4-Day Residential Youth Folk Course
Gwerin Gwallgo is our high-energy, four-day residential course for young people aged 11-18, where you can meet friends, develop new skills and build a repertoire in Welsh traditional music, dance, song and story-telling. 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, song and clog dance lessons, plus a big band set and a big song during the day, with informal sessions, concerts, twmpathau and more in the evenings.
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 VRï and Rhys Morris and Osian Gruffydd of AVANC, have gone on to become tutors on the course! Many other ‘graduates’ joined our Youth Folk Ensemble of Wales project that piloted in 2018. Take a look at Gwerin Gwallgo Youtube playlist below!
Classes
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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’.
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We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced tutoring, catering for different levels of experience.
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These are open to everyone from beginners to experienced singers. No previous experience of folk songs is needed.
Booking & Bursaries
This course is fully inclusive - the cost includes all meals, accommodation, and tuition.
We want this course to be enjoyed by everyone. We are offering 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.
For tickets, please follow this booking form via Glan Llyn: https://www.cognitoforms.com/UrddGobaithCymru/_2026GlanllynCwrsGwerinGwallgoHydref2629October
