Logo with stylized text 'GWERIN GWALLGO' in orange letters.

Gwerin Gwallgo is a high-energy, four-day residential course for young people aged 11-17, where you can meet friends, develop new skills and build a repertoire in Welsh traditional music, dance and song. It attracts around 40 young people, and takes place at Glan Llyn - the Urdd Residential Centre in Bala - who facilitate outdoor activities like canoeing and raft-building offered as options in your timetable. The course is made up of instrumental, vocal and clog dance lessons, a big band set and a big song during the day, with informal sessions, concerts, twmpathau and more in the evenings. Take a look at our Gwerin Gwallgo videos on our youtube playlist!

  • Players need to have their own instrument, and be able to play at least to a basic standard. Instrumentalists are asked to tell us their approximate level of experience when they book, from the following options:

    • Relative Beginner: you have a basic knowledge of your instrument, you can play easy scales and a few simple tunes

    • Intermediate: you’re a more assured player with a reasonable familiarity with different tune types

    • Advanced: a confident player with a significant amount of experience

    There is no need to be able to read music, nor to know anything about folk music. As is traditional with folk music, most of the workshops are taught ‘by ear’.

  • These are open to everyone from beginners to experienced singers. No previous experience of folk songs is needed.

  • We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced tutoring, catering for different levels of experience.

  • Since 2024, we have had a Gwerin Gwallgo studio, where our young musicians and dancers can record music and have taster sessions using a studio.

2024 Gwerin Gwallgo Tutors are: Beth Celyn (singing), Patrick Rimes (fiddle), Aneirin Jones (fiddle), Rhys Morris (guitar), Beth Williams Jones (clog dancing), Huw Williams (clog dancing), Awen Blandford (cello and mixed instruments), Osian Gruffydd (studio) and Gwen Màiri (harp). Gwerin Gwallgo helps us to bring on the next generation of professional musicians and tutors as well as those who just enjoy folk music and dance for the fun of it. Young bands such as Beca and Tant formed there, and older teenagers have the opportunity to return as volunteers. Some, such as Aneirin Jones of Vri and Rhys Morris and Osian Gruffydd of AVANC, have gone on to become tutors on the course. Many other ‘graduates’ joined the Youth Folk Ensemble of Wales, currently performing as AVANC.

Booking & Bursaries

Booking is currently closed, but when tickets are live again you can find a link here. This course is fully inclusive - the cost includes all meals, accommodation, and tuition. The standard ticket price is £350 and a bursary place is £50.

We want this course to be enjoyed by everyone. We have three assisted places for companions and provision for interpreters. We also offer a build your own personal access rider developed by Disability Arts Cymru. This is designed to help you tell us about any physical and neurodivergent requirements that you might have. Our bursaries are designed to support people who may face financial barriers to accessing our courses. We have 10 bursary places available. Please contact jordan@trac-cymru.org for more information.

A group of young people playing guitars in a classroom setting, being instructed by a tutor standing at the front of the room with a walled whiteboard.
A group of young people playing violins outdoors in a forested area, standing in a circle surrounded by trees and sunlight.
Two young dancers outdoors on a paved surface with a scenic background of rolling hills and a lake, under a clear blue sky.

  • “… It’s the one place where she really feels she belongs, and belongs to something Welsh in a way that makes her really excited and inspired. She doesn’t get many chances to play folk with others, and this is an invaluable opportunity for that. The quality of the musicians there, the teaching, is so superb, and the achievement of the concert at the end quite mind-blowing!”

    - Survey Response

  • “I come from a small rural town, so Gwerin Gwallgo has allowed me to meet other young people with a similar interest in Welsh folk music. It has also given me the chance to work with inspiring and supportive tutors. The experience opened my eyes to how lively and exciting the Welsh folk music scene is at the moment. I look forward to returning every year to meet old friends and see how much I’ve developed since the last time. I am now also fortunate enough to be a member of the Youth Folk Ensemble of Wales, mostly thanks to the time I spent on this very special course.”

    - Survey Response

  • “The enthusiasm and dedication of the tutors and organisers is astonishing. Please, let everyone know how much we parents appreciate that! The children do too, but that’s already obvious.”

    - Survey Response