New Research And Development Project for the Welsh Language Music Industry
Amlen is a Research & Development project which aims to break down barriers for young Welsh-Language (WL) speakers (18-25) pursuing careers in the music industry.
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By partnering with existing events (e.g. Eisteddfod) and organisations (e.g. Merched Yn Gwneud Miwsig) we will deliver interactive questionnaires, focus groups and capture video.
We will collect empirical data evidencing the needs of these young people, and deliver some pilot activity.
The findings will not only inform Beacons Cymru’s WL strategy, policy and future provision - it will be available as a foothold for any organisation that wishes to use and implement it.
Project Officer
Keziah O'Hare
With music woven throughout her life, Keziah grew up in the small town of Llanelli playing drums, singing, writing songs, creating music videos and performing live. She went on to complete an MA in Language and Linguistics and created the online character of ‘Miss O’Hare yn Dysgu Cymraeg’ during COVID to encourage people to have more confidence when speaking Welsh through rap and short comedy videos. Because of these experiences she had the time to gain a deeper and stronger understanding of Wales and its people, which led her to want to further invest in the Welsh Language and land. She has contributed to multiple projects on Beacons Cymru since joining in January 2023 and is now the co-lead officer of its first research and development Welsh language project; Amlen.
Instagram: @missoharecymru
Contact: summit@beacons.cymru
Project Officer
Glyn Rhys-James
Glyn is a musician, sound engineer and music industry freelancer from Aberystwyth. He’s lived in Cardiff since 2016 after moving with his band, Mellt. Their debut album, Mae’n Hawdd Pan Ti’n Ifanc (2018), was awarded Welsh Language Album of the Year and shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize the same year.
He studied at the University of South Wales, graduating with a degree in Sound Engineering in 2019. Since then, Glyn has worked with numerous up-and-coming Welsh language artists like Papur Wal, Adwaith, Sywel Nyw and Los Blancos.
Glyn has been working with Beacons Cymru since March 2022 and he’s passionate about promoting the Welsh language and the incredible music scene that Wales has to offer.
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Contact: office@beacons.cymru
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Project Officer
Anest
Anest spent her first 18 years of life growing up in Dyffryn Nantlle, specifically a small village by the name of Clynnog Fawr, before moving up to Glasgow to study for a degree in English language and linguistics.
Her dissertation looked at the links between Welsh identity and phonetic variation in the voices of the Cool Cymru era, a perfect combination of her love of music and Welsh linguistics.
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After graduating in 2022 she moved down to Cardiff and has spent the past year working in the books industry, first as a bookseller and now as a Welsh translation project officer. She’s excited to dip her toes into the music industry as a project officer at Beacons Cymru. When it comes to her musical ability, however, she’s been trying to teach herself to play guitar for the past decade but she still can’t play an F chord.
Project Officer
Lewys Meredydd Siencyn
Hailing originally from Dolgellau, Lewys is a musician who left Cardiff university in 2022 with a degree in music, specialising in composition and performance.
He joins the Amlen team with a foot in both contemporary and classical fields and a solid history of performing on the scene’s most notable stages with a handful of artists, including HMS Morris, Sachasom, and
his band, Lewys (now WRKHOUSE). His freelancing portfolio extends beyond the stage, working for a number of years as a member of the Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau planning committee, and in recent months working alongside Community Music Wales as a project
officer and mentor.
Thanks to our funders:
