SINGER-SONGWRITER COMPETITION 2025 CYSTADLEUAETH CANWR-CYFANSODDWR 2025
EXTRA FOR 2025: FREE ENTRY TO MAGNIFICENT TREDEGAR HOUSE AND GARDENS (WORTH UP TO £12PP) IS INCLUDED WITH EVERY FESTIVAL TICKET YCHWANEGOL AR GYFER 2025: MYNEDIAD AM DDIM I DŶ TREDEGAR A’I GERDDI GODIDOG (WERTH HYD AT £12bp) GYDA PHOB TOCYN I’R ŴYL


We’re delighted to announce that the winner of our 2025 Singer-Songwriter Competition is Hermione Wild with her song Aline. Hermione, from Swansea, wrote the song about a woman unlucky in love. “It’s really about modern dating,” she says, “but I tried to write it with themes that might have been relevant to women in that position at any time in the last 200 years.” You can listen to Aline on the MUSIC page of this website.
Hermione Wild yw enillydd teilwng ein Cystadleuaeth Canwr-Gyfansoddwr 2025. Maw ei chân ‘Aline’ yn sôn am fenyw sy’n anlwcus mewn cariad. “Mae’n ymwneud â dyddio modern mewn gwirionedd,” meddai Hermione, o Abertawe. “Ond ceisiais ei ysgrifennu gyda themâu a allai fod wedo bod yn berthnadol i fenywod yn y sefyllfa honno ar unrhiw adeg yn ystod y 200 mlynedd diwethaf.” Gallwch wrando ar Aline ar dudalen gerddoriaeth y wefan hon.

Our WINNER Hermione will play her song on the festival stage over the weekend of May 9-11, 2025. She’ll be sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in folk. She will also receive £250 CASH in prize money PLUS a three-hour recording session at South Wales’ Shabbey Road Studios, one of this country’s top recording centres, helmed by Al Steele, guitarist with legendary band The Korgis. PLUS she will also get FOUR WEEKEND FESTIVAL TICKETS together worth £500 so friends and family can come and see her play.
CONGRATULATIONS HERMIONE
Entries closed on January 25. But we’re leaving the rules up here as a reminder of what entrants had to do. Thank you to everyone who submitted a song.
Bydd ein HENNILLYDD Hermione yn canu ei chân ar lwyfan yr ŵyl dros y penwythnos Mai 9-11, 2025 a rhannu’r llwyfan gyda hoelion wyth y byd gwerin. Cewch, hefyd £250 a sesiwn recordio 3-awr yn Shabbey Road Studios – ymhlith canolfannau recordio gorau’r wlad – dan arweiniad Al Steele, gitarydd chwedlonol The Korgis. AR BEN HYN OLL, cewch 4 TOCYN PENWYTHNOS I’R ŴYL (werth £500) i‘ch teulu a chyfeillion gael mwynhau’r achlysur.
LLONGYFARCHIADAU HERMIONE
Caoedd y ceisiadau ar Ionawr 25. Ond rydyn ni’n gadael y rheloau yma i’ch atgoffa. Diolch i bawb a gyflwynodd gân.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS RHEOLAU’R GYSTADLEUAETH
(Yes, we know it’s tedious, but it’s REALLY IMPORTANT that you read this stuff before you enter).
- Your entry song MUST be an original work of no more than FOUR MINUTES in length. As you’re going to be playing on our stage, we want to ensure you’re also an engaging performer - it’s what our audiences rightly expect. So please feel free, if you wish, to introduce the song as you might to an audience. If you do, your spoken intro should be no longer than an additional 30 SECONDS.
- The competition is open to solo singers ONLY.
- Your song can be unaccompanied if you wish, but if it is accompanied it must be by no more than ONE instrument that you play yourself and can easily set up and take down within a few minutes on our main stage (for example, guitars, harmonicas, accordions or violins etc would be fine, but a grand piano absolutely wouldn’t be! You get the idea).
- Your song cannot include backing tracks and, if you win, you must be able to play your song and instrument live…again without pre-recorded backing tracks.
- Bear in mind that your song is going to be performed at a FOLK festival. The music we offer our audiences covers a wide spectrum but if your song is thrash metal, hip-hop etc, it’s unlikely to fit our programme and the judges may take that into consideration in their deliberations.
- To enter, create a YOUTUBE video of your entry song and email a link to songwriterthff@gmail.com. Please add your name, address and phone number.
- We will accept entries whose links are emailed up to midnight on Saturday, January 25.
- Entries will go forward to an independent judging panel comprising significant industry figures. In the unlikely event that the number of entries is more than can be reasonably judged in the time allowed, the organisers may introduce further preliminary judging mechanisms.
- In any event, the judges’ ultimate decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The judges and/or competition organisers may also vary these Terms and Conditions as they feel appropriate.
- The winner, in the judges’ opinion, will be invited to play on the main stage at Tredegar House Folk Festival, at a time determined by the festival organisers, some time over the weekend of May 9-11, 2025. (It is likely that your set will be about 15 minutes in duration, so you’ll need to have two other suitable original songs to perform).
- It is a fundamental condition of winning that you are available to perform your song at the festival at the time designated - and that you are available for a soundcheck earlier that day. If you cannot perform as required your entry will, sadly, be disqualified.
- The winner’s recording session at Shabbey Road Studios in Caerphilly, South Wales, will take place at a mutually acceptable time.
- Copyright of all entries remains, of course, with the writers, but the Festival reserves its absolute right to broadcast those entries on any and all media at its discretion.
- Entrants must be aged 16 or over at the date entries open. The judges reserve the right to seek proof of age if required.
- There are no substitutes to these prizes. Nor can the Festival, or Shabbey Road Studios, be responsible for any expenses incurred in taking up the prizes.
- Winners will be notified by Wednesday, April 2, at the latest.
- Any personal information (address, email address etc) submitted by entrants will be held by the Festival for no longer than is necessary to run this competition and will be shared with NO OTHER parties except the festival organisers and judges who will also be bound not to share this information.
- You can enter one song only (so make sure you give it your best shot, you won’t be able to change your mind later and substitute an entry).
- Entry assumes acceptance of these terms and conditions.
(Ydy, mae hyn yn boen ond mae’n HYNOD O BWYSIG i chi ddarllen y cyfan cyn i chi gystadlu).
- Mae’n RHAID i‘ch cân fod yn waith gwreiddiol a dim mwy na PHEDWAR MUNUD o hyd. Gan y byddwch chi’n perfformio ar ein llwyfan, rydyn ni eisiau sicrhau y gallwch chi gadw sylw’r gynulleidfa – mae ganddyn nhw’r hawl i ddisgwyl hyn wrthych. Mae croeso i chi, felly gynnwys cyflwyniad i‘ch cân fel y byddwch chi o flaen cynulleidfa, os dymunwch chi. Os gwnewch chi hyn, ni ddylai’ch cyflwyniad fod dros 30 EILIAD ychwanegol o hyd.
- Mae’r gystadleuaeth yn agored i unawdwyr YN UNIG.
- Gallwch chi ganu a capela, ond os oes cyfeiliant gallwch chi ddim ond defnyddio UN offeryn, - yn cael ei chwarae gennych chi – ac a ellir ei sefydlu ar ein prif lwyfan a’i dynnu oddi yno o fewn ychydig o funudau (byddai gitâr, harmonica, accordion, neu ffidil yn addas, er enghraifft ond byddai piano mawr ddim!)
- Ni dderbynir traciau cefndir ac os ydych chi’n ennill bydd raid i chi allu chwarae a chanu’r gân yn fyw – heb draciau cefndir sydd wedi’u recordio ymlaen llaw.
- Cofiwch y byddwch chi’n perfformio’ch cân mewn gŵyl WERIN. Rydyn ni’n cynnig cerddoriaeth o sbectrwm eang yn ein gŵyl ond os daw eich cân o draddodiad gwbl wahanol (“thrash metal” neu “hip-hop”, er enghraifft) mae’n debyg o fod tu hwnt i‘n rhaglen a chael ei beirniadu felly.
- I gystadlu, lanlwythwch fideo o’ch cân i YouTube ac ebostiwch ddolen i singersongwriterthff@gmail.com. Cofiwch gynnwys eich enw, cyfeiriad a rhif ffôn.
- Byddwn ni’n derbyn dolenni i geisiadau sy’n cyrraedd trwy ebost hyd at hanner nos ar nos Sadwrn, Ionawr 25, 2025.
- Beirniadir y ceisiadau gan banel annibynol o bobol amlwg yn y diwydiant. Os bydd gormod o geisiadau i’w asesu o fewn yr amser ar gael, gellid cyflwyno dulliau ychwanegol o feirniadu.
- Y beirniaid sydd biau’r penderfyniad ac na fyddant yn trafod y mater gyda neb. Gall y beirniaid ac/neu’r sawl sy’n trefnu’r gystadleuaeth addasu’r Rheolau hyn fel y dymunant.
- Estynnir gwahoddiad i‘r ennillyd – ym marn y beirniaid – berfformio ar brif lwyfan Gŵyl Werin Tŷ Tredegar ar amser a benodir gan drefnyddion yr ŵyl, rhywbryd yn ystod y penwythnos o’r 9-11 o Fai 2025. (Mae’n debyg bydd y set yn parhau tua 15 munud, felly bydd angen i chi berfformio o leaif dwy gân wreiddiol arall).
- Mae’n rheol sylfaenol o ennill y byddwch chi ar gael i berfformio’ch cân yn yr ŵyl ar yr amser a benodir – a’ch bod ar gael i wireddu’r sain yn gynharach y diwrnod hwnnw. Os na fedrwch chi berfformio fel bo angen fe gewch eich diarddel o’r gystadleuaeth, yn anffodus.
- Cynhelir y sesiwn recordio yn stiwdio Shabbey Road yng Nghaerffili ar amser a gytunir rhyngoch chi.
- Erys hawlfraint pob cais, wrth gwrs gyda’r cystadleuydd, ond bydd hawl gan yr Ŵyl i ddarlledu’r caneuon oll trwy unrhyw gyfrwng y dymunant.
- Mae’n rhaid i bob cystadleuydd fod yn 16 oed neu hŷn ar ddiwrnod agoriadol y gystadleuaeth. Gall y beirniaid fynnu tystoliaeth i oedran unrhyw gystadleuydd os dymunant.
- Ni chynigir unrhyw wobrau amgenach ac ni fydd yr Ŵyl na Stiwdio Shabbey Road yn gyfrifol am unrhyw gostau ynghlwm wrth dderbyn y gwobrau.
- Hysbysir ennillwyr erbyn dydd Mercher, Ebrill 2ail fan hwyraf.
- Cedwir manylion personol gan yr Ŵyl (cyfeiriad, ebost, ac ati) a ddarperir gan gystadleuwyr dim ond tra bydd eu hangen i drefnu’r gystadleuaeth hon ac ni rennir y wybodaeth hon gyda NEBond trefnwyr y gystadleuaeth a’r beirniaid – ac na chawn nhw ei rhannu, chwaith.
- Fe gewch chi wneud cais gydag un gân yn unig (felly gwnewch yn siwr eich bod chi’n cynnig eich cân orau; chewch chi ddim newid eich meddwl nes ymlaen a chynnig cân arall).
- Trwy gynnig cân byddwch chi’n derbyn y rheolau hyn.
The Tredegar House Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition is sponsored by Greg and Lindsay Rowlands who say: “We’re delighted to be part of this initiative. We support live music and want to encourage songwriters and singers to give us new material in live music venues.”
Noddir Cystadleuaeth Canwr-Cyfansoddwr Gŵyl Werin Tŷ Tredegar 2024 gan Greg a Lindsay Rowlands, sy’n esbonio: “Rydyn ni wrth ein boddau i gyfrannu at y fenter hon. Rydyn ni’n cefnogi cerddoriaeth fyw ac eisiau annog cantorion ac awduron i gyflwyno caneuon newydd mewn mannau cerddoriaeth fyw”.
THE JUDGES Y BEIRNIAID

AL STEELE is a multi-instrumentalist and record producer who has worked with artists including Bonnie Tyler. David Soul, Del Shannon, Jane MacDonald, the National Orchestra of Wales and, of course, as lead guitarist with The Korgis. A Musical Director at The London Palladium and The Royal Albert Hall, Al is co-owner of Shabbey Road Studios in Caerphilly where he has recorded Elvis Costello, Paul Potts and many more.
Mae AL STEELE yn aml-offerynwr a chynhyrchydd sydd wedi gweithio gydag artistiaid fel Bonnie Tyler. David Soul, Del Shannon, Jane MacDonald, a Cherddorfa Genedlaethol Cymru ac, wrth gwrs yn brif gitarydd Y Korgis. Mae’n Gyfarwyddwr Cerddorol yn Theatr y Palladium a’r Neuadd Albert yn Llundain a chyd-berchennog Stiwdio Shabbey Road yng Nghaerffili, ble mae ef wedi cynhyrchu gwaith Elvis Costello, Paul Potts a nifer o berfformwyr eraill.

JIM CAUSLEY is a singer, songwriter and one of the greatest entertainers on the folk circuit. A multi-award winning musician, Jim has been nominated six times for a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award. He has won the Spiral Earth Singer of the Year Award and presented his own show on BBC radio.
Mae JIM CAUSLEY yn canwr, yn gyfansoddwr ac yn un o’r diddanwyr mwyaf ar gylchdaith werin y DU. Yn gerddor sydd wedi ennill sawl wobr, mae Jim wedi cael ei enwebu chwe gwaith ar gyfer Gwobr Werin BBC Radio 2. Mae wedi ennill gwobr Canwr Y Flwyddyn Spiral Earth ac wedi cyflwyno ei sioe gerddoriaeth werin ei hun ar Radio’r BBC.

LOWRI EVANS is one of Wales’s greatest songwriters. She has performed with Seth Lakeman, Cara Dillon and Martin Simpson and taught songwriting alongside Judy Tzuke and Beth Nielsen Chapman. Described by Bob Harris as “one of my absolute favourite artists”, Lowri performs in Welsh and English and is a radio favourite across Britain, Europe and the USA.
Mae LOWRI EVANS ymhlith canwyr-cyfansoddwyr gorau Cymru. Mae hi wedi perfformio gyda Seth Lakeman, Cara Dillon a Martin Simpson ac wedi rhoi gwersi ar gyfansoddi caneuon ochr-yn-ochr â Judy Tzuke a Beth Nielsen Chapman. Disgrifiodd Bob Harris Lowri fel un o’i hoff artistiaid; mae hi’n perfformio yn Gymraeg a Saesneg ac mae’n ffefryn radio ar draws Prydain, Ewrop a’r Unol Daleithiau.

Kip Winter and Dave Wilson are huge favourites across the folk world, touring tirelessly across the UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, Canada, Belgium snd New Zealand. Their critically-acclaimed albums are things of beauty, with critics saying Kip “simply has a voice to die for”, and Dave recognised as being among the top tier of British songwriters.
Mae Kip Winter a Dave Wilson yn ffefrynnau enfawr ar draws y byd gwerin, gan deithio’n ddiflino ar draws y DU, yr Almaen, Awstralia, Sbaen, Canada, Gwlad Belg a Seland Newydd. Mae eu halbymau sydd wedi cael canmoliaeth y beiriaid yn bethau o harddwch, gyda beirniaid yn dweud bod gan Kip “lais i farw drosto”, a Dave yn cael ei gydnabod fel un o’r haen uchaf o gyfansoddwyr caneuon Prydeinig.

JACKIE OATES is, without doubt, one of Britain’s greatest folk fiddlers and vocalists. Her interpretations of the traditional repertoire stand among some of the greatest achievements of the genre. She is also an educator and researcher, running songwriting workshops for PhD students.
Mae JACKIE OATES, yn ddi-os ymhlith ffidlwyr a chantorion gwerin gorau Prydain. Saif ei dehongliadau o ganeuon traddodiadol fel rhai o uchafbwyntiau’r canon. Mae hi, hefyd yn addysgwraig ac ymchwilydd ac yn rhedeg gweithdai ysgrifennu caneuon i fyfyrwyr PhD.