Cyn-fyfyriwr a’i fryd ar yrfa gerddorol

Mae'n dechnegydd cyfryngau creadigol yn y coleg erbyn hyn ac mae hyn wedi rhoi'r hyder iddo ysgrifennu ei gerddoriaeth ei hun.

Llwyddodd Aron i ennill gradd rhagoriaeth driphlyg ar y cwrs Diploma Estynedig Lefel 3 mewn Cerddoriaeth yn 2018. ⁠Aeth ymlaen i ennill gradd 2:1 mewn cerddoriaeth boblogaidd ym Mhrifysgol Lerpwl ac yna gradd Meistr mewn Ffilm ym Mhrifysgol John Moores yn Lerpwl.

Ond wedi iddo ddychwelyd adra i Fangor, roedd canfod gwaith yn y diwydiannau creadigol yn anodd - tan fis Rhagfyr diwethaf pan ailymunodd a'i gyn-ddarlithwyr i ddechrau'i swydd bresennol.

Fel rhan o rôl Aron yng Ngholeg Menai mae wedi gweithio fel technegydd sain y Theatr Bryn Terfel ym Mangor, wedi meistroli offer a ddefnyddir yn helaeth yn y diwydiannau creadigol ac wedi cael profiad o olygu perfformiadau yn fyw drwy gymysgwr fideo.

Mae wedi recordio, cymysgu a mastro cerddoriaeth i'w ddefnyddio mewn sioeau, a fo oedd cymysgwr sain ei berfformiad ei hun yn Sioe Arddangos y Cyfryngau Creadigol yng nghyntedd Pontio.

Mae Aron wedi cael cynnig gwaith llawrydd, ac wedi gwneud cysylltiadau ag eraill yn y diwydiant ffilm.

Dywedodd: "Mae bod yn gyn-fyfyriwr yng Ngholeg Menai wedi fy nghynorthwyo yn fawr iawn.

"Pan orffennais i fy nghwrs Meistr yn Lerpwl a dychwelyd adra, roedd hi'n anodd dod o hyd i unrhyw fath o waith yn y diwydiant creadigol. Mi wnes i ffonio llwyth o bobl, i wirfoddoli neu i gael unrhyw fath o waith i ennill profiad, yn cario byrddau, gosod system PA - ond ches i ddim cyfle gan neb.

He is now a creative media technician at the college where he developed the confidence to write his own music.

Aron achieved a triple grade distinction in his BTEC Level 3 extended diploma in Music in 2018. He went on to gain a 2:1 in Popular Music from the University of Liverpool, and last summer completed his Masters in Film at Liverpool John Moores University.

However, after returning home to Bangor, he found work in the creative industries hard to come by - until last December, when he hooked back up with his former lecturers to start his current job.

As part of his role Aron at Coleg Menai, Aron has worked as a sound technician in Pontio's Theatr Bryn Terfel in Bangor, has mastered equipment used across the creative industries, and has gained experience of live-editing performances using a vision mixer.

He has recorded, mixed and mastered music for use in shows, and was the sound mixer for his own performance in this year’s Creative Media Showcase in the Pontio Foyer.

Aron has also been offered freelance technician work, and made contacts in the film industry.

He said: “Being an ex-Coleg Menai student has helped me in more ways than I could've imagined.

“After finishing my Masters in Liverpool, I moved back home and I struggled to find work in the creative industry in any form. I phoned loads of people trying to volunteer or get any small piece of experience I could get, whether that was carrying cables, setting up PA etc - but no-one gave me the chance.

He is now a creative media technician at the college where he developed the confidence to write his own music.

Aron achieved a triple grade distinction in his BTEC Level 3 extended diploma in Music in 2018. He went on to gain a 2:1 in Popular Music from the University of Liverpool, and last summer completed his Masters in Film at Liverpool John Moores University.

However, after returning home to Bangor, he found work in the creative industries hard to come by - until last December, when he hooked back up with his former lecturers to start his current job.

As part of his role Aron at Coleg Menai, Aron has worked as a sound technician in Pontio's Theatr Bryn Terfel in Bangor, has mastered equipment used across the creative industries, and has gained experience of live-editing performances using a vision mixer.

He has recorded, mixed and mastered music for use in shows, and was the sound mixer for his own performance in this year’s Creative Media Showcase in the Pontio Foyer.

Aron has also been offered freelance technician work, and made contacts in the film industry.

He said: “Being an ex-Coleg Menai student has helped me in more ways than I could've imagined.

“After finishing my Masters in Liverpool, I moved back home and I struggled to find work in the creative industry in any form. I phoned loads of people trying to volunteer or get any small piece of experience I could get, whether that was carrying cables, setting up PA etc - but no-one gave me the chance.

"Ond mi ges i'r cyfle hwnnw gan Goleg Menai ac mi roddodd fy nhiwtoriaid cerddoriaeth gyfle i mi i gael blaen fy nhroed yn y diwydiant fel cerddor a thechnegydd llawn amser. Rai misoedd yn ddiweddarach rydw i wedi gweithio gyda chymaint o bobl ddiddorol o bob cwr o'r diwydiannau creadigol sydd erbyn yn ffrindiau i mi.

"Rydw i wedi bod yn gweithio mewn theatrau llawr mwy na'r hyn roeddwn yn ei ddisgwyl. ⁠Rydw i wedi gwneud cysylltiadau defnyddiol iawn yn y diwydiant ffilm, pobl sydd â chysylltiad â'r BBC sy’n awyddus i'm cynnwys ar brosiectau yn y dyfodol. Dw i hefyd wedi cael cynnig gwaith technegydd llawrydd y tu allan i'r coleg yn dilyn sgwrs ar lafar.

“Mae'r swydd yn golygu fy mod i'n gosod PA ar gyfer perfformiadau byw bob wythnos, ac mae'n dod yn hawdd iawn i mi erbyn hyn. Rai blynyddoedd yn ôl roeddwn i'n meddwl mai breuddwyd oedd byw gyda'r meddylfryd hwn ond dw i'n teimlo rŵan fy mod i'r gallu defnyddio'r wybodaeth a'r sgiliau sydd gennyf i gynnal fy meddylfryd. Rydw i'n ddiolchgar iawn i Goleg Menai am gynnig y swydd i mi, mae wedi fy nghynorthwyo i gymryd y cam cyntaf tuag at yrfa yn y diwydiannau creadigol.

"Dw i'n gwireddu breuddwyd yma, faswn i ddim ble rydw i heddiw oni bai am y cwrs cerddoriaeth yng Ngholeg Menai a'r darlithwyr gwych sydd yno.”

Mae gan Aron atgofion melys am ei gyfnod yn y coleg, sylfaen ddelfrydol i'w yrfa.

"Yr hyn sydd fwyaf defnyddiol ydy bod y cwrs yn un ymarferol iawn ac mae hynny'n wych," meddai. “Yn hytrach na meddwl am sefyllfaoedd ac ysgrifennu amdanynt, rydych yn rhoi eich theori ar waith.

"Rydych yn cymryd rhan mewn digwyddiadau sydd angen system PA neu'n wynebu sefyllfa sy'n gofyn am berfformiad o flaen cynulleidfa fyw, ac yn cael eich trin fel technegydd/cerddor go iawn. Mae profiadau fel hyn yn amhrisiadwy ac yn paratoi myfyrwyr ar gyfer gwaith go iawn yn y diwydiant creadigol.”

Ychwanegodd Aron: "Roedd gan y coleg agwedd gadarnhaol tuag at ddysgu, a sut olwg oedd ar amgylchedd dysgu, roedd yn hamddenol iawn. ⁠Maen nhw'n deall eich bod chi'n cyflawni mwy drwy wneud. Roedd hi'n hawdd iawn i mi fod yn fodlon a hapus wrth fy ngwaith.

"Cefais anogaeth a chefnogaeth i gyflawni fy nyheadau a'm nodau. Roedd darlithwyr bob amser yn f'annog i wneud yn well, ac wynebu problemau a heriau mewn modd cadarnhaol. Rhoddodd y cwrs yr hyder i mi fynd a gwneud pethau fy hun, i ddechrau ysgrifennu fy ngherddoriaeth fy hun - gyda'r sgiliau i wneud i'r caneuon hynny swnio'n dda wedi i mi eu recordio, rhywbeth galla i fod yn falch ohono.

"Oni bai am y bobl gwnes i eu cyfarfod yng Ngholeg Menai, fyddwn i ddim lle ydw i heddiw."

“But Coleg Menai and my ex-lecturers in the music course gave me that chance and have opened the door for me into the industry as both a musician and full-time technician. Now a few months later, I've worked with so many different interesting people from across the creative industries who I can call friends.

“I've worked in theatres bigger than I would ever have imagined. I've made very useful contacts in the film industry with ties to the BBC who are keen to get me involved in future projects. I've been offered freelance tech work outside of the college through word of mouth and so much more.

“This job has made setting up PA for live performances a weekly habit, which in turn has made it feel like second nature to me. A few years back, I thought it was a pipe dream to have that mindset but now I am actually feeling like I can attain a lot more through this role and the knowledge I've already acquired. This job has got me a foot into the creative industries that a lot of people struggle to get, and I am extremely grateful to Coleg Menai for that.

“It's a dream come true and I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today with the opportunities I have if it wasn't for the Coleg Menai music course and the lecturers there.”

Aron has fond memories of his course at the college, where he had the ideal grounding for his career.

“What was most useful with the music course was, it's very hands-on,” he said. “As opposed to just thinking about situations and writing about them, you actually do them.

“You get put into events where a PA is needed and a performance is needed in front of a live audience, and treated like a proper tech/musician. Those experiences are priceless in preparing students for proper work in the creative industry.”

Aron added: “I remember the college having the perfect attitude towards learning and how a learning environment should be, it was all so relaxed. They understand that you learn more by doing. It was very hard to not be content and happy when I was there.

“I felt supported and encouraged to pursue my ambitions and goals. The lecturers always pushed me to better myself, to view issues and challenges in a positive way. They gave me the confidence to go out and put myself out there, to start writing my own music - giving me the knowledge to make those songs a tangible good quality recording that I can be proud of.

“I wouldn't be the technician and musician I am today without the people I met in Coleg Menai.”

“But Coleg Menai and my ex-lecturers in the music course gave me that chance and have opened the door for me into the industry as both a musician and full-time technician. Now a few months later, I've worked with so many different interesting people from across the creative industries who I can call friends.

“I've worked in theatres bigger than I would ever have imagined. I've made very useful contacts in the film industry with ties to the BBC who are keen to get me involved in future projects. I've been offered freelance tech work outside of the college through word of mouth and so much more.

“This job has made setting up PA for live performances a weekly habit, which in turn has made it feel like second nature to me. A few years back, I thought it was a pipe dream to have that mindset but now I am actually feeling like I can attain a lot more through this role and the knowledge I've already acquired. This job has got me a foot into the creative industries that a lot of people struggle to get, and I am extremely grateful to Coleg Menai for that.

“It's a dream come true and I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today with the opportunities I have if it wasn't for the Coleg Menai music course and the lecturers there.”

Aron has fond memories of his course at the college, where he had the ideal grounding for his career.

“What was most useful with the music course was, it's very hands-on,” he said. “As opposed to just thinking about situations and writing about them, you actually do them.

“You get put into events where a PA is needed and a performance is needed in front of a live audience, and treated like a proper tech/musician. Those experiences are priceless in preparing students for proper work in the creative industry.”

Aron added: “I remember the college having the perfect attitude towards learning and how a learning environment should be, it was all so relaxed. They understand that you learn more by doing. It was very hard to not be content and happy when I was there.

“I felt supported and encouraged to pursue my ambitions and goals. The lecturers always pushed me to better myself, to view issues and challenges in a positive way. They gave me the confidence to go out and put myself out there, to start writing my own music - giving me the knowledge to make those songs a tangible good quality recording that I can be proud of.

“I wouldn't be the technician and musician I am today without the people I met in Coleg Menai.”