Welsh Journals

Music. The Music Committee met repeatedly to consider how best to raise the standard of choral singing and to encourage instrumental music in the county. In order to secure greater continuity and steady work on the part of the choirs, the committee urged the formation of properly constituted choral societies, affiliated to the Union, which undertook to practise, during the winter, music of a high standard in prepara- tion for a County Musical Festival. Two very successful Festivals have been held under the auspices of the Union, at Llangefni last year, and at Llanfair P.G. this year, when 16 choirs, numbering about 800 voices, united in singing the selected pieces, with a fine orchestra, under the conductorship of Mr. E. T. Davies, to an audience of about 3,000. It needed great pluck on the part of the com- mittee to undertake the financial risk, as the expenses (including hire of marquee, etc.) came to over £ 400, apart from entertainment tax. The proceeds will just cover expenses, unless the Customs Authorities persist in their demand for the payment of tax, which will amount to over £ 60. In that case there will be a deficit, which can only be met by voluntary contributions. It is gratifying to find that the Festival has undoubtedly been the means of inspiring the choirs with the love of good music, and broaden- ing their musical outlook. The committee is now interested in a scheme for the encouraging of instrumental music. There is at present no good teacher of strings in the county. The committee feel that this is essential to progress, but our meagre finances have hitherto postponed any action to secure a teacher. Now the committee of the County Eisteddfod have offered £ 50 if the Union will find an equal sum, or more, to offer as a subsidy for the first year to a good teacher to take up work in Anglesey, and give (a) lessons to classes of children attending the elementary and secondary schools, (b) evening classes at certain centres in the county to pupils sufficiently advanced to play easy concerted music, (c) private lessons. We look forward to the day when Anglesey will have its own County Orchestra. Games.-Under the auspices of the Union, the old Anglesey Football League has been revived, and ijs now entitled-The Welsh League, 4th Division (Anglesey Area). Eleven clubs entered the League last winter. The championship was To Readers.— We shall be pleased to send a specimen copy of THE WELSH OUTLOOK to friends of readers resident abroad. To Contributors. — All articles should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Only short poems are invited, and rejected contributions will be returned if stamped envelope is enclosed. fiercely contested, and great interest was taken in it throughout the county. A very successful County Tennis Competition was held last summer and again this year, eight teams taking part, and an inter-club Billiards Competition was held last winter. Through the generosity of donors, silver cups have been secured for these competitions, and medals are given to the winning teams. 71lie committee hope to start a Hockey League this autumn. Buildings. Unfortunately the Union is not in a position to give financial support to communities desirous of erecting Village Halls. Most places in Anglesey prefer to go in for permanent build- ings rather than army huts, and have been busy collecting the necessary funds while waiting for the cost of building materials to come down. Two villages have now completed their funds, and are starting to build, and two others hope to get their buildings up next year. Finance. The question naturally arises How is the Union financed? Each Hall and Society pays an annual affiliation fee of 10s. 6d. Apart from this, the Union has, up to the present, depended entirely upon donations and subscrip- tions, the largest donations being £ 10, and the subscriptions varying from 2s. 6d. to £ 1 Is. Still we have managed to carry on and make both ends meet by the exercise of strict economy. The total expenditure the first year was £ 51, and last year £ 82. The challenge cups and medals for the games competitions are not included in this amount, as they were presented to the Union. We have this year, for the first time, had outside help in the form of a grant from the Development Commissioners through the Village Clubs Association, viz., 10s. for every £ 1 subscribed to the Union, and of a substantial donation from the Anglesey Industries Associa- tion. It will be seen that, owing to the fine spirit of voluntary service which has been shown through- out, it is possible to accomplish a good deal with very small financial outlay. This may be of encouragement to other counties, whose re- sources, like our own, are small. Our President recently said, We are poor financially, but very rich in other things," and though we cannot get along without money, perhaps after all, it is the other things which count most,-faith in our ideals, courage to realise them, ready and cheer- ful service, and loyalty to one another.