Gwenno – A Song for Cornwall

A Song for Cornwall: Meur ras dhia Gernow (Thank you from Kernow) premiered on 23 March 2021.

Performed by Gwenno, Kernow Bedroom Choir and singers from across Cornwall.

Gwenno’s Song for Cornwall is inspired by many stories about people’s lived experience in Cornwall over the pandemic.  She wanted to capture the hope and pain that people have felt, along with the gratitude for the incredible work of NHS staff, carers, teachers, key workers and volunteers. The song is written in Kernewek (Cornish) to document this time, as many more people are learning it across Cornwall. It’s a language that sounds wonderful when sung as a group too.

ABOUT GWENNO: Gwenno Saunders is a Welsh-Cornish musician and conceptual artist. Her interest lies in exploring the cultural and linguistic identities of Britain through popular song. As a Welsh and Cornish speaker she has released two critically acclaimed albums Y Dydd Olaf (2015) and Le Kov (2018) in Welsh and Cornish, respectively on Heavenly Recordings and is currently recording her third due to be released in 2021. gwenno.info

ABOUT THE KERNOW BEDROOM CHOIR: Established in Lockdown #1 in response to our inability to meet and share songs. Funded by FEAST and lead by Dan Woodfield and intoBodmin CIC, The Kernow Bedroom choir launched with a series of tutorials teaching people to sing the melody and harmonies of four popular Cornish folk songs. Self recordings were then compiled into virtual choir performances. The choir has managed to continue ad-hoc over the past year, with a continual aspiration that participants will one day be able to meet up and share the songs they’ve learned. facebook.com/pg/kernowbedroomchoir

Produced by Sound UK in partnership with Carn to Cove, Hall For Cornwall and intoBodmin.