chefnogi a hyrwyddo talent cerddorol newydd Cymreig i gynulleidfaoedd eang. Mae’r casgliad cyntaf o artisitiad Gorwelion, sydd wedi chwarae mewn gŵyliau dros Gymru gyfan, wedi bod yn enwau cyfarwydd ar BBC Radio Cymru a BBC Radio Wales, ac wedi ennill profiadau unigryw fel sesiynau Maida Vale a chael eu ffilmio ar gyfer teledu BBC Cymru - yn awr yn paratoi llwybr cerddorol eu hunain gyda’r daith ffarwelio hon.

Dywedodd Lisa Matthews, Rheolwr Portffolio, Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru: “Mae perfformio’n fyw yn anghenreidiol i unrhyw fand neu artist sy’n datblygu eu gyrfaoedd felly mae’n dda ein bod ni’n gallu cefnogi’r artistiaid Gorwelion ar y daith yma. Wrth i flwyddyn gyntaf Gorwelion ddod i ben, mae’n gyfle i gynulleidfaoedd i weld a chlywed yr artistiaid yn y cnawd.”

Dywedodd Bethan Elfyn, Rheolwr Prosiect Gorwelion: “Hwn fydd y Daith Gorwelion gyntaf. Yn barod, ry’n ni wedi gweld yr artistiaid arbennig yma mewn gŵyliau a stiwdios, yn chwarae i dorf neu mewn amgylchoedd cartrefol, ac yn awr ry’n ni’n mynd â nhw allan ddiwedd mis Mawrth am bythefnos i ddathlu eu 12 mis llwyddiannus gyda ni.”

“Ry’n ni wedi dewis rhai lleoliadau arbennig ar gyfer y daith, a dau leoliad tu allan i Gymru, felly ry’n ni’n dechrau ar antur Gorwelion newydd gyda’r deuddeg o 2014 cyn croesawu casgliad newydd o artisitiaid ym mis Ebrill 2015.”

Gwybodaeth Taith Gorwelion:

DYDD GWENER 13 MAWRTH
Y Drwm, Aberystwyth
Candelas
Climbing Trees
Kizzy Crawford
Seazoo

DYDD IAU 19 MAWRTH
Louisiana, Bryste
Baby Queens
Kizzy Crawford

DYDD GWENER 20 MAWRTH
Queens Hall, Arberth
Baby Queens
Climbing Trees
Seazoo

DYDD SADWRN 21 MAWRTH
Tŷ Siamas, Dolgellau
Chris Jones
Gabrielle Murphy
Plu

DYDD GWENER 27 MAWRTH
Redhouse, Merthyr Tudful
Climbing Trees
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
The People The Poet

DYDD SUL 29 MARCH
Canolfan Celfyddydau Chapter, Caerdydd
Baby Queens
Chris Jones
Climbing Trees
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
Kizzy Crawford
Seazoo
The People the Poet

DYDD MAWRTH 31 MAWRTH
Sound Control, Manceinion
Gabrielle Murphy
Houdini Dax
Seazoo

Yr artistiaid fydd ar y daith yw (yn nhrefn yr wyddor):

• Baby Queens: pum aelod benywaidd, roc, hip hop, soul a reggae. Cara Elise (Gitar/Llais) Estelle Ios (Gitar), Monique Bux (Llais), Ruth Vibes (Llais/Gitar) and Vanity (Llais), (o Fae Caerdydd);
• Candelas: band pum aelod, cerddoriaeth roc indi cras gydag awgrym o’r blues. Osian Williams (Gitar/Llais), Ifan Jones (Gitar), Tomos Edwards (Gitar Fas), Gruffydd Edwards (Gitar), Lewis Williams (Drymiau), (o Lanuwchlyn, Bala);
• Chris Jones: canwr-cyfansoddwr, chwarae gitar a bouzouki, gwerin cyfoes Cymreig (o Gaernarfon);
• Climbing Trees: ensemble aml-offerynnol. Pedwar aelod. Matthew Frederick (Piano/Gitar/Llais), Colenso Jones (Gitar/Bas/Llais), Martin Webb (Gitar/Bas/Llais), James Bennetts (Drymiau/Llais), (o Bontypridd);
• Gabrielle Murphy: canwr, perfformio caneuon ei hunan, croesi ar draws genres gwahanol. (o Ferthyr);
• Houdini Dax: tri aelod indi mods. Jack Butler, David Newington ac Owen Richard (o Gaerdydd);
• Kizzy Crawford: canwr-cyfansoddwr, cymysgu soul/jazz dwyieithog (o Ferthyr);
• Seazoo: Pum aelod band indi pop, (o Wrecsam);
• Plu: Triawd. Cerddoriaeth werin Gymraeg gydag awgrymiadau o gerddoriaeth Americana/canu gwlad. Elan Mererid Rhys (Llais/Autoharp), Marged Eiry Rhys (Llais/Accordion/Piano/Melodica), Gwilym Bowen Rhys (Llais/Gitar/Bouzouki/Mandolin) (o Fethel/Caernarfon);
• The People The Poet: Band roc pum aelod. Leon Stanford (Llais), Tyla Campbell (Gitar), Lewis Roswell (Drymiau), Pete Mills (Gitar Fas), Greta Isaac.

Bydd gwybodaeth bellach am y daith ar gael ar bbc.co.uk/horizons

Am wybodaeth bellach cysylltwch â Cerys Shore 029 2032 3764 / cerys.shore@bbc.co.uk

Lluniau o’r bandiau/artistiaid ar gael.

Nodiadau i Olygyddion

Dros y 12 mis diwethaf, mae artistiaid Gorwelion 2014 wedi:

• chwarae mewn amrywiaeth o 20 digwyddiad a gŵyl dros Gymru gyfan, o Gastell Talycharn, Gŵyl y Gelli, Sŵn, i Ŵyl Rhif 6;
• recordio sesiwn BBC Maida Vale (stiwdios recordio enwog y BBC yn Llundain ers 1946);
• derbyn defnydd hyrwyddo yn cynnwys nifer o fideos, sesiynau a lluniau proffesiynol;
• mentora wedi’u teilwro ar benwythnos yn Fforest, Aberteifi
• cyfleoedd cerddorol cenedlaethol a byd-eang; Houdini Dax wedi bod i India, Sŵnami yn Eurosonic yn yr Iseldiroedd, a The People the Poet yn mynd i ŵyl cerddoriaeth SXSW fis Mawrth.
• enwebiadau trwy BBC Introducing i chwarae mewn digwyddiadau mawr ar draws y DU – Kizzy Crawford wedi perfformio yn Glastonbury, a Baby Queens yn T in the Park.
• sylw cenedlaethol ar deledu BBC Cymru; Gabrielle Murphy ar raglen Plant Mewn Angen, Climbing Trees ar The Really Welsh Christmas Show, a’r 12 wedi’u dangos ar y ddau rhaglen teledu Gorwelion.

Beth yw Gorwelion?

Mae Gorwelion yn bartneriaeth newydd dwy flynedd rhwng BBC Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i ddatblygu talent gerddorol newydd ac i roi llwyfan iddynt i gyrraedd cynulleidfaoedd. Cafodd yr artistiaid eu dewis gan banel o gynrychiolwyr o’r bartneriaeth ac o’r sector cerddoriaeth ehangach.

Related Web Links

• Arts Council Of Wales