The Council of Gorsedh Kernow has announced the first tranche of winners of their new annual Awards after appointing specialist judges to work their way carefully through a record number of entries for 2016 which included a particularly strong showing from Truro schools Richard Lander and Cusgarne.
“Awards are being given to entries that express the Celtic spirit of Cornwall and demonstrate exceptional endeavour or quality of work,” said Grand Bard of Cornwall Merv Davey, Telynor an Weryn.
The new scheme has drawn work from the creative arts, Cornish studies and community service and merges the former childrens and adults competitions with the long established Gorsedh Kernow Council awards, creating a new range of Awards for adults and a separate range for young people under 18 years of age.
“The new Gorsedh Kernow Awards are more flexible and less prescriptive,” said Merv Davey “and allow for entrants to demonstrate creativity in a variety of ways, including the use of digital media which has attracted an amazing number of entries in the under 18 age groups.”
The Awards winners announced so far for 2016 are:
Adults
Rannyeth / Cornish Dialect
Dialect Prose – “The Woman in the Yellow Coat” – Patricia King, Illogan
Dialect Verse – “The Woman in the Yellow Coat” – Jill Thomas, St. Neot
Awenekter / Creativity
Creative Photography – “Space to Write” – Steve Tanner, Mousehole
Play – “Trevithick” – Edward Rowe, Roche
Painting – “ Tri Maw Ow Pyskessa” – John Goody, Isles of Scilly
Music Composition and Performance – “History of Cornwall”- Nick Hart, St. Neot
Tapestry – “ A Window on Withiel” – Wendy Simpson, Bodmin
Cornish Dance Performance on DVD. “Keskowethyans”. From “La Nuit Interceltique”. Performed at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany
Video Project on the Internet – “Edge of the World” – Richard Nye, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Video Project on DVD – “Tan Tewl a Gernow”- Alban Roinard & Morag Robertson, St Ives
Kemeneth / Community
Music in the Community – “Services to Helston Town Band” – Russell Harvey, Helston, for long service as a bandsman and for encouraging young people to play music
Music in the Community – “Shout Kernow: Celebrating Cornwall’s Pub Songs” – Hilary Coleman, Redruth and Sally Burley, St Day
Outstanding community service for Cornwall – Mark Hawken, Egloshayle, Wadebridge
Outstanding Community Service for Cornwall – Isobel Pickering, Polruan. For photographic and other research in her local area.
Pewas Map Trevethan / Paul Smales Medallion for Services to Cornwall by someone living outside Cornwall – Dorothy Drew, Christchurch, New Zealand
London Cornish Association Shield for Outstanding Services to Cornwall and Cornish People – Lorna Leadbetter, London
Special Award – Esme Francis, Nanquidno, St Just, for Services to Cornish Music and Dance.
The winners for the Adults categories Yeth Kernewek / Cornish Language, Bardhoniedh ha Yeth Plen / Poetry and Prose and Studhyans Kernewek / Cornish Studies will be announced at the Awards evening to be held on Thursday 1st September at the Esedhvos Festival in St Keverne.
Under 18 years of age – hard copy projects
Yeth Kernewek / Cornish Language
“Cornish Dictionary” – Mattie Roach, aged 7, Cusgarne School, Truro
“Cornish Language/Phrases” – Esme Fawcett, 12 – 17 age group, Richard Lander School, Truro
Special Award – “Cornish Place Names” – Roxy Coles, Richard Lander School, Truro
Studhyans Kernewek / Cornish Studies
“St Day” – Sam Galligan, aged 10, Cusgarne School, Truro
“John Couch Adams” – Emily Wright, aged 13, Richard Lander School, Truro
Special Award – “Study on Modern Day Hero Helen Glover” – Imogen Barnard, aged 8, Cusgarne School, Truro
Art, Desin ha Diskwedhyans Besyel Kernewek / Art, Design & Digital Media
“I Love Cornwall” – Lottie Etherington, aged 6, Cusgarne School, Truro ‘
“Cornish Myths and Legends” – Jenna Dymond and Lucy Blanks, Richard Lander School, Truro
Special Award – “Poster – St Ives Food and Drink” – Emily Haddrell, Richard Lander School, Truro
Under 18 years of age – digital projects
Yeth Kernewek / Cornish Language
CD Keur Kernewek / Cornish Choir – “A-dro an Pow gans Gryf ha Gryll”. A collaboration between Moyvans Skolyow Meythrin, MAGA and Cornwall College Students.
Ilow Kernewek / Cornish Music
Composition on pen drive – played on piano and sung by Jhaenelle Gray, 12-17 age group, Richard Lander School, Truro.
CD – “The Mermaid” – The Cornwall Youth Brass Band
Fylmow ha Gwariva Kernewek / Cornish Films and Drama
Short film – “Journey to Top of Carn Brea” – Max Morrison, aged 9, with Brett Harvey. Trewirgie School, Redruth
Short video film on pen drive – Fergus Todd, aged 12, Richard Lander School, Truro
Studhyans Kernewek / Cornish Studies
“Great Granny Rowse” – Isabella Smith Walker, aged 6, St Mary’s C of E School, Truro
Art, Desin ha Diskwedhyans Besyel / Art, Design and Digitial Media
“Stamp designs to celebrate the granting of Cornish national minority status” – St Maddern’s School, Heamoor
“Presentation on Cornwall”. PowerPoint – with a quiz. Megan Brice and Jess Dash. Richard Lander School, Truro
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Further notes for editors:
The Gorsedh Kernow Awards 2016 scheme replaces the old awards and competitions. The change to a more flexible system will enable Gorsedh Kernow to recognise and celebrate a much greater range of Cornish cultural activity alongside the more traditional arts and literary entries. It will also open the doors to new media technologies.
Awards for young people were open to all schools, young people’s and children’s organisations and individuals under the age of 18 and were considered in one of three age groups – under 7 years of age, 8 to 11 and 12 to 17.
Displays, video presentations and performances from several of the Awards winners will take place at the Awards evening to be held on Thursday 1st September at the Gorsedh Kernow Esedhvos Festival of Cornish Culture in St Keverne Parish Church. The evening starts at 6pm with Awards presentations at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.
For further information about the new Gorsedh Kernow Awards please contact the Awards Co-ordinator, email awards@gorsedhkernow.org.uk
For further information about and a full programme for the Gorsedh Kernow Esedhvos Festival of Cornish Culture please visit our website https://gorsedhkernow.org.uk/esedhvos.html
For general information about Gorsedh Kernow please contact Delia Brotherton, Myrghwyn Melynor, Communications Officer, Gorsedh Kernow, email communications@gorsedhkernow.org.uk
or visit our website www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk
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