Calan

Calan is a Welsh traditional folk group formed in 2006. The name means the start of a month or year in Welsh. The band is active from Wales and performs traditional Welsh music with a revivalist approach.

History

The group forms in early 2006, when its members are between 13 and 22 years old. In 2008, it becomes the first Welsh band to win the international band competition at the Inter-Celtic Festival.

Members and instrumentation

Calan is a five-piece group. Its members are Alice French, Sam Humphreys, Angharad Jenkins, Bethan Rhiannon and Patrick Rimes. The band’s line-up includes fiddle, mandolin, accordion, piano, guitar, harp, vocals, clogs, pibgorn and whistle, with the pibgorn described as a traditional Welsh instrument made of bone and wood.

Releases

The debut album

Bling

appears in 2008. After that, the band releases almost one album each year.