Rhys Meirion 3 Lle

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-I'm a Welshman through and through.

-My family is very important to me.

-This is where we came,

-more often than any other place.

-On sunny days in Tremadog, the

-choice was Black Rock Sands or here.

-It was an obvious choice.

-At least once a week,

-I'd travel along this road...

-..for piano lessons

-with Mrs Turner in Garndolbenmaen.

-Every time we passed this way,

-Mam would say...

-.."Why, God, did you make

-Cwm Pennant so beautiful...

-"..and the life

-of an old shepherd so short?"

-There it is, over there.

-It's one of the best places

-in the world.

-# In the bosom

-of the lonely mountain range

-# It is the finest valley

-of them all

-# The home of the stoat and the fox

-# And the winter dwelling

-of the hawk #

-I remember visiting here

-on a fine summer's day.

-When we came around the corner,

-we'd cross our fingers...

-..in case some English tourists

-had arrived before us.

-We'd shout for joy

-if there was no-one here.

-In our minds, this was our pool.

-We'd have our picnic here...

-..and wait to see who was brave

-enough to step into the water first.

-There are some rocks here,

-and we'd tiptoe in...

-..to test the water.

-It was usually very cold.

-After struggling a little, we'd

-slip in and swim all afternoon.

-Every time we come back here...

-..we still think we own a small

-piece of this wonderful place.

-It's a very special place.

-A place that's close to my heart.

-It's a strange feeling

-looking back to my childhood.

-Like many others, I had no idea

-what I wanted to do with my life.

-As a boy, I wanted to play

-rugby or football for Wales.

-Those were my exotic desires!

-You soon realize that those desires

-won't be fulfilled.

-I was raised in a very musical home.

-Mam played the piano.

-My father sang with Meibion Dwyfor.

-Many people have asked me

-about the origins of my voice.

-Several have pointed out that my

-grandfather on my father's side...

-..was an accomplished tenor.

-I had piano lessons

-in Garndolbenmaen...

-..with an old lady

-called Mrs Turner.

-She was originally from Liverpool.

-She spoke a mixture

-of Welsh and English.

-If she wanted to say something posh,

-she'd say it in English.

-She needed a lot of patience

-when she taught me.

-I thought the world of her.

-I remember it came to a point

-where my parents said...

-.."Well, we've decided you should

-give up playing the piano."

-Thinking about the disappointment

-Mrs Turner would feel...

-..played on my mind.

-That was the turning point for me.

-I knuckled down and went on

-to pass my Grade 7 exam.

-I'm now glad I put in the hard work.

-We did a lot together later on...

-..but we weren't very close

-when we were younger.

-The only time we spent together

-as youngsters...

-..was at an eisteddfod,

-or the Sunday School Festival.

-I remember Mam always said,

-"That boy from Tremadog...

-"..will be up against you

-in the Sunday School Festival."

-I sang a lot

-when I was at primary school...

-..at the local eisteddfodau

-and Sunday School festivals.

-I'd also sing

-at the Urdd eisteddfodau.

-But I only reached the

-Urdd County Eisteddfod once.

-We both competed

-at the Urdd eisteddfodau.

-When we reached

-the County Eisteddfod...

-..we'd come up against Bryn Terfel,

-John Eifion or Iwan Parry.

-That was the end of the road

-for us then.

-Mam says I beat Bryn Terfel once,

-at Garn Eisteddfod.

-I think Hywel Gwynfryn once

-asked Bryn Terfel about this.

-He said I had beaten him, but

-that he had laryngitis at the time!

-Rhys says he beat Bryn Terfel at

-Garn Eisteddfod when he was five.

-I beat Rhys Meirion many times

-at the Sunday School festivals...

-..when we were the same age.

-I remember when I used to sing

-at secondary school...

-..I was called a poof

-by other children.

-If you sang, you were a poof!

-That influenced my thinking...

-..and I gave up singing

-and switched to rugby as my hobby.

-I was a scrum half.

-Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, Gerald

-Davies and JPR were my great heroes.

-I decided to further my education

-in Trinity College, Carmarthen...

-..to become a teacher.

-I chose to study Music.

-I had to be able to play

-two instruments.

-I could play the piano. But what

-could be my second instrument?

-I could see "Voice" on the list,

-so I had singing lessons every week.

-I was taught by Connie Ashton,

-a very dear woman.

-After the first lesson,

-I remember her saying...

-.."I'll have you

-with the Welsh National Opera...

-"..by the end of the year."

-I thought she was mad.

-I didn't take it seriously at all.

-I played rugby and

-we played a match every Wednesday.

-When you play rugby in college...

-..it's invariably followed

-by a drinking session.

-No matter where you went...

-..by the end of the night,

-he'd be leading a sing-song.

-I remember being

-in the City Arms in Cardiff.

-People were staring

-in disbelief at him...

-..but by the end,

-they were all singing...

-..and he was standing on a chair.

-I would always start singing...

-..but I wasn't allowed to start

-until nine o'clock.

-I'd get on some people's nerves.

-I had a licence to start singing

-at nine o'clock.

-I'd count down the seconds

-to nine o'clock every time.

-I'd stand on a chair

-and everyone would join in.

-I'd wake up the following morning

-with a voice like a crow...

-..and wander off

-to my singing lesson.

-Miss Ashton would ask, "What were

-you doing last night, Rhys?"

-I'd sung for hours

-the previous night and I was hoarse.

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-Without a doubt, coming here, as

-Headmaster of Ysgol Pentrecelyn...

-..was a turning point in my life.

-I was forced to wise up...

-..and I'm sure, had I not become

-Headmaster here back in 1993...

-..I probably wouldn't be

-a singer now.

-I remember coming here

-for the first time - I was only 26.

-I was one of the youngest

-headmasters in Wales.

-My father said I couldn't work

-all the time - I needed a hobby.

-Morfudd Vaughan Evans, Cor Rhuthun's

-conductor at the time...

-..urged me to have singing lessons

-with Brian Hughes.

-I didn't think my voice

-was good enough.

-Who did I think I was,

-going to Brian Hughes for lessons?

-One day, Morfudd told me

-she'd arranged a lesson for me.

-I had to go. She'd arranged

-for me to sing Y Bugail.

-I went over it and over it.

-The highest note was G.

-I had to stand on tip-toe

-to reach the note.

-That's comes in the mid range now.

-I didn't say much but I knew he had

-a good voice and a special talent.

-He sang, somehow,

-with an intrinsic sound...

-..which appealed to me.

-At the end he said,

-"When do you want to come next?"

-"Ooh, I'm allowed back!"

-I remember

-after Rhys had left the house...

-..my wife, Carys, doesn't say much

-about those who sing...

-..but she looked at me and said,

-"He's special, isn't he?"

-That was true.

-# Abate ye waves

-# A brother of mine

-# Lies sleeping deeply #

-Here's the office.

-This was the boiler house.

-This is where we'd give

-naughty children a telling-off.

-Let's go this way.

-The Caretaker's room.

-The hall is this way.

-This is where we'd meet

-for choir practice.

-The old piano.

-It's still in tune.

-I have some very fond memories.

-We were very fortunate.

-We had a lot of success.

-We won with the song Y Llygoden

-at the Urdd Eisteddfod years ago...

-..in the Schools Under 150 Children

-competition.

-Alun Guy chose us

-as the highlight of his week.

-That was a very special moment.

-When all the children and teachers

-had gone home...

-..I'd stay behind

-to do some work in the office.

-Then, I'd sit at the piano for half

-an hour at the end of every day...

-..and rehearse what Brian Hughes

-had taught me.

-On that day, all the schoolchildren

-gathered at the chapel.

-They all wanted to throw confetti,

-and it went everywhere.

-She married a headmaster.

-She thought that

-a secure, normal life lay ahead.

-Then, in 1995...

-..I was gaining

-more and more success.

-I was starting to think,

-"Well, I wonder?"

-I remember talking to Nia about it

-for the first time.

-"I wonder what would happen

-if I gave up teaching...

-"..and became

-a professional singer?"

-She gave me a strange look

-initially.

-It was a huge decision to make.

-Osian was born in May 1996.

-We were still discussing the idea

-of singing professionally.

-The Llandeilo National Eisteddfod

-was on the horizon.

-# There's longing in the sea

-and mountains grey #

-If I couldn't win the main prize

-as an amateur...

-..well, my chances were limited...

-..to pursue a successful

-professional career.

-That's how I looked upon it.

-The Llandeilo Eisteddfod

-was crucial.

-# At sunset hours

-and firelight's flames #

-It was evident from the repertoire

-Rhys had chosen...

-..he was ready to leave

-the amateur world...

-..and further his career.

-There was no need for me

-to tell Rhys...

-.."Listen,

-why don't you go to college?"

-That was his natural next step.

-I went to sing for Carlo Rizzi.

-"It would be a sin

-if you didn't follow...

-"..your wonderful voice," he said.

-He told me to go to college

-for two years.

-It was going to be

-a difficult decision.

-He had a settled life in Ruthin...

-..with his young family

-and a headmaster's job.

-But he was a tenor.

-Having a special tenor voice

-is better than any other voice.

-Ultimately, he had no choice.

-Singing was his future.

-I went to the Guildhall

-for an audition.

-I remember telling them

-about my situation.

-I was a headmaster

-with a wife and a young child.

-I said that

-if I was offered a place...

-..there were twelve places available

-and over 1,000 candidates...

-..if they were sure I could

-be a success, then offer me a place.

-They sent their answer

-through the post...

-..to confirm

-I was making the right choice.

-When it's there, in front of you,

-in black and white, it's emphatic.

-It suddenly dawned on me

-that my life would change forever...

-..if I accepted this invitation.

-I decided to accept it.

-From January until July...

-..I was in limbo.

-Then, one morning I'll never forget,

-I arrived at the school...

-..and a brown envelope

-had arrived for me.

-I opened it.

-Her Majesty's Inspector

-was visiting the school...

-..three weeks before I left in July!

-I'll never forget

-Nia driving me to Chester Station.

-It was rather a strange journey.

-We hardly spoke.

-I felt this was it.

-There was no turning back.

-It was very emotional

-saying goodbye to Nia and Osian.

-It was like a scene

-from a romantic film.

-Standing in the doorway, waving...

-..waiting for them

-to go out of sight.

-I sat down and looked ahead.

-I was thrown in at the deep end.

-I would sink or swim.

-I came through it.

-And there's no doubt that it was

-an extremely important place for me.

-It's a very special place.

-When you walk in for the first time,

-you can hear so much rehearsing.

-Everyone looks busy.

-You hear different languages.

-There's a cosmopolitan feel to it.

-Here, you feel you want to work,

-learn and improve yourself.

-That's how you feel in this college.

-I remember coming in here

-every morning.

-I'd read the names of David Lloyd,

-Bryn Terfel and Wynford Evans.

-I'd say, "Come on, let's go for it."

-What is great about this college...

-..are the many different elements

-that are taught here.

-It's such a lively place.

-There are so many different facets

-of singing, acting and music.

-In one rehearsal room, someone

-would perform a Beethoven concerto.

-In the next room, someone

-would play jazz on the saxophone.

-It's a very exciting place.

-I had booked a room in the YMCA,

-down the road.

-I had no idea

-what the YMCA would be like.

-It was right next to the college.

-I thought it would be ideal.

-I'll never forget

-arriving at the YMCA.

-I had quite a shock

-when I walked into the room.

-The memories are flooding back now.

-I remember,

-I'd just left Nia and Osian at home.

-I'd been a headmaster.

-I walked into this small, dark room.

-There was one sink in the corner...

-..and a bed

-which resembled a prison bed.

-It was a very different world.

-I remember thinking...

-.."What on earth have I done

-leaving everything for this?"

-It was quite a shock

-for the first three months.

-One of the first things I realized

-when I met my fellow students...

-..was that everyone else

-had been studying...

-..for four, five, six years already.

-They would talk about

-all the composers...

-..and the different styles.

-They could speak

-different languages so easily.

-I remember sitting there thinking,

-"I'm miles behind them."

-I spent many hours in the library

-trying to catch up.

-I must have walked miles back

-and forth along these shelves...

-..hassling the old librarian

-when I couldn't find something.

-I still don't understand

-their system.

-I spent many happy hours here...

-..listening to the music

-and watching the DVDs.

-One of the newer elements for me

-was the acting and dancing lessons.

-I'm not the smoothest of dancers,

-I must say.

-There's a lot of dancing

-in some of the operas.

-I had to learn to waltz properly.

-I stepped on a few feet

-along the way.

-I was always the last

-to be chosen in the lectures...

-..if someone needed a partner!

-I left the Guildhall

-some eleven years ago.

-Undoubtedly, coming here

-was a far more important step...

-..than becoming

-a professional singer straightaway.

-Here, I could rehearse

-and develop my talent...

-..with a safety net beneath me

-and L plates on my back.

-Life's journey has been

-rather bizarre for me...

-..but I'm now at a place in my life

-where I want to be.

-It's fantastic to earn a living from

-something I enjoy doing so much.

-I feel very fortunate.

-S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.