A SUPER-choir of singers from across the region is preparing to sing their hearts out at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The choir, made up of more than 100 adults and children from across North East Wales, will perform at the eisteddfod, thanks to an £8,000 boost from ScottishPower’s charitable foundation.

The group, who have taken the name ‘As One’, is made up of five individual music and dance groups involved in the Eisteddfod’s 2016 Inclusion Project.

 They will be using the concert to perform a song written to promote a message of peace through music and dancing.

The group came together for their final rehearsal at Ysgol Dinas Brian in Llangollen, are now preparing for their two appearances on the secon d day of the festival.

These will be at 10am on the Royal Mail stage and at 1pm in the Pavilion on Thursday, July 7.

The song they will be performing, entitled One Family, has been written specially for the occasion by local composer Owain Llwyd from Glyndyfrdwy, who is himself a former pupil at Ysgol Dinas Bran, and Aled Lewis Evans from Wrexham.

Project artistic co-ordinator Lesley Churchill Ward was delighted with the way the rehearsal went and proud of everyone involved.

Ms Ward said: “As One certainly demonstrate great diversity. 

“It includes the two dance groups, New Dance from Wrexham, and the one based at Ysgol Maeshyfryd in Flint, along with choirs All Aloud from Coedpoeth, Tuned Together from a mental health care home near Denbigh and another called KIM – it stands for Knowledge, Inspiration, Motivation – formed by the KIM-Inspire mental health charity, based in Holywell.

“We’ve also worked closely on the project with the development organisation North East Wales Dance.

“Performers range from children as young as three to people in their eighties.

“Some of them are adults with autism, learning difficulties, complex personality disorders and blindness. 

“But they have all come together wonderfully to harmonise the song One Family, a title which perfectly sums up the nature of this project.”

Speaking about the song written for the event, Mr Llwyd said: “The aim was for the song, One Family, to reflect the ethos of the Inclusion Project and also what the International Eisteddfod represents in terms of promoting peace and understanding through music.

“Both the lyricist and myself worked closely with the group, attending the workshops they had to get their own thoughts on what the piece should be about, so lots of their dramatic ideas have been incorporated in it.

“The song is about 10 minutes’ long and also includes dance elements, which makes it very exciting.

“It was incredible to see all five groups performing it together for the first time in the hall of my old school in Llangollen.”

Wrexham-based writer Aled Lewis Evans, who added the words to Mr Llwyd’s musical score, said: “I attended quite a few of the workshop sessions and got some idea of what the performers would like to see conveyed in the lyrics, phrases such as ‘onwards and upwards’ and about the state of the world today. I also got the idea from them that it should be about family unity.”