The Last Day

From the comments on my journal over the last few days, I know that some of you would like to see more of what's happening at the 2013 North American Festival of Wales. I'd like to show you, but I'm using only my iPhone here and like most meetings, photos of what's going on would show people sitting or standing, talking or singing.

Last night's Grand Concert, featuring Cor Meibion Pontarddulais (Pontarddulais Male Choir), was absolutely brilliant. The choir's dynamic range, enunciation in both Welsh and English, total focus on conductor Clive Phillips, and blend made them a joy to hear. The informal singing afterward, in which we participated with the three friends you see above with Phil, was bettter than the night before, and one of the volunteer conductors, in particular, was a favorite of ours.

And now to the photo you see above. Our three friends -- EP and CP, sitting across from each other, and EW, sitting on Phil's left, were among our favorite folks in Seattle Welsh Choir, and we've kept in touch, although not as consistently as we should have, after the choir disbanded. The five of us also were among the first members of the North American Welsh Choir, an additional bond.

Even though we don't get together often, the minute we do, it's as if we'd never been apart. Conversation flows easily from one topic to another, we remember past good times, we laugh and smile a lot. We've reconnected at this festival, and realizing that the years are going ever more quickly, are determined to get together more often.

It's time to go back downstairs for the evening gymanfa ganu session, singing another 15 hymns in four-part harmony, mostly in Welsh, and then the closing ceremony, which always ends with singing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (the Welsh national anthem) and God Be With You Till We Meet Again. Each year there are familiar faces missing, and more and more wrinkles and white hair amongst the participants -- yet another reminder not to put off things we really want to do, but to make them a priority.