Amy Wadge sings high above the Severn for BBC Music Day

BBC Wales and BBC Bristol are teaming up to celebrate BBC Music Day and the 50th anniversary of one of Wales’ most famous landmarks, the Severn Bridge - with the help of Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Amy Wadge and Only Men Aloud.

Published: 23 May 2016
As someone who has her heart in both Wales and England, this is a project close to Amy’s heart, and Only Men Aloud, Renewal and Gospel Generation are looking forward to bringing her words to life.
— Steve Austins, Editor, Radio Wales

BBC Wales and BBC Bristol are teaming up to celebrate BBC Music Day and the 50th anniversary of one of Wales’ most famous landmarks, the Severn Bridge - with the help of Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Amy Wadge and Only Men Aloud.

BBC Music Day is a UK-wide annual celebration of music that aims to unite communities across different generations.

Weather permitting, Amy will perform at dawn on Friday 3 June from the very top of the bridge, some 80 metres high, with the choirs performing on a viewing platform below.

Born near Bristol and now living in Pontypridd, Amy, who won a Grammy for writing Thinking Out Loud with Ed Sheeran, has penned a song about the famous bridge which links Wales and England. The choral arrangement for the celebratory song is a collaboration between Bristol’s Renewal Gospel Choir, the Gospel Generation Community Choir and Only Men Aloud.

Mal Pope will present his early breakfast show live from the Severn Bridge and capture the performance for BBC Radio Wales listeners. The live performance will be simulcast on BBC Radio Gloucester and BBC Radio Bristol at 6.20am.

Steve Austins, Radio Wales’ Editor, says: “BBC Music Day is all about collaboration and working together, and the bridge symbolises that spirit. As someone who has her heart in both Wales and England, this is a project close to Amy’s heart, and Only Men Aloud, Renewal and Gospel Generation are looking forward to bringing her words to life.”

Other events to mark BBC Music Day in Wales will include a special send-off for the Welsh football team. C'mon Wales - Our Euro 2016 Singalong, hosted by Rob Phillips and Eleri Siôn and a host of special guests, will tell the story of Wales’ qualification through football anthems and songs made famous by the fans. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the BBC National Chorus of Wales will provide the music on their home turf – the BBC’s Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff.

BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips will take the audience on the fantastic journey that saw Wales qualify for a major football tournament for the first time since 1958 while the orchestra, the chorus and Mike Peters of The Alarm, Dionne Bennett from Cardiff band The Earth, and X-Factor star Jay James will perform the fans’ favourites, arranged and conducted by John Quirk.

Welsh football fans have been praised for their vocal support of the team throughout the qualification campaign. Old favourites like Men Of Harlech and Andy Williams’ Can’t Take My Eyes Off You have been sung home and away, along with a host of new songs dedicated to the players like Salt ‘n’ Pepa’s Push It (adapted in praise of striker, Hal Robson-Kanu), and Eddie Grant’s Give Me Hope, Joanna (sung for Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen). All of these songs will be performed by the orchestra and artists, along with the anthem of the campaign, Nineties dance hit Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation.

Michael Garvey, Director, of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, says: "As Wales’ national orchestra and chorus, we’ll be cheering on the Welsh side as they head to the Euros, and we can't wait to bring the music of the terraces to life with our own elite squad of musicians at Hoddinott Hall – it’s going to be a great evening of fantastic footballing tunes."

Eleri Siôn will be speaking to fans in the audience and some special guests throughout the performance, which will be broadcast on Radio Wales on Friday 3 June at 9pm, and on BBC Two Wales on Wednesday 8 June at 10pm.

Earlier in the day on Radio Wales, Wynne Evans will be leading the nation in a mass sing-along of his Friday theme, Happy Days, between 11am and 1pm. Listeners will be invited to phone and leave their contribution to the classic song, which will then be pieced together in one unforgettable version.

Eleri Siôn and Alan Thompson will be opening the phone lines for listeners to request the greatest musical collaborations of all time, between 1.15pm and 4pm. Listeners will be able to choose the playlist, and it will no doubt prove to be an extremely popular part of the day.

In addition, the Horizons project, a collaborative music project between the Arts Council of Wales and BBC Wales, will be hosting a number of events around Wales for BBC Music Day this year.

At Hay Festival, there will be a BBC showcase of talent including Bob Harris’s favourite Dan Bettridge from Ogmore, who returns to Hay with an international touring schedule under his belt along with a number of spectacular network radio sessions. Supporting Dan on the night at the BBC Tent will be a whole host of new Welsh talent under the Forte Music Project with impressive folk troupe Ofelia, and rising singer-songwriters Alex Stacey and Briony Sier. Meanwhile, former Horizons act Hannah Grace will be in session on Caryl Parry Jones’s show on Radio Wales between 9 and 11am. BBC Radio Cymru will be joining in by broadcasting all day from the Urdd Eisteddfod youth festival with a selection of Horizons artists who will be performing on the new music stage.

At Hay Festival, there’s a special Get Playing event for BBC Music Day, with guitarist Morgan Szymanski leading the 'Hay Festival Jam' – where amateur guitarists of any level are meeting at the festival to create a brand new piece. This will be featured as part of Radio 3’s Lunchtime Concert live from Hay with Morgan Szymanski and the Cremona String Quartet - bbc.co.uk/getplaying.

Also, as part of BBC Music Day, The Bells Ring Out for BBC Music Day will take place. Bells from over 80 church towers will ring out simultaneously at 7pm on BBC Music Day throughout towns, cities and villages across the UK. In Wales, seven churches and one cathedral are taking part.

BBC Music Day is returning for its second year, celebrating all types of music from around the UK and the Channel Islands. Bringing live music to people through an exciting range of events around the theme of collaboration, it aims to unite communities across different generations. BBC Music Day will feature broadcasts across BBC TV, Radio and digital services from 6am to midnight.

Notes for Editors

Churches taking part in The Bells Ring Out for BBC Music Day in Wales:

  • The Parish of Newton-Nottage, Porthcawl
  • Cowbridge Parish Bell Ringers
  • St Teilo's Church, Llantilio Crossenny
  • St Mary's, Tenby
  • Trellech, Monmouthshire
  • St Illtyd’s Church, Llantwit Major
  • St Mary’s, Coity
  • St Woolos Cathedral, Newport

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Welsh-language version

AMY WADGE YN TARO’R NODAU UCHEL AR BONT YR HAFREN AR GYFER DIWRNOD CERDDORIAETH Y BBC

Mae BBC Cymru a BBC Bristol wedi dod ynghyd i ddathlu Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC a phen-blwydd un o bontydd enwocaf Cymru yn hanner cant, sef Pont Hafren - gyda help y canwr-gyfansoddwr Amy Wadge ac Only Men Aloud. Mae Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC yn ddathliad blynyddol sy’n anelu at uno cymunedau ar draws y cenhedloedd gwahanol.

Bydd Amy yn perfformio gyda’r wawr ar ddydd Gwener, 3 Mehefin o ben uchaf y bont os bydd y tywydd yn caniatáu, rhyw 80 metr i fyny, gyda’r corau ar blatfform gwylio islaw.

Yn enedigol o Fryste a bellach yn byw ym Mhontypridd, enillodd Amy wobr Grammy am gyfansoddi ‘Thinking Out Loud’ gydag Ed Sheeran ac mae hi wedi cyfansoddi cân arbennig i ddathlu’r porth rhwng Cymru a Lloegr gyda Chôr Renewal Gospel Bryste, Chôr Chymunedol Gospel Generation ac Only Men Aloud tu ôl i drefniad corawl y gân.

Bydd Mal Pope yn cyflwyno ei sioe gynnar o Bont Hafren i gyfleu’r perfformiad i wrandawyr BBC Radio Wales ac fe gaiff y perfformiad byw ei gyd-ddarlledu ar BBC Radio Gloucester a BBC Radio Bristol am 6.20am.

Dywedodd Steve Austins, Golygydd Radio Wales, “Mae Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC yn ymwneud â chydweithio ac mae’r bont yn symboleiddio’r ysbryd yna. Gyda’i chalon yn y ddau le, yng Nghymru ac yn Lloegr mae’r prosiect yn un sy’n agos iawn at galon Amy ac mae Only Men Aloud, Renewal a Gospel Generation yn edrych ymlaen i roi bywyd i’w geiriau hi”

Ar ben hynny, fel rhan o ddathliadau Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC yng Nghymru, bydd cyngerdd arbennig i ffarwelio â thîm pêl-droed Cymru wrth iddynt droi eu golygon at Bencampwriaeth Ewro 2016. Rob Phillips ac Eleri Siôn fydd wrth y llyw gyda nifer o westeion arbennig yn gwmni iddynt wrth i gyngerdd C’mon Wales – Our Euro 2016 Singalong adrodd stori llwyddiant Cymru trwy ganeuon ac anthemau pêl-droed . Cerddorfa Genedlaethol Gymreig y BBC a Chorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC fydd yn perfformio’r gerddoriaeth ar eu tomen eu hunain – Neuadd Hoddinott y BBC yng Nghaerdydd.

Gohebydd pêl-droed BBC Cymru, Rob Phillips fydd yn mynd â’r gynulleidfa ar y siwrne anhygoel a welodd Cymru yn hawlio eu lle mewn twrnament pêl-droed arwyddocaol am y tro cyntaf ers 1958. Y gerddorfa, y corws, Mike Peters o’r Alarm, Dionne Bennet o’r band The Earth a seren X-Factor Jay James fydd yn perfformio rhai o ffefrynnau’r cefnogwyr, wedi’i trefnu ac arwain gan John Quirk.

Mae cefnogwyr pêl-droed Cymru yn enwog am eu cefnogaeth lleisiol i’r tîm pêl-droed a daw’r cyngerdd â chyfle i ganu clasuron megis ‘Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech’ a ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ gan Andy Williams. Ceir hefyd ganeuon newydd fel ‘Push It’ gan Salt ‘n’ Pepa (a gafodd ei addasu gan y cefnogwyr er clod yr ymosodwr Hal Robson-Kanu), a ‘Give Me Hope, Joanna’ gan Eddie Grant (mewn moliant i ganolwr Lerpwl Joe Allen). Bydd y caneuon i gyd yn cael eu perfformio gan y gerddorfa ac artistiaid, yn cynnwys anthem yr ymgyrch, cân ddawns o’r 90au ‘Kernkraft 400’ gan Zombie Nation.

Dywedodd Michael Garvey, Cyfarwyddwr Cerddorfa Genedlaethol a Chorws Cymreig y BBC, “Fel cerddorfa a chorws cenedlaethol Cymru, byddwn yn cefnogi Cymru’n frwd yn Ffrainc ac ry’n ni’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr iawn at ddod â cherddoriaeth y caeau pêl droed yn fyw gyda’n carfan arbenigol o gerddorion yn Neuadd Hoddinott – mae’n addo bod yn noswaith arbennig o ganeuon pêl-droed anhygoel”.

Bydd Eleri Siôn yn siarad â chefnogwyr yn y gynulleidfa a gwesteion arbennig trwy gydol y perfformiad, a fydd yn cael ei ddarlledu ar Radio Wales ar ddydd Gwener, 3 Mehefin a, 9pm ac ar BBC Two Wales ar ddydd Mercher, 8 Mehefin am 10pm.

Wynne Evans fydd yn arwain y genedl i gyd-ganu ‘Happy Days’, ddydd Gwener rhwng 11am a 1pm. Bydd gwrandawyr yn cael eu gwahodd i ffonio a gadael eu cyfraniad i’r gân a fydd wedyn yn cael ei roi at ei gilydd fel un fersiwn bythgofiadwy o’r clasur.

Eleri Siôn ac Alan Thompson fydd yn agor y llinellau ffôn er mwyn i wrandawyr roi cais am eu cydweithrediad cerddorol gorau rhwng 1.15pm a 4pm. Bydd gwrandawyr yn gallu dewis y rhestr chwarae.

Hefyd, bydd y prosiect Gorwelion, prosiect ar y cyd rhwng Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a BBC Cymru yn cynnal nifer o ddigwyddiadau yng Nghymru ar gyfer Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC eleni.

Yng Ngŵyl y Gelli, bydd y perfformiadau yn cynnwys ffefryn Bob Harris, Dan Bettridge o Ogwr sy’n dychwelyd i’r Gelli ar ôl cwblhau amserlen teithio ryngwladol a nifer o sesiynau radio rhwydwaith. Ar y noson, bydd talent Cymreig sy’n ymwneud â Phrosiect Cerddoriaeth Forte yn cefnogi Dan ym mhabell y BBC gyda’r grŵp gwerin Ofelia, a chaneuwyr-gyfansoddwyr sydd yn dod yn boblogaidd sef Alex Stacey a Briony Sier. Hefyd, bydd cyn-artist Gorwelion Hannah Grace yn chwarae sesiwn i Caryl Parry Jones ar ei sioe hi ar Radio Wales rhwng 9 a 11am.

Bydd BBC Radio Cymru yn ymuno yn yr hwyl gan ddarlledu o Eisteddfod yr Urdd drwy’r dydd gyda chasgliad o artistiaid Gorwelion a fydd yn perfformio ar y llwyfan cerddoriaeth newydd.

Hefyd o Ŵyl y Gelli, bydd digwyddiad arbennig Get Playing ar gyfer Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC, gyda’r gitarydd Morgan Szymanski yn arwain y ‘Hay Festival Jam’ – lle fydd gitarwyr amatur o bob lefel yn cyfarfod yn yr ŵyl i greu darn newydd o gerddoriaeth. Bydd hwn yn cael ei ddarlledu fel rhan o Lunchtime Concert Radio 3 yn fyw o Ŵyl y Gelli gyda Szymanski a Phedwarawd Llinynnol Cremona – bbc.co.uk/getplaying.

Hefyd, fel rhan o Ddiwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC, bydd The Bells Ring Out for BBC Music Day yn digwydd. Bydd clychau o dros 80 tŵr eglwys yn canu am 7pm ar Ddiwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC trwy ddinasoedd, trefi a phentrefi ar draws y DU. Yng Nghymru, bydd saith eglwys ac un gadeirlan yn cymryd rhan.

Yn ei ail flwyddyn, mae Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC yn dathlu pob math o gerddoriaeth ar draws y DU. Y bwriad yw ddod â chymunedau ynghyd drwy ddarparu cerddoriaeth fyw i bobl drwy ddigwyddiadau eang a chyffrous o amgylch y thema o gydweithio. Bydd Diwrnod Cerddoriaeth y BBC yn cynnwys darllediadau ar draws teledu, radio a gwasanaethau digidol y BBC o 6am tan hanner nos.

Nodyn i Olygyddion

Eglwysi sy’n cymryd rhan yn The Bells Ring Out for BBC Music Day yng Nghymru:

  • Plwyf Newton-Nottage, Porthcawl
  • Cowbridge Parish Bell Ringers, Y Bontfaen
  • Eglwys St Teilo, Llantilio Eglwys St Mary's, Dinbych y Pysgod
  • Trelech, Sir Fynwy
  • Eglwys Ssant Illtyd, Llanilltyd Fawr
  • Eglwys y Santes Fair, Coety
  • Eglwys Gadeirol Sant Gwynllyw, Casnewydd

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