The distinguished contribution made by Dr Meredydd Evans and his wife, Phyllis Kinney to traditional music in Wales will be investigated by a PhD student in one of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's Doctoral Scholarships in 2019-2020.

The recipient is expected to begin work on the project, through the medium of Welsh, in October this year, paying particular attention to some of the unpublished folk songs collected and recorded by the couple and exploring areas of research that were of particular interest to them, including traditional carols and melodies of the interludes.

This is collaborative project between The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth (The Welsh Music Archive) and the School of Music and Media (Bangor University).

As two of the nation's greatest benefactors, Merêd and Phyllis were very generous supporters of the university's musical activity at Bangor. When papers and documents were transferred to the Welsh Music Archive at The National Library of Wales in 2018, collaboration between various organisations was inevitable.

The scholarship, which is funded by Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, will sustain the researcher for three years full-time or six years part-time and he or she will receive instruction and training from the university, Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and the library.

Professor Chris Collins, head of the School of Music and Media at Bangor, said:

“This is a special development for us as an institution and a sign of our respect and appreciation of their support for decades. We look forward to seeing the results of the research published in Wales.”

It is anticipated that the doctoral research will have three products: a scholarly study of Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney's contribution to Welsh folk music; raised public awareness of collections of unpublished folk songs with notes, catalogues of the main sources concerning traditional Welsh carols; exhibitions or performances which will promote these papers and the outstanding contribution made by the couple.

Pedr ap Llwyd, chief executive and The National Library librarian, said:

“Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney's extensive and incomparable archive deserves the attention of a powerful and capable researche.

“This scholarship and the new partnership between the library, Bangor University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offers a unique opportunity for a student to work in the field of folk music, which is important to us here at the library. It also gives us an opportunity to further recognise and highlight the grandeur of Merêd and Phyllis.”

Applications for the scholarship, which begins on October 1, are invited and interviews will be held in Aberystwyth during June.