10 Mewn Bws

10 Mewn Bws (10 in a Bus) project aimed to reinterpret and demystify traditional Welsh folk music by selecting ten musicians from different musical backgrounds to research their musical roots and to reinterpret Welsh traditional music in a ways relevant to them, and to modern audiences. The ten musicians travelled around Wales, visiting the sound archives in St Fagan’s and the National Library’s music collections, as well as meeting some of Wales’s ‘tradition bearers’ and ethnomusicologists including Phyllis Kinney and Meredydd Evans, Arfon Gwilym, and Stephen Rees. BBC Wales’ Polly March profiled the project in her blog, which you can read here: Pioneering folk project results in album launch and tour

Then, in a week-long writing retreat at Tŷ Newydd, Llanystumdwy, they worked together to re-interpret the traditional material and compose new work based on their experiences during the research phase. The tour concluded at the Swn Festival at the start of the World Music Expo (WOMEX) event in Cardiff, a timely celebration of a successful year-long project, and of traditional Welsh music at a global event. 10 Mewn Bws went on to tour again in Wales including supporting Cerys Matthews at the Hay Festival, and reached the finals of the National Lottery Awards. The end product was a complete album, released by Trac Cymru and Sain Records in October 2013, and a tour of Wales. You can get a taster via the soundcloud link above!

  • “The whole week was life changing for me e.g. having the opportunity of meeting Meredydd Evans and seeing the archives in both Aberystwyth and St. Fagans and knowing the abundance of material which is held there. I cannot thank all of you at trac enough.”

    - Huw Evans

  • “The most valuable part of the project for me was the research week, it was an eye opener. I learnt things that have changed the course of my life. I’ve started an MA course at Bangor University to look at traditional Welsh music, which is a direct outcome of my experiences during the week on the bus. It was an honour to be part of this valuable and unique experience. This project has influenced me as a musician in a big way. It has given me confidence as an individual, and I’m more confident in my ability as a fiddle player, in my singing and through composing/arranging.”

    - Mari Morgan

  • “The highlight for me was being able to access Welsh culture in a way that I have never been able to, as a non-Welsh speaker…. Most of this was an unseen world to me and it has been fascinating.”

    - Francesca Simmons

  • “The research week was so inspirational. Before the project, I didn’t really know where to start looking for old songs, but now I feel like I have, enough inspiration for a number of lifetimes work! The project has totally blown my mind! The main thing I’ve learnt from the project is to crack on with researching, arranging and releasing all of the amazing material that is just sitting in the archives waiting for a new lease of life. The project has given me as a musician, lots of exposure and has helped my career progress a great deal With out wanting to sound cheesy, it’s true what Craig said – 10 Mewn Bws has changed my life!!!! Diolch o galon.”

    - Catrin O’Neill