CANOLFAN Porthceri Centre is presenting a range of events during Barry Arts Festival, with something to tickle everyone's artistic tastebuds - but during the first weekend the accent is definitely on music!

After Taran's opening gig at The Ship on Friday, July 27, the festival continues on Saturday, July 28, with blues guitarist Del Rey.

Del will be giving a talk with practical demonstration on 'Women in American Music' at 2pm in Windsor Road United Reformed Church.

This will follow the development of classic blues to swing and rocking hillbillies, highlighting women musicians from 1900 to 1960. The diverse music of these women is tied together by new guitar arrangements that bring the songs to life for younger generations.

Later that evening at the West End Club Del Rey will 'dazzle with her mastery of the Resophonic guitar' and 'amaze with her dexterity on the humble ukulele, an instrument you will never look at in the same way again'.

Del will be supported by local band Jelly Roll Jones. The following day, Sunday, July 29, top UK choral conductor Jeff Howard will lead a choral workshop in Windsor Road URC. Jeff has performed throughout the UK and Europe, including at the Wigmore Hall, The Goethe Institute, Brussels and St Paul's Cathedral, and has worked with orchestras such as The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the Royal Philharmonic.

He made his Royal Albert Hall debut in 2002 as soloist in Shostakovitch's 2nd piano concerto. Jeff frequently provides arrangements for the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, Songs of Praise, S4C and various solo artists.

He has been accompanist, singer and arranger for Only Men Aloud!, and regularly works with artists such as Katherine Jenkins, Hayley Westenra, Michael Ball and John Owen Jones.

For the past 18 years, Jeff has been a vocal coach at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He has a long association with the National Youth Choirs of Wales and as well as conducting the National Youth Training Choir of Wales, has provided several commissions for the choirs. Singers will gather at 1pm to learn pieces chosen by Jeff and at 5pm the public will get the chance to hear the scratch choir perform in an hour long concert. The workshop tickets are £10, and entry to the concert is £3.

Canolfan Porthceri Centre is grateful for the sponsorship of Newydd Housing for this event. The festival is also being funded by Arts Council Wales and Vale of Glamorgan Council.

If you would rather listen than sing, there will also be a Friendship Concert on July 29 at the Knap. Art 4 U is organising the event as part of the festival 'fringe', so go to www.art4uwales.org.uk for more details.

The day runs from 2pm until 8pm and will have a rolling programme of performers, so plenty of time to catch some of the acts on the Knap and the concert at Windsor Road URC.

Go to www.porthceri.co.uk for a taste of Del Rey and Jelly Roll Jones and to buy tickets online. Tickets are also available from: Barry Eye Centre, 87 Holton Road 01446 745606; Gifted, 4 High Street 01446 721339; and JPL Sound, 267 Holton Road 01446 722711