Between 1978 and 2007 Ar Log managed to release ten albums,  two singles, and a double CD containing the very best of the eponymous series Ar Log I  - Ar Log VI .  A special book outlining Ar Log's career over the first twenty years, and including the tunes composed by members Iolo Jones and Stephen Rees, was published by Carreg Gwalch in 1996.

"Ar Log is one of the most durable and best-loved Welsh folk groups.  The band extraordinary level of musicianship, manly and sensitive Welsh language vocals, and spirited clog dancing can all be experienced on their recordings.  Although there are many superb musicians in Wales, any exploration of the region music should start with, or at least include, a selection of Ar Log recordings."  Christiana Roden, music journalist, New York

  Bangor Slater High School Slater Marching  Band ~ Performers at Opening Ceremony
Bangor Slater High School is known throughout Pennsylvania for its marching band. The Welsh heritage of Bangor is recognized by the band, and its uniforms are modeled after Her Majesty's Royal Welsh Guard. The band has played in the Gator bowl in Gainesville, Florida and in Disney World's Spectromagic Parade and went on their "Tribute to Heroes Tour" in Ireland, Wales, and England in 2007. The band's trademark songs include Men of Harlech and Rule, Britannia! The marching band has been rated superior at the Tamaqua Land of The Running Water Marching Band Festival for 21 straight years. The band has been under the direction of Craig Paine since 1982.

Côr Cymry Gogledd America ~ Grand Concert
Founded in 1998 by its Artistic Director and Conductor, Mari Morgan, Côr Cymry Gogledd America is composed of 80 choristers from 26 American states and 5 Canadian provinces, descendants of Welsh immigrants, expatriates and others with interest in the music, seeking to reflect the North-American Welsh experience through music and song.

This diverse community is connected for practice, lessons in Welsh pronunciation and more by the use of their website as a virtual music hall and class room. The choir has commissioned many works from American and Canadian composers and Welsh writers which brings a cross-cultural Welsh flavor to their performances of old and new favorite pieces.

The choir has traveled to Argentina and Wales as well as across the United States and Canada.  Special performances have included those for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, celebrating the culture of Wales; a July 4th celebration and welcome to Wales at the National Assembly of Wales, hosted by First Minister, Rhodri Morgan; and their recent trip to Patagonia which included visits to Buenos Aires, Trevelin and Gaiman.  They performed at the Trelew Eisteddfod while on this wonderful trip.

A documentary film tells Côr Cymry Gogledd America’s unique story through the lens of its 2002 concert tour to Wales.  This film was premiered at Tribeca Film Studio in New York City.  The choir has also released several recordings most notably Lifting the Sky, a live recording of the choir’s fifth anniversary concert at Trinity Church, Wall Street, also in New York City.

Côr Cymry Gogledd America has made a determined effort to bring the sense of community it fosters to regions that are financially challenged or underserved. It endeavors to share performance stages with other groups and communities, a key component of its mission.  They plan a tour to New Zealand in 2011 and look ahead to the future with national and international performances and a growing community that knows no geographical restrictions and communicates via technology.

Eilir Owen Griffith ~ Gymanfa Conductor 
Eilir Owen Griffiths  is the founder and Artistic Director of the Trinity Arts Festival, which has the Stuart Burrows International Voice Award as its main event.  He is also the Cultural Organiser at Trinity College Carmarthen, where he lectures in music in the School of Theatre, Music and Media. He is the conductor of Côr Aelwyd CF1. 

After gaining his Bachelor degree from Trinity College, he obtained his Master’s degree in Composition at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. His composition work has brought him many accolades. Amongst these are The Welsh Livery Guild Prize (2004), The Barry Choral Society Prize (2004), The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) Composers’ Prize (2005) and The Worshipful Company of Musicians Award (2005).

Eilir has established himself as one of Wales'  most dynamic conductors. He has won many of the top competition prizes with his choirs - Côr Aelwyd CF1, Côr Godre Garth, Côr y Drindod and The Blues Choir. He is a regular conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Wales and contributes regularly to concert platforms and musical events in the UK and abroad. Eilir also appears on television programs as a performer and commentator.

Olwen Hughes ~ Artist
Olwen Hughes is one of Wales’ best topographical artists. In her paintings and drawings she presents a charming record of our rapidly changing architectural scene. She exhibits locally, nationally and internationally. In Wales she is best known for her work for the National Museum of Wales, David Morgan, Ltd, The Rhymney Valley Council, The Torfaen Trust, and The Western Mail newspaper. She is academically well qualified, having a Diploma in Education, an M. Phil in adult education, and she is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She received an M.B.E. from the Queen in March, 2002.

Dafydd Iwan ~ Folk Concert
Dafydd Iwan has been a prominent figure in the musical and political life of Wales for almost 5 decades.  He has "retired" from singing several times, but has been called back by popular demand, due to his performing ability and unique brand of personal songs.  He writes most of his own music and sees himself in the tradition of the Welsh traveling minstrels, singing about the life of his country. He performs with his own band, as well as Ar Log who will be appearing with him in this year's Festival. 
Dafydd was born in Brynaman, Carmarthenshire and now lives near Caernarfon with his family.  He is the Director of SAIN recording company, President of Plaid Cymru and a Trustee of the Portmeirion Foundation. He has traveled to America since 1979 and has sung in Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Wilkes Barre, Milwaukee and San Jose.

Gwyndaf Jones ~ Banquet Performer 
Born and raised in Llanfairpwll, North Wales, Gwyndaf Jones had many great experiences performing and competing in Welsh festivals throughout the country. In fact, it was the 1987 Singer of the World Competition held in Cardiff where he began his musical career. At age 18, he placed first in the tenor category and was awarded an Opera Program Scholarship to the Guild Hall School of music in London where he studied. Since then, he has performed with the Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, San Francisco Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera as well as extensively in concerts throughout Canada and the USA. 

Gwyndaf has produced and recorded a solo album in 2007. Currently living in Toronto, he teaches vocal technique of Belcanto singing to private voice students. 

  Keith Davies Jones ~ Ysgol Gân Instructor
Keith Davies Jones was born in north Wales, grew up in mid-Wales and attended university in south Wales. He has lived in Winnipeg for more than 20 years, and has returned at least once every year since then to Wales to visit family and friends and the beautiful Welsh countryside. Several orchestral and choral compositions drawing their inspiration from this source have been premiered in recent years. He has some experience of orchestral and choir conducting and has for a number of years enjoyed directing informal singing at the Gymanfa Ganu. He is married with three adult children and one grandchild.

Roland Lewis ~ Lecturer
Ronald L. Lewis descends from a long line of Welsh and English coal miners. Following a tour in the U.S. Navy, he earned a BA degree from Ohio University, and MA and PhD degrees in history from the University of Akron. Dr. Lewis taught at the University of Delaware from 1974 to 1985 and then joined the faculty at West Virginia University. At WVU he served as chairman of the Department of History, held the Eberly Family Distinguished Professorship, and the Joyce and Stuart Robbins Chair in History until his recent retirement. Mr. Lewis has authored and edited numerous books and articles on the social history of industrialization. His current book, Welsh Americans: A History of Assimilation in the Coalfields, was inspired by research into his own family history which generally mirrors the Welsh American experience. By examining Welsh mining families both in Wales and America, this book demonstrates how the Welsh were uniquely prepared by work and culture to play a formative role in the development of the American coal industry as well as its supporting communities and institutions. The Welsh encountered few obstacles on the road to Americanization, but it was a journey which called for heroic efforts to preserve their cultural heritage. How Welsh immigrants became Welsh Americans is the main thread of the book. Dr. Lewis’s current research projects include a history of the Welsh in Ohio.

James S. Little ~ Côr Cymry Gogledd America Accompanist
Jim Little, the accompanist for Côr Cymry Gogledd America since 1999, received a Masters degree in Sacred Music from the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, where he studied organ with Eugene Roan and choral conducting with Melanie Jacobsen and Joseph Flummerfelt.  He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the choir as he has been organist/choirmaster of Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit, NJ.  He also directs a program of three choirs, and a concert series by the Calvary Chorale.  Previously, for twenty years, he was the organist/choir director at the Community Presbyterian Church in Mountainside, NJ. 

Dianne McCarty ~ Ysgol Gân Accompanist
Dianne McCarty is a native of southern Indiana, currently living in the Chicago area. She has studied music since elementary school and earned degrees in piano and organ performance from the University of Evansville and Northwestern University. She has served as organist and director of choirs for several churches in the United States, and has held the position of Organist/Director of Music and Liturgy at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Aurora, Illinois since 1983. Dianne taught music and served as College Organist in colleges in Georgia and Indiana, and currently teaches piano, organ, and harpsichord in her private studio. She performs in recitals as soloist, accompanist, and in chamber ensembles. While working as an engineer for Motorola in the United Kingdom, she traveled frequently to Wales and her passion for the Welsh culture, language, history, and music was nurtured. Dianne is active in Welsh societies in the Chicago area and has participated in several annual Cymdeithas Madog Welsh language courses. Her special musical interests are hymnody and ensemble performance. 

  Mari Morgan ~ Côr Cymry Gogledd America Conductor
Founder and first artistic director and conductor of Côr Cymry Gogledd America, Mari Morgan grew up in Llanelli, South Wales. At age 15 she received a scholarship to study at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. She furthered her music studies at the University of Wales in Cardiff, graduating with honors. Ms. Morgan then traveled to London for a post-graduate vocal studies course at Trinity College of Music, which she completed in 1989. She moved to the United States in 1996, awarded her green card and permanent residency for her musical expertise and accomplishments. She has now made her home in New Jersey. 

Her professional resume as a mezzo-soprano spans two continents and six countries and includes concerts, festivals, master classes, and workshops, as well as recitals and opera roles. As a conductor, she is well known to Welsh audiences across North America, having directed cymanfaoedd canu in cities from New York to Los Angeles. Dedicated to the presentation of new music, Ms. Morgan is deeply committed to the creation of new music and of a North American Welsh choral music experience and genre.

Jack Owen ~ Presenter
Jack Owen has been active in various Welsh cultural activities since 1984 and joined the St. David’s Society of Pittsburgh, Inc. in 1987 and later becoming President. He acted as assistant to Chairman David Lewis for the 1989 National in Pittsburgh and served on the local committee. He is a lifetime member of WNGGA.
In 2001 Jack agreed to serve as Co-chairman with Dale Richards of the Welsh Nationality Room (WNR) at the University of Pittsburgh and helped lead a successful campaign, raising over $500,000. The WNR was opened in 2008. 
Jack is a Welsh Tenor and sings in the local Welsh choir and plays the trumpet in the Worship Band of Allison Park Church. He has conducted several Cymanfaoedd in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Jack lives in McCandless, Pennsylvania with his wife Lori and two sons, Andrew and Tyler. He is a tax attorney and specializes in assisting nonprofit charitable organizations.

  Craig Paine ~ Bangor HS Band Director
Craig Paine received his B.S. in Music Education from Hartwick College and his M. Ed. from the University of Miami.  He has been the band director and teacher of music at Bangor Senior High School since 1982. Under his direction the marching band program has grown from 33 students to over 154 students. There are 3 concert bands and 2 jazz ensembles. These units make over 55 public performances a year. The marching band boasts 16 years of superior ratings. Under Mr. Paine's leadership, seven Bangor students have been selected for All-State Band and Chorus.

  Hefina Phillips ~ Welsh Language Instructor
Hefina never asks people why they want to learn Welsh.  To her, it the most natural thing in the world!  To have been born Welsh is the utmost privilege, and she does all that she can in North America to share her passion and love of Wales and its beautiful language. Welsh was the only language spoken in her home in Cwmgiedd, in the Swansea Valley.She was educated at Cardiff University's Welsh Department and was fortunate to have Saunders Lewis as one of her professors. Since moving to North America she has taught on the annual Cymdeithas Madog courses as well as being responsible for starting Welsh language classes in Toronto. The other passions of her life?  Her grandchildren, of course.

Dale Richards ~ Presenter
Dale P. Richards is a native of Sharon, Pennsylvania. He has retired after 38 years as a school counselor and teacher during which time he also coached baseball, football and basketball. Dale currently serves as co-chairman of the Welsh Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh, and he is also a Quo Vadis guide for the Nationality Rooms there. He is a member of the Order of Ivorites (NWAF) and is incoming President of the National Rooms Council.

Lord  Roger Roberts~Presiding Minister, Sunday Morning Worship Service
Lord Roger Roberts was educated at University College of North Wales and  Birmingham. He has served as a Methodist minister for more than 50 years and very much enjoyed his six months as Interim Minister at Eglwys Dewi Sant, Toronto, a few years ago.  For many years, Roberts was President of the Welsh Liberals, then of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. He was a councilor and leader of the Liberal Democrats on Aberconwy borough council for several years.

Roberts was made a life peer as Baron Roberts of Llandudno in 2004 and speaks on International Development and Welsh Affairs for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. Roberts has a wide range of experience in humanitarian needs. He is also President of 'Cymru a'r Byd (Wales International). Roberts is a widower with three children and seven grandchildren. He lives in Llandudno.

  Alan Thomas ~ Festival Accompanist
Alan Thomas was born in Neath, South Wales and studied in Manchester University where he received a Bachelor of Music degree.  He went to Reading University for a degree in Education.   As well as being Director of Music in two large boarding schools in England, Alan was very active in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, Granada Television and many community choral societies and orchestras.  In 1974, he became Director of Music at Ashbury College in Ottawa, a post he held for ten years before becoming a free-lance musician and teacher, but still remaining at the College as Chapel Organist until 1996.  In 1977, Alan was appointed Organist and Choir Director of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ottawa.  Alan has been involved in many musical activities in Ottawa including conducting the Parkdale Symphony Orchestra.  He has maintained a strong connection with the Ottawa Welsh Society and has played for numerous Cymanfaoedd in recent years, including the National Gymanfa Ganu in Ottawa in 2000, Buffalo in 2004, Orlando in 2005, Cincinnati in 2006, Alexandria, VA and Chicago.

  Chris Watkins ~ Lecturer
Chris Watkins was born and raised near Castell-Nedd, South Wales. He carved his first lovespoon at age eleven as part of a school woodwork class.  After marrying his Ohio-born wife in 2000, he emigrated to Cincinnati, and found employment as a customer support technician for a software development company.  In 2002, Chris and his wife moved with their one-year-old twins to northeast Ohio to be nearer family, and he took on the role of primary caregiver.
In his spare time, he reintroduced himself to lovespoons, carving several for his wife and children.  After determining that others had an interest in this old rural custom, Chris and his father established Llwyau Sgwd, producing quality, creative, and original hand carved Welsh lovespoons.  As well as carving lovespoons, Chris is fascinated with their tradition and history. He has read extensively on the subject, developing and exchanging ideas with some of today’s leading experts in the field.

Christopher Williams ~ Lecturer
Christopher Williams is Professor of Welsh History at Swansea University. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford and at Cardiff University. Before joining Swansea University in 2005, he taught at Coleg Harlech, at Cardiff and at the University of Glamorgan. His most recent publications include Wales and War, Postcolonial Wales, and A Companion to Nineteenth-Century Britain. He is currently editing the diaries of the actor Richard Burton (1925-84) and is researching the cartoonist J. M. Staniforth (1863-1921).