A new series of open-air performances running daily from 5pm to 7pm will debut this summer at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, transforming the early evening experience for audiences and creating a seamless bridge between the Eisteddfod’s daytime competitions and its evening concerts.
The Sound-Bridge Sessions have been developed following a successful pilot in 2025 led by Rhys Mwyn and the team at BBC Radio Cymru. The new programme has been shaped directly by audience feedback, which highlighted a desire for more to experience between daytime and evening events.
Supported by Arts Council of Wales, the series brings together a diverse range of performances co-curated by leading artists and organisations from Wales and beyond.
Tickets for the Sound-Bridge Sessions will be priced at £5, offering an accessible introduction to the Eisteddfod. The initiative also provides enhanced value for those attending daytime competitions, enabling audiences to extend their visit into the early evening with high-quality live music. Each session has been carefully curated to complement the evening’s headline concert, creating a connected and immersive musical journey across the day.
Dave Danford, Artistic Director, said, “Sound-Bridge Sessions are about creating a continuous musical experience across the day. We wanted to remove that lull between competitions and concerts, and instead offer something vibrant, accessible and artistically exciting. By handpicking co-curators to complement each evening concert, audiences can enjoy a richer, more connected experience of the Eisteddfod.”
Eisteddfod Chairman John Gambles said, “We are extremely grateful to our outstanding co-curators, whose creativity and vision have shaped this exciting new programme. We also thank the Arts Council of Wales for their support in making this ambitious project possible. Sound-Bridge Sessions are a direct response to what our audiences have told us they want, and we are proud to be delivering an enhanced experience across the Eisteddfod.”
The programme will run daily from Tuesday 7 July to Sunday 12 July, with each session reflecting a different musical style and curated to align with the evening concert.
- On Tuesday 7 July, Angharad Jenkins will present a celebration of contemporary folk music, ahead of the evening concert Uniting Nations: One World.
- On Wednesday 8 July, N’famady Kouyaté will curate a global showcase featuring Korason, Bollywood Brass Band and Badenya Ensemble, complementing the evening concert Global Rhythms: Made in Wales.
- On Thursday 9 July, Rushil Ranjan will present a programme exploring global fusion and contemporary classical music, ahead of the Orchestral Qawwali Project concert.
- On Friday 10 July, Rhys Mwyn, in collaboration with BBC Radio Cymru, will showcase artists including Malan, Blodau Papur and Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18, ahead of the evening performance by Emeli Sandé with The Absolute Orchestra.
- On Saturday 11 July, Sain Records and Klust will present a line-up featuring Elin a Carys, Nancy Williams and Martha Elen, preceding An Evening with Michael Ball.
- On Sunday 12 July, Tŷ Cerdd will present a finale featuring Quartet Draig and a jazz trio led by Tomos Williams, ahead of the Choir of the World concert.
Sound-Bridge Sessions reflect the diversity and creativity of contemporary music-making, offering audiences the opportunity to discover new artists and genres in a relaxed, open-air setting before the evening’s headline performances.
