Photo by Gareth Thomas
Written by Harry McPhail and translated by Iwan Thomas
I remember the first time I went to see the Aberystwyth Philomusica perform. I remember the goosebumps I experienced when their pieces reached a crescendo and the awe I felt when I remembered that quite a few of the performers playing were friends I had made at university. Since that performance I have tried to go to every performance I can and have effectively become a bit of an Aberystwyth Philomusica fan. I had the opportunity to speak to Anna Pennington, trumpeter and Student representative, and Christian Berlin, First Violinist. It was an enjoyable interview where we spoke about a wide variety of things. Here is what we spoke about:
Harry (H): What is your relationship with music? How did you get into music?
Chris (C): I actually heard an audio book when I was six years old about a violinist and I wanted to play the violin because it sounded really awesome and from then on it has been a massive part of my life.
Anna (A): So my Dad is actually a music teacher, so I’ve been surrounded by music since I was born. For me, playing trumpet actually started in year 4. [...] So music has always been a massive part of my life and then when COVID hit suddenly all of that was taken away and I did really miss the social, community feel. [...] I think it was COVID that really highlighted how important music is to me.
H: How was the orchestra affected by COVID?
C: Sadly, because so many people were inside, they weren’t able to do anything in my first year of university. Thankfully, with restrictions, they started rehearsing in my second year, a year ago, so we had to log in and wear masks in order to follow all those restrictions. Actually, in my head, it was quite a seamless experience from where we were, with all the restrictions, to where we are now. It feels like we almost grew into it, everything fell into place.
H: Would you say you’re back to normal?
A: Yeah, I was in the orchestra before COVID and then took a year out, so it feels like I’ve almost picked up where I left off.
H: What kind of opportunities have you had through the Philomusica, any particularly memorable moments?
A: Back in my first year I had a little solo, which for me was a big thing because I had never played in an orchestra before. It was only a few bars of music but I felt like I had really accomplished something through that.
H: How about you [Chris] any memorable moments?
C: During COVID when I came here first, there was not so much I could do at all but it was allowed for four people to gather outside so some of the locals asked me if I would like to play a quartet with them, so we played some chamber music and that was really one of the bright points.
H: What does being in a community of musicians mean to you?
C: Because the music is quite tricky, it’s nice to be able to immerse yourself and really try and do your best in the moment. You are really quite focused but you are also focused with this group of people, yeah, just the feeling of working towards a common goal is great.
A: I came into the orchestra having not played in an orchestra before, being surrounded by people who are music teachers as their profession has been really helpful.
H: What are some of the pressures of playing in an orchestra?
A: From a trumpeter's perspective if you hit a bum note, everyone hears but I’ve got to say people will encourage and help me if I’m getting something wrong. You don’t feel silly or out of place for doing something wrong, they want to help you.
H: What kind of performances have you got coming up?
C: On the 8th May we are performing at the 150th anniversary of the university. A piece is actually being written as we speak by a composer, [the performance will be] including both the Philomusica and the Elizabethan Madrigal Singers [university chamber choir] and a local children’s choir and dancers I think.
Alongside their performance on the 8th of May The Philomusica have a Welsh Music Dayon the 27th of May. This event is a great chace to try out playng in an orchestra and experience what it is like performing as a musical collective. whether you play an instrument or not, I would recommend checking out the Aberystwyth Philomusica
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Cymraeg
Cyfieithiad gan Iwan Thomas
‘Amlygodd COVID Pa Mor Bwysig Oedd Cerddoriaeth i Mi' - Ar Y Philomusica Aberystwyth
Dwi’n cofio’r tro cyntaf i mi fynd i weld y Philomusica Aberystwyth yn perfformio. Ni allaf am oes i mi gofio'r darnau a berfformiwyd ganddynt ond rwy'n cofio'r groengŵydd a brofais pan gyrhaeddodd eu darnau eu creshgendo a'r syndod a deimlais wrth gofio bod cryn dipyn o'r perfformwyr oedd ffrindiau i mi wedi'u gwneud yn y Brifysgol. Ers y perfformiad hwnnw rwyf wedi ceisio mynd i bob perfformiad y gallaf a rhaid cyfaddef wedi dod yn dipyn o gefnogwr Philomusica Aberystwyth. Cefais gyfle i siarad ag Anna Pennington, trwmpedwr a chynrychiolydd Myfyrwyr, a Christian Berlin, Feiolinydd Cyntaf. Roedd yn gyfweliad pleserus lle buom yn siarad am amrywiaeth eang o bethau, llawer ohonynt wedi gorfod cael gwared arnynt er budd i chi – y darllenydd. Dyma beth siaradon ni amdano:
Harry: Beth yw eich perthynas â cherddoriaeth? Sut daethoch chi i fyd cerddoriaeth?
Chris: Clywais lyfr sain pan oeddwn yn chwe blwydd oed am feiolinydd ac roeddwn i eisiau chwarae'r ffidil oherwydd ei fod yn swnio'n wych ac ers hynny mae wedi bod yn rhan enfawr o fy mywyd.
Anna: Felly, mae fy Nhad yn athro cerdd, felly rydw i wedi cael fy amgylchynu gan gerddoriaeth ers i mi gael fy ngeni. I mi, dechreuodd chwarae trwmped ym mlwyddyn 4. [...] Felly mae cerddoriaeth bob amser wedi bod yn rhan enfawr o fy mywyd ac yna pan darodd COVID yn sydyn bopeth a gymerwyd i ffwrdd ac roeddwn yn gweld eisiau'r naws gymdeithasol, gymunedol yn fawr. [...] Rwy'n meddwl mai COVID a oedd wir yn tynnu sylw at ba mor bwysig yw cerddoriaeth i mi.
H: Sut effeithiodd COVID ar y gerddorfa?
C: Yn anffodus, oherwydd bod cymaint o bobl y tu mewn, nid oeddent yn gallu gwneud unrhyw beth yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf yn y Brifysgol. Diolch byth, gyda chyfyngiadau, fe ddechreuon nhw ymarfer yn fy ail flwyddyn, flwyddyn yn ôl, felly roedd yn rhaid i ni lofnodi i mewn a gwisgo masgiau er mwyn dilyn yr holl gyfyngiadau hynny. A dweud y gwir, yn fy mhen i, roedd yn brofiad eithaf di-dor o ble’r oeddem ni, gyda’r holl gyfyngiadau, i’r sefyllfa bresennol. Mae'n teimlo fel ein bod bron wedi tyfu i mewn iddo, mae popeth wedi disgyn i'w le.
H: A fyddech chi'n dweud eich bod yn ôl i arferol?
A: Ie, roeddwn i yn y gerddorfa cyn COVID ac yna cymerodd flwyddyn allan, felly mae'n teimlo fy mod bron wedi codi lle gadewais i ffwrdd.
H: Pa fath o gyfleoedd ydych chi wedi'u cael trwy'r Philomusica, unrhyw eiliadau arbennig o gofiadwy?
A: Yn ôl yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf cefais unawd fer, a oedd yn beth mawr i mi oherwydd doeddwn i erioed wedi chwarae mewn cerddorfa o'r blaen. Dim ond ychydig bariau o gerddoriaeth oedd o, ond roeddwn i'n teimlo fy mod wedi cyflawni rhywbeth trwy hynny.
H: Beth am chi [Chris] unrhyw eiliadau cofiadwy?
C: Yn ystod COVID pan ddes i yma gyntaf, nid oedd llawer y gallem ei wneud o gwbl ond caniatawyd i bedwar o bobl ymgynnull y tu allan felly gofynnodd rhai o'r bobl leol i mi a hoffwn i chwarae pedwarawd gyda nhw, felly gwnaethom chwarae rhywfaint o siambr cerddoriaeth a dyna oedd un o'r pwyntiau disglair mewn gwirionedd.
H: Beth mae bod mewn cymuned o gerddorion yn ei olygu i chi?
C: Gan fod y gerddoriaeth yn eithaf anodd, mae'n braf gallu ymgolli a cheisio gwneud eich gorau yn y foment. Rydych chi'n canolbwyntio'n fawr, ond rydych chi hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar y grŵp hwn o bobl, ie, mae'r teimlad o weithio tuag at nod cyffredin yn wych.
A: Deuthum i mewn i'r gerddorfa heb fod wedi chwarae mewn cerddorfa o'r blaen, ac mae cael fy amgylchynu gan bobl sy'n athrawon cerdd fel proffesiwn wedi bod yn help mawr.
H: Beth yw rhai o'r pwysau o chwarae mewn cerddorfa?
A: O safbwynt trwmpedwr os ydych chi'n taro nodyn drwg, mae pawb yn clywed ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud bydd pobl yn fy annog ac yn fy helpu os ydw i'n cael rhywbeth o'i le. Dydych chi ddim yn teimlo'n dwp nac allan o le am wneud rhywbeth o'i le, maen nhw eisiau eich helpu chi.
H: Pa fath o berfformiadau sydd gennych ar y gweill?
C: Ar yr 8fed o Fai rydym yn perfformio i ddathlu 150 mlwyddiant y Brifysgol. Mae darn yn cael ei ysgrifennu mewn gwirionedd wrth i ni siarad gan gyfansoddwr, [bydd y perfformiad] yn cynnwys y Philomusica a Chantorion Madrigal Elisabethaidd [côr siambr y Brifysgol] a chôr plant a dawnswyr lleol, dwi'n meddwl.
Ochr yn ochr â’u perfformiad ar yr 8fed o Fai, mae’r Philomusica yn cynnal Dydd Miwsig Cymru ar y 27ain o Fai. Mae’r digwyddiad hwn yn gyfle gwych i roi cynnig ar chwarae mewn cerddorfa a phrofi sut beth yw perfformio fel grŵp cerddorol. P'un a ydych yn chwarae offeryn ai peidio byddwn yn argymell edrych ar Philomusica Aberystwyth.
Cyfryngau cymdeithasol – Philomusica ar Facebook a Gwefan HTTPS://WWW.PHILOMUSICA.CYMRU/