Bangor Student enjoy success at Inter-College Eisteddfod
Following eager and very successful competing, the avid competitors among Bangor’s Welsh speaking students came second in the Inter-College Eisteddfod recently. They were closely beaten by the home team, Cardiff University.
One hundred students from Bangor travelled to Cardiff to compete in the Eisteddfod over the week-end of 18-20 February, and many of them tasted success.
Bangor’s team won the Football in the Sports Gala on Friday, numerous groups and individuals came first in a range of different stage competitions.
One student who had a particularly successful Eisteddfod was Lois Eifion, who comes from Penisa’r Waun and is in her third year studying Music. Lois won the Blue Ribbon for instrument and for voice (the highest award in music awarded to the best performance in all music categories at an Eisteddfod). She won the Blue Ribbon for instruments for her performance in the instrumental solo. She also came First in the Musical Show solo in the female solo category, winning her the Vocal Blue Ribbon, awarded to the best male or female solo vocalist.
Lois, together with Daniel Sajko won the instrumental ensemble for their piano duo, and Daniel Sajko came first in the Cerdd Dant Solo and third in the male solo. (Thanks to both also for their diligent work in conducting and accompanying the John Morris Jones Aelwyd, who will be singing in the St David’s Day Concert as part of Welsh Week.)
Also in the ‘Homework’ section, (which encompasses work prepared in advance), Lois Eifion won the Musician’s Trophy and Dewi Meirion (from Llanrug, studying Journalism & Communications) the Drama Medal.
Bangor’s Vocal Ensemble and Musical Show Choir won first places. Bangor won second places in the solo clog dancing competition- thanks to Lawrence Huxham, who is studying Welsh and Music, and who comes from Belgium and has learnt Welsh, the Folk Dance group, and duet, with Iwan Williams and Catrin Roberts (who also both reached the stage competitions in the national Cerdd Dant Festival).
“The Inter- College Eisteddfod was a particularly successful event for Bangor’s students this year. We achieved successes on the stage and in the ‘homework’ section and on the playing fields. But of equal importance, three bus loads of Bangor students enjoyed a memorable week-end socialising with other Welsh students from the Welsh universities,” said Mair Rowlands, President of UMCB- the Welsh Students’ Union.
“The Eisteddfod comes to Bangor next year. Preparation work will begin in earnest soon. We hope to relive the success that we achieved the last time we hosted the Eisteddfod in 2007, when Bangor won,” she added.
Publication date: 23 February 2011