Oriana Festival 2024
Saturday May 18th
|
The fantastic Oriana Festival returns to St Elvan's on Saturday May 18th with an incredible day long festival of the finest in contemporary Welsh classical music
St Elvan's was delighted to be host venue for the inaugural event in October 2023 and are thrilled to see the festival return again to Cynon Valley this May - on an even grander scale! The 2024 festival will feature: - Rhondda Symphony Orchestra - former Royal Harpist Claire Jones - renowned opera star Mark Llewellyn Evans - the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr Band & City of Bristol - Oriana Festival Massed Male Chorus - vocalist Harriet Whitehead - plus, a FREE music & wellbeing session with Ragsy & Reevsy Tickets are now available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans |
|
Oriana Festival 2024
Saturday May 18th
This year's Oriana Festival focuses on the 70th anniversary of the publication of J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy classic "The Lord of the Rings", and the 70th anniversary of Dylan Thomas' iconic radio play "Under Milk Wood". The festival will also once again showcase the very finest in contemporary Welsh music and Welsh composers
This full day festival of music opens with a FREE Music & Wellbeing session, a showcase for the tremendous weekly sessions offered by Ragsy & Reevsy at St Elvan's, supported by Community Music Wales. Learn more about the sessions, and how making music can boost wellbeing, tackle isolation, plus all the local opportunities to engage in music - FREE!
The afternoon sessions then see two first class brass performances, by two first class brass bands. The first performance, "Under Milk Wood", sees an hour long performance of the music of Rhondda Cynon Taf's own Gareth Wood, who sadly passed away in August 2023. RCT's own Lewis Merthyr Band will perform a number of Gareth's best known works, plus the world premiere performance of the composer's final work, his "Under Milk Wood suite - Rum & Laverbread", which was commissioned by and written especially for Lewis Merthyr and will receive its first performance here at the festival
The second afternoon performance will then see Lewis Merthyr combine together with the current West of England Champions, City of Bristol Brass Band, to perform music from and inspired by The Lord of the Rings. This performance will feature works from all three of Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings movie series, plus additional scores performed by 60 piece(!) massed brass band, 70 voice massed male choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead, including the world premiere performance of Christopher Painter's "Mirkwood". Truly a performance not to be missed!
Finally, the festival will close with the Evening Gala Concert featuring the fantastic Rhondda Symphony Orchestra. RSO will showcase a series of music by iconic Welsh composers including Alun Hoddinott, Sir Karl Jenkins, William Mathias, Morfydd Owen, and 2023 Oriana featured composer & performer Chris Marshall. Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. This performance will feature the former Royal Harpist to King Charles III, Claire Jones, plus Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans
2024 Oriana Festival tickets are available from just £8(!) for the afternoon events, up to full day festival passes for all four events, plus pre-concert talks, for just £18. The morning music & wellbeing session, supported by Community Music Wales and RCT Cohesion Team is FREE!
For full details, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans or click on the booking link below
This year's Oriana Festival focuses on the 70th anniversary of the publication of J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy classic "The Lord of the Rings", and the 70th anniversary of Dylan Thomas' iconic radio play "Under Milk Wood". The festival will also once again showcase the very finest in contemporary Welsh music and Welsh composers
This full day festival of music opens with a FREE Music & Wellbeing session, a showcase for the tremendous weekly sessions offered by Ragsy & Reevsy at St Elvan's, supported by Community Music Wales. Learn more about the sessions, and how making music can boost wellbeing, tackle isolation, plus all the local opportunities to engage in music - FREE!
The afternoon sessions then see two first class brass performances, by two first class brass bands. The first performance, "Under Milk Wood", sees an hour long performance of the music of Rhondda Cynon Taf's own Gareth Wood, who sadly passed away in August 2023. RCT's own Lewis Merthyr Band will perform a number of Gareth's best known works, plus the world premiere performance of the composer's final work, his "Under Milk Wood suite - Rum & Laverbread", which was commissioned by and written especially for Lewis Merthyr and will receive its first performance here at the festival
The second afternoon performance will then see Lewis Merthyr combine together with the current West of England Champions, City of Bristol Brass Band, to perform music from and inspired by The Lord of the Rings. This performance will feature works from all three of Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings movie series, plus additional scores performed by 60 piece(!) massed brass band, 70 voice massed male choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead, including the world premiere performance of Christopher Painter's "Mirkwood". Truly a performance not to be missed!
Finally, the festival will close with the Evening Gala Concert featuring the fantastic Rhondda Symphony Orchestra. RSO will showcase a series of music by iconic Welsh composers including Alun Hoddinott, Sir Karl Jenkins, William Mathias, Morfydd Owen, and 2023 Oriana featured composer & performer Chris Marshall. Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. This performance will feature the former Royal Harpist to King Charles III, Claire Jones, plus Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans
2024 Oriana Festival tickets are available from just £8(!) for the afternoon events, up to full day festival passes for all four events, plus pre-concert talks, for just £18. The morning music & wellbeing session, supported by Community Music Wales and RCT Cohesion Team is FREE!
For full details, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans or click on the booking link below
Oriana Festival 2024
Full Schedule
From 10:00
Doors Open
FREE "Comm-unity Cuppa"
supported by RCT Cohesion Team
Spires Coffee Shop
10:15
Opening Session
Festival Welcome & Introduction
Festival Director: Christopher Painter
10:30
FREE R&R Music & Wellbeing session with Ragsy & Reevsy
supported by Community Music Wales & RCT Cohesion Team
www.stelvans.com/rr-wellbeing
12:00
Break
Spires Coffee Shop
12:30
Introductory Remarks: The Music of Gareth Wood
Christopher Painter & Craig Roberts
Mezzanine Gallery
13:00
"Under Milk Wood" - The Music of Gareth Wood
Lewis Merthyr Band
Main Space
Programme to include:
A Fanfare of Daffodils (from Five Blooms In A Welsh Garden)
Overture - Tombstone Arizona
Culloden Moor
Under Milk Wood Suite - Rum & Laverbread *world premiere performance*
Sosban Fach
14:00
Lunch Break
Spires Coffee Shop
15:00
Introductory Remarks: Lord of the Rings
Christopher Painter & Craig Roberts
Mezzanine Gallery
15:30
Lord of the Rings
Massed Bands of City of Bristol and Lewis Merthyr
Vocalist - Harriet Whitehead
Oriana Festival Massed Male Chorus
Main Space
Programme to include:
The Fellowship of the Ring (Howard Shore)
Gandalf (Johan De Meij) -Welsh premiere-
Storm [from High Peak] (Ball)
Gollum's Song (Shore)
Misty Mountains Cold [from The Hobbit] (Shore)
The Return of the King (Shore)
Interval
Hobbits (De Meij) -Welsh premiere-
Mirkwood (Painter) -world premiere performance-
An Age of Kings (Gregson)
17:30
Break
19:00
Evening Gala Concert
Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
with Claire Jones, Harp and Mark Llewellyn Evans, Narrator
Main Space
Programme to include:
Dance Overture (William Mathias) 12'
Sinfonia (Stephen McNeff) 15'
Palladio (Karl Jenkins) 10'
Dylan (Chris Marshall) 15'
Interval
Quodlibet [on Welsh Nursery Tunes] (Hoddinott) 10'
Penillion (Lowri Mair Jones) 10'
Nocturne (Morfydd Owen) 15'
Dance Fantasy (Daniel Jones) 7'
Tickets
Evening Gala Concert Ticket [Rhondda Symphony Orchestra]
£12 advance | £15 at the door
Combined Daytime Events [Under Milk Wood & Lord of the Rings]
£8 advance | £10 at the door
Combined Evening Gala Concert & Daytime Full Festival Pass
£18 | £20 at the door
Morning Session
FREE!
Social Media
|
Oriana Festival
Facebook facebook.com/oriana.festival Oriana Publications Facebook facebook.com/profile.php?id=100056994202515 Twitter | X twitter.com/orianapub |
St Elvan's
Facebook facebook.com/Saint-Elvans Twitter | X twitter.com/St_Elvans Instagram instagram.com/st_elvans |
2024 Featured Performers
Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
The Rhondda Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1968, draws musicians from across South Wales. The orchestra have a playing strength of over 60 musicians, and members include a whole range of enthusiastic amateur players, students, many music teachers, and some of the original orchestra members
RSO perform between 4 and 6 concerts annually in venues across Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. They have a wide-ranging repertoire, from classical through to 21st century, from the well-known and popular classics to the seldom-played and even first performances of new pieces
The orchestra like to perform with local young soloists, including winners of their Young Musician of the Valleys competition. Also, biennially they also accompany the ‘Voices for Hospices’ performances at venues throughout the valleys, and enjoy performing with local choirs
The orchestra were delighted to perform at St Elvan's for the first time in 2023 in a concert with Lewis Merthyr Band in memory of Derek Holvey MBE, and are delighted to be returning to feature in the Evening Gala Concert of the 2024 Oriana Festival
RSO perform between 4 and 6 concerts annually in venues across Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. They have a wide-ranging repertoire, from classical through to 21st century, from the well-known and popular classics to the seldom-played and even first performances of new pieces
The orchestra like to perform with local young soloists, including winners of their Young Musician of the Valleys competition. Also, biennially they also accompany the ‘Voices for Hospices’ performances at venues throughout the valleys, and enjoy performing with local choirs
The orchestra were delighted to perform at St Elvan's for the first time in 2023 in a concert with Lewis Merthyr Band in memory of Derek Holvey MBE, and are delighted to be returning to feature in the Evening Gala Concert of the 2024 Oriana Festival
Claire Jones, Harp
One of Britain’s best selling classical harpists, Claire Jones was born in Wales. Following her appointment as Official Harpist to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (2007-11), she became a household name for her esteemed performance at the Royal Wedding for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Having performed over 180 times for the Royal Family, she also performed for Her Majesty the Queen on several occasions and more recently for King Charles III at the Senedd in Cardiff
Solo career highlights include solo and concerto appearances with the World’s top orchestras and artists such as the English Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir James Galway; Maestro Gergiev, Joshua Bell, Reniee Fleming, Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Bryn Terfel, and Alfie Bow to name only a few. She has performed prestigious recitals at Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall (London), Capitol Hill (USA), City Hall (Hong Kong), International Harp Festival (Brazil) and at the Millennium Stadium for and audience of 75,000
Claire is no stranger to the classical charts with her albums ‘Girl With The Golden Harp’, ‘Journey’, 'Highrove Suite', and ’This Love’ reaching the top of the classical charts. Claire is a firm favourite on Classic FM playlists, and her albums have been released worldwide
Claire has a first class BMus(hons) degree from The Royal College of Music and studied as an MA (Scholar) at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In 2016 she was awarded an honorary Associateship from the Royal Academy of Music London for her significant contribution to her profession. She has been invited to deliver masterclasses at the Royal College of Music London, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is also a tutor at Royal Holloway University, London
Claire featured in the inaugural Oriana Festival, performing with Lewis Merthyr Band and her husband, percussion soloist and composer Chris Marshall. We are delighted to have Claire returning for this year's event, performing with Rhondda Symphony Orchestra as soloist of the 2024 Evening Gala Concert
Solo career highlights include solo and concerto appearances with the World’s top orchestras and artists such as the English Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir James Galway; Maestro Gergiev, Joshua Bell, Reniee Fleming, Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Bryn Terfel, and Alfie Bow to name only a few. She has performed prestigious recitals at Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall (London), Capitol Hill (USA), City Hall (Hong Kong), International Harp Festival (Brazil) and at the Millennium Stadium for and audience of 75,000
Claire is no stranger to the classical charts with her albums ‘Girl With The Golden Harp’, ‘Journey’, 'Highrove Suite', and ’This Love’ reaching the top of the classical charts. Claire is a firm favourite on Classic FM playlists, and her albums have been released worldwide
Claire has a first class BMus(hons) degree from The Royal College of Music and studied as an MA (Scholar) at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In 2016 she was awarded an honorary Associateship from the Royal Academy of Music London for her significant contribution to her profession. She has been invited to deliver masterclasses at the Royal College of Music London, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is also a tutor at Royal Holloway University, London
Claire featured in the inaugural Oriana Festival, performing with Lewis Merthyr Band and her husband, percussion soloist and composer Chris Marshall. We are delighted to have Claire returning for this year's event, performing with Rhondda Symphony Orchestra as soloist of the 2024 Evening Gala Concert
Mark Llewellyn Evans, Narrator
Classically trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio in London, this welsh baritone has had an exceptional career in the music industry
For over 25 years Mark has worked alongside many major names in the entertainment industry including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, David Blaine, Rob Brydon & Sir Bryn Terfel.
Mark`s career has taken him around the world singing title roles in opera houses, singing Bread of Heaven before The Six Nations Rugby tournament to a crowd of 75,000 as well as appearing in a blockbuster movie
Theatre Credits:
Marcello – La bohème, Papageno Die Zauberflöte (Welsh National Opera & Columbia Artists), Don – Don Giovanni (English National Opera), Schaunard – La Bohème (Wexford Opera Festival), Sciarrone – Tosca (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra)Dr Falke – Die Fledermaus, Figaro – Le Nozze Di Figaro (Opera Theatre Company Dublin), Masseto – Don Giovanni, Albert – Werther (English Touring Opera), Giuseppe – The Gondoliers, Pish Tush – Mikado, (Raymond Gubbay), Captain Corcoran – HMS Pinafore, Cox – Cox & Box (Gilbert & Sullivan International Festival) Jack – world premiere of House of the Gods (The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein (RTE Orchestra), Emperor Ming Aladdin at the New Theatre Cardiff, Qdos Productions 2015/2016 and Sleeping Beauty at the Malvern theatre 2016/17
Recordings:
A Miner’s Song – charity single in aid of the National Coal Mining Memorial featuring Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce and many others.
Fratello – Duets with tenor brother Wynne Evans
The Traveller in Benjamin Britten`s Curlew River on the Koch Label
Let the Light in – Mark’s debut solo album.
Tell my Father – charity single benefitting the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal performed with the Band of the Welsh Guards.
This Guy’s in Love – Mark’s 2nd solo album produced by Grammy Award winner Nick Patrick.
Film Credits:
Don Giovanni in Guy Ritchie’s “A Game of Shadows” (Warner Brothers) 2011
Cox – Cox and Box (TV Movie) 2001
Captain – H.M. Pinafore (TV movie) 2001
Books:
The Academy of Barmy Composer – BAROQUE released May 2019. Published by Graffeg
Other Work:
BBC 2 Friday Night is Music Night, Presenting a Sunday evening show for BBC Radio Wales, hosting events throughout the World – The Duke of Edinburgh’s International World Fellowship Awards, St David’s Day in Singapore, National Film Awards 2015, An Evening with David Blaine in Miami, Valentine concerts for the American charity TAPS in Naples Florida. Soloist in the BBC TV commercial for BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2011, Voice Overs for Pearl & Dean, Cabaret at The Pheasantry, St James Studio (London), Rainbow Room & the Café Caryle (New York)
In 2015 Mark decided to take his passion of opera further with an educational project – ABC of Opera, The Academy of Barmy Composers. ABC delivers invaluable life-lessons to children through the curriculum building confidence, celebrating difference and encouraging creativity. Mark is passionate that all children should be able to achieve their dreams and through the ABC’s teaching it is clear that Any Body Can
ABC has now been delivered to over 197 schools throughout the UK delivering a remarkable impact on our young learners. Mark’s first book “THE ACADEMY OF BARMY COMPOSERS – BAROQUE” was released in May 2019 with three more to follow in the series. Discussions are already underway to turn the ABC books into an exciting family stage show. In 2019 & 2020 Mark was awarded the Amati Guildhall Creative Entrepreneur of the year. Mark is a mentor for Big ideas Wales as well as working closing with GB entrepreneurs’ awards and the Guildhall Creative entrepreneur programme
Mark is the Ambassador of the charity (LARS) Loud Applause Rising Stars, as well as creative director of Opera Sark
Mark will feature as Narrator for the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert, reading Dylan Thomas in Chris Marshall's outstanding work for Harp and strings "Dylan"
For over 25 years Mark has worked alongside many major names in the entertainment industry including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, David Blaine, Rob Brydon & Sir Bryn Terfel.
Mark`s career has taken him around the world singing title roles in opera houses, singing Bread of Heaven before The Six Nations Rugby tournament to a crowd of 75,000 as well as appearing in a blockbuster movie
Theatre Credits:
Marcello – La bohème, Papageno Die Zauberflöte (Welsh National Opera & Columbia Artists), Don – Don Giovanni (English National Opera), Schaunard – La Bohème (Wexford Opera Festival), Sciarrone – Tosca (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra)Dr Falke – Die Fledermaus, Figaro – Le Nozze Di Figaro (Opera Theatre Company Dublin), Masseto – Don Giovanni, Albert – Werther (English Touring Opera), Giuseppe – The Gondoliers, Pish Tush – Mikado, (Raymond Gubbay), Captain Corcoran – HMS Pinafore, Cox – Cox & Box (Gilbert & Sullivan International Festival) Jack – world premiere of House of the Gods (The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein (RTE Orchestra), Emperor Ming Aladdin at the New Theatre Cardiff, Qdos Productions 2015/2016 and Sleeping Beauty at the Malvern theatre 2016/17
Recordings:
A Miner’s Song – charity single in aid of the National Coal Mining Memorial featuring Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce and many others.
Fratello – Duets with tenor brother Wynne Evans
The Traveller in Benjamin Britten`s Curlew River on the Koch Label
Let the Light in – Mark’s debut solo album.
Tell my Father – charity single benefitting the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal performed with the Band of the Welsh Guards.
This Guy’s in Love – Mark’s 2nd solo album produced by Grammy Award winner Nick Patrick.
Film Credits:
Don Giovanni in Guy Ritchie’s “A Game of Shadows” (Warner Brothers) 2011
Cox – Cox and Box (TV Movie) 2001
Captain – H.M. Pinafore (TV movie) 2001
Books:
The Academy of Barmy Composer – BAROQUE released May 2019. Published by Graffeg
Other Work:
BBC 2 Friday Night is Music Night, Presenting a Sunday evening show for BBC Radio Wales, hosting events throughout the World – The Duke of Edinburgh’s International World Fellowship Awards, St David’s Day in Singapore, National Film Awards 2015, An Evening with David Blaine in Miami, Valentine concerts for the American charity TAPS in Naples Florida. Soloist in the BBC TV commercial for BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2011, Voice Overs for Pearl & Dean, Cabaret at The Pheasantry, St James Studio (London), Rainbow Room & the Café Caryle (New York)
In 2015 Mark decided to take his passion of opera further with an educational project – ABC of Opera, The Academy of Barmy Composers. ABC delivers invaluable life-lessons to children through the curriculum building confidence, celebrating difference and encouraging creativity. Mark is passionate that all children should be able to achieve their dreams and through the ABC’s teaching it is clear that Any Body Can
ABC has now been delivered to over 197 schools throughout the UK delivering a remarkable impact on our young learners. Mark’s first book “THE ACADEMY OF BARMY COMPOSERS – BAROQUE” was released in May 2019 with three more to follow in the series. Discussions are already underway to turn the ABC books into an exciting family stage show. In 2019 & 2020 Mark was awarded the Amati Guildhall Creative Entrepreneur of the year. Mark is a mentor for Big ideas Wales as well as working closing with GB entrepreneurs’ awards and the Guildhall Creative entrepreneur programme
Mark is the Ambassador of the charity (LARS) Loud Applause Rising Stars, as well as creative director of Opera Sark
Mark will feature as Narrator for the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert, reading Dylan Thomas in Chris Marshall's outstanding work for Harp and strings "Dylan"
Harriet Whitehead, Vocalist
"You have a beautiful, beautiful voice" - Sir Tom Jones
Harriet Whitehead is an outstanding and incredibly versatile vocalist. Harriet has featured on The Voice UK, performed on stage at BBC Hoddinott Hall at Wales Millennium Centre, toured Europe and Wales with West End star Peter Karrie, and featured in a wide range of performances ranging from classical crossover to urban pop
Harriet will feature in this year's festival in the Lord of the Rings performance, together with the Massed Bands of City of Bristol and Lewis Merthyr, and Oriana Festival Massed Male Chorus. Her repertoire will include music from all three of the blockbuster Lord of the Rings movies, including Enya's "May It Be" (from The Fellowship of the Ring), "Gollum's Song" (from The Two Towers) and Annie Lennox' "Into The West" (from Return of the King)
Harriet Whitehead is an outstanding and incredibly versatile vocalist. Harriet has featured on The Voice UK, performed on stage at BBC Hoddinott Hall at Wales Millennium Centre, toured Europe and Wales with West End star Peter Karrie, and featured in a wide range of performances ranging from classical crossover to urban pop
Harriet will feature in this year's festival in the Lord of the Rings performance, together with the Massed Bands of City of Bristol and Lewis Merthyr, and Oriana Festival Massed Male Chorus. Her repertoire will include music from all three of the blockbuster Lord of the Rings movies, including Enya's "May It Be" (from The Fellowship of the Ring), "Gollum's Song" (from The Two Towers) and Annie Lennox' "Into The West" (from Return of the King)
Lewis Merthyr Band
"A damn fine band" - HRH Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII)
Founded in or before 1855, Lewis Merthyr Band is the oldest brass band in South Wales' Rhondda Valleys. Originally known as the Cymmer Military and Cymmer (Porth) Colliery Band, Lewis Merthyr adopted its present title in 1949. The band has been highly successful in competition throughout its history, becoming Champion Band of Wales, Welsh League Champions, Miner's Welfare Entertainments (CISWO) Champions and more
Lewis Merthyr has represented Wales in the Championship section of the National Championships of Great Britain on eight occasions at the Royal Albert Hall, London; at the European Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark; and at the 2022 World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The band also accomplished the unique achievement of winning the Second and Third Section UK titles of the National Championships of Great Britain, in consecutive years. Lewis Merthyr is currently ranked in the First Section and were the 2015 Runner-Up WWBBA Champions; 2016 Runner-Up SEWBBA Champions & Runner-Up Welsh League Champions in both 2015 & 2016. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the band and saw Lewis Merthyr become the WWBBA and - for the first time in 21 years - Welsh League First Section Champions
The band has been equally successful on the concert stage, performing at a wide variety of locations across Wales and beyond, including the Royal Albert Hall, London; Llangollen Pavilion; St David's Hall, Cardiff & the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Lewis Merthyr has also performed for Royalty on a number of occasions, parading through the streets for the visit of His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary to Rhondda in 1912, and for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932. On June 2nd, 2022, the band also featured in an incredible performance for the Beacon Lighting ceremony on the Thames Bank, London, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In September 2023, an ensemble from the band also performed for the First Minister of Wales, First Lady of Iraq and other distinguished guests in an event which also featured a speech from the former Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Tony Blair
Throughout its history, the band has performed with numerous leading artists, including "Signor Foli" (Allan James Foley) in the late 1800's, and with Sir Geraint Evans, Glyn Houston and most recently Sir Bryn Terfel. In recent years, the band has also featured in a series of concerts under the baton of renowned orchestral conductor Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, which included a St David's Day Gala Concert at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea; a performance in the Speech Room at Harrow School, London; and two performances at Wales' national classical music festival, the Welsh Proms, in July 2018 & 2019, at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, Cardiff. In 2023, the band performed at the prestigious Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester Cathedral, and was the core ensemble of the inaugural Oriana Festival, a showcase of the finest Welsh classical contemporary music, where Lewis Merthyr performed together with former Royal Harpist Claire Jones, composer | percussionist Chris Marshall and Big Hearts International Nigeria, also giving the premiere performance of six new works for brass by Grace Williams, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter, Gareth Trott & Gareth Wood and a recital of the works for brass by Mervyn Burtch
Lewis Merthyr has featured in a wide range of radio & television broadcasts, dating back to a recently rediscovered BBC Radio broadcast from 1927, and Pathé newsreel footage of the band marching before King Edward VIII in 1932. More recently, the band was featured in the 2015 BBC television programme "The Taff: The River That Made Wales" which continues to be repeatedly screened on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Wales. Lewis Merthyr also recently recorded a special television feature with the renowned international baritone soloist Sir Bryn Terfel, which was screened nationwide on Christmas Day 2017 and repeated for the opening night of the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2018. The band featured again on nationwide television, performing live in the National Eisteddfod, on stage at the Donald Gordon Theatre in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre the following day
Lewis Merthyr Band has featured in a wide range of major events, performing on numerous occasions at the Principality Stadium, playing to 52, 981 people plus international television audience for the Wales vs Italy warm up match for the 2015 Rugby World Cup; to record Pro14 crowds of 68,262 and 62,338 for Judgement Day 2016 & 2018; and for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 World Golden Oldies International Rugby Festival, which featured 120 participating teams representing 25 different nations from across the globe
Lewis Merthyr was also the core of Wales' first all-female band for each of Wales' 2017 Women's Rugby Six Nations Championship home matches, and again for the 2018 Women's Suffrage Centennial "Processions" event at Cardiff Castle in July 2018. The band also performed for the televised Women's Rugby Six Nations international matches at Cardiff Arms Park for the full 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons
Lewis Merthyr featured in National Theatre Wales' 2016 “City of the Unexpected” Roald Dahl 100 celebrations, performing across Cardiff city centre to tens of thousands of people, and which was again the focus of national television broadcasts. In April 2018, the band also supported the 11.2 metre "Man Engine" events at Cyfartha Castle and Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. In June 2018 the band's symphonic brass ensemble performed for the launch of the Music Education report for Wales at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, additional contributors to which included Sir Karl Jenkins, Nicola Benedetti CBE, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Claire Jones
In October 2019, the band then travelled to Belgium to perform alongside groups from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and South Korea at the Internationale Taptoe Belgie, held at the 5000 seat capacity Versluys Dome, Ostend. In July 2022, the band returned to Europe to perform in the prestigious World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands
Lewis Merthyr Band has a long history of performing and broadcasting new works, and has held a close association with numerous prominent composers, notably Mervyn Burtch and John Golland. The band gave the premiere broadcasts of Dr. Peter Graham's "Dimensions" and Goff Richards' "Oceans" on BBC Radio in the 1980s, and in 2018 gave the premiere performances of Helen Woods' "Man Engine Anthem" and Dr. Christopher Wood's "Aberfan", also undertaking the premiere recording of the latter on the band's most recent commercial recording "Brass & Voices of Wales" with the massed choirs of Bridgend & Pendyrus, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes. The band's latest albums, a recording of the brass works of Mervyn Burtch and a Christmas album, will be released for Christmas 2023
Through the latter half of 2020, with the support of the Arts Council of Wales, the band created the project "New Directions", a partnership with a selection of leading composers and performers from across Wales and wider, which saw newly commissioned works from Steve Bingham, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter and Andrew Powell. Through 2022-24, with the additional support of ACW, the Moondance Foundation and Ty Cerdd, the band commissioned and premiered four major new works for band from Chris Marshall (Fulling Mill Lea), Gareth Trott (Eastern Horizons and Aberfan Requirm) and Gareth Wood (Under Milk Wood Suite: Rum & Laverbread)
Lewis-Merthyr remain thoroughly committed to supporting our local community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, through the presentation of concert performances across the county borough and wider, supporting local events & functions, and providing tuition for local young brass & percussion musicians through our Youth Band programme. The band looks forward to continuing to represent Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wales at the highest level throughout all its performances across the nation and beyond
Lewis Merthyr Band will feature in both the afternoon Under Milk Wood performance of the Music of Gareth Wood, and in Massed Bands together with City of Bristol Brass Band in The Lord of the Rings
Founded in or before 1855, Lewis Merthyr Band is the oldest brass band in South Wales' Rhondda Valleys. Originally known as the Cymmer Military and Cymmer (Porth) Colliery Band, Lewis Merthyr adopted its present title in 1949. The band has been highly successful in competition throughout its history, becoming Champion Band of Wales, Welsh League Champions, Miner's Welfare Entertainments (CISWO) Champions and more
Lewis Merthyr has represented Wales in the Championship section of the National Championships of Great Britain on eight occasions at the Royal Albert Hall, London; at the European Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark; and at the 2022 World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The band also accomplished the unique achievement of winning the Second and Third Section UK titles of the National Championships of Great Britain, in consecutive years. Lewis Merthyr is currently ranked in the First Section and were the 2015 Runner-Up WWBBA Champions; 2016 Runner-Up SEWBBA Champions & Runner-Up Welsh League Champions in both 2015 & 2016. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the band and saw Lewis Merthyr become the WWBBA and - for the first time in 21 years - Welsh League First Section Champions
The band has been equally successful on the concert stage, performing at a wide variety of locations across Wales and beyond, including the Royal Albert Hall, London; Llangollen Pavilion; St David's Hall, Cardiff & the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Lewis Merthyr has also performed for Royalty on a number of occasions, parading through the streets for the visit of His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary to Rhondda in 1912, and for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932. On June 2nd, 2022, the band also featured in an incredible performance for the Beacon Lighting ceremony on the Thames Bank, London, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In September 2023, an ensemble from the band also performed for the First Minister of Wales, First Lady of Iraq and other distinguished guests in an event which also featured a speech from the former Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Tony Blair
Throughout its history, the band has performed with numerous leading artists, including "Signor Foli" (Allan James Foley) in the late 1800's, and with Sir Geraint Evans, Glyn Houston and most recently Sir Bryn Terfel. In recent years, the band has also featured in a series of concerts under the baton of renowned orchestral conductor Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, which included a St David's Day Gala Concert at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea; a performance in the Speech Room at Harrow School, London; and two performances at Wales' national classical music festival, the Welsh Proms, in July 2018 & 2019, at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, Cardiff. In 2023, the band performed at the prestigious Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester Cathedral, and was the core ensemble of the inaugural Oriana Festival, a showcase of the finest Welsh classical contemporary music, where Lewis Merthyr performed together with former Royal Harpist Claire Jones, composer | percussionist Chris Marshall and Big Hearts International Nigeria, also giving the premiere performance of six new works for brass by Grace Williams, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter, Gareth Trott & Gareth Wood and a recital of the works for brass by Mervyn Burtch
Lewis Merthyr has featured in a wide range of radio & television broadcasts, dating back to a recently rediscovered BBC Radio broadcast from 1927, and Pathé newsreel footage of the band marching before King Edward VIII in 1932. More recently, the band was featured in the 2015 BBC television programme "The Taff: The River That Made Wales" which continues to be repeatedly screened on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Wales. Lewis Merthyr also recently recorded a special television feature with the renowned international baritone soloist Sir Bryn Terfel, which was screened nationwide on Christmas Day 2017 and repeated for the opening night of the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2018. The band featured again on nationwide television, performing live in the National Eisteddfod, on stage at the Donald Gordon Theatre in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre the following day
Lewis Merthyr Band has featured in a wide range of major events, performing on numerous occasions at the Principality Stadium, playing to 52, 981 people plus international television audience for the Wales vs Italy warm up match for the 2015 Rugby World Cup; to record Pro14 crowds of 68,262 and 62,338 for Judgement Day 2016 & 2018; and for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 World Golden Oldies International Rugby Festival, which featured 120 participating teams representing 25 different nations from across the globe
Lewis Merthyr was also the core of Wales' first all-female band for each of Wales' 2017 Women's Rugby Six Nations Championship home matches, and again for the 2018 Women's Suffrage Centennial "Processions" event at Cardiff Castle in July 2018. The band also performed for the televised Women's Rugby Six Nations international matches at Cardiff Arms Park for the full 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons
Lewis Merthyr featured in National Theatre Wales' 2016 “City of the Unexpected” Roald Dahl 100 celebrations, performing across Cardiff city centre to tens of thousands of people, and which was again the focus of national television broadcasts. In April 2018, the band also supported the 11.2 metre "Man Engine" events at Cyfartha Castle and Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. In June 2018 the band's symphonic brass ensemble performed for the launch of the Music Education report for Wales at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, additional contributors to which included Sir Karl Jenkins, Nicola Benedetti CBE, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Claire Jones
In October 2019, the band then travelled to Belgium to perform alongside groups from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and South Korea at the Internationale Taptoe Belgie, held at the 5000 seat capacity Versluys Dome, Ostend. In July 2022, the band returned to Europe to perform in the prestigious World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands
Lewis Merthyr Band has a long history of performing and broadcasting new works, and has held a close association with numerous prominent composers, notably Mervyn Burtch and John Golland. The band gave the premiere broadcasts of Dr. Peter Graham's "Dimensions" and Goff Richards' "Oceans" on BBC Radio in the 1980s, and in 2018 gave the premiere performances of Helen Woods' "Man Engine Anthem" and Dr. Christopher Wood's "Aberfan", also undertaking the premiere recording of the latter on the band's most recent commercial recording "Brass & Voices of Wales" with the massed choirs of Bridgend & Pendyrus, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes. The band's latest albums, a recording of the brass works of Mervyn Burtch and a Christmas album, will be released for Christmas 2023
Through the latter half of 2020, with the support of the Arts Council of Wales, the band created the project "New Directions", a partnership with a selection of leading composers and performers from across Wales and wider, which saw newly commissioned works from Steve Bingham, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter and Andrew Powell. Through 2022-24, with the additional support of ACW, the Moondance Foundation and Ty Cerdd, the band commissioned and premiered four major new works for band from Chris Marshall (Fulling Mill Lea), Gareth Trott (Eastern Horizons and Aberfan Requirm) and Gareth Wood (Under Milk Wood Suite: Rum & Laverbread)
Lewis-Merthyr remain thoroughly committed to supporting our local community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, through the presentation of concert performances across the county borough and wider, supporting local events & functions, and providing tuition for local young brass & percussion musicians through our Youth Band programme. The band looks forward to continuing to represent Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wales at the highest level throughout all its performances across the nation and beyond
Lewis Merthyr Band will feature in both the afternoon Under Milk Wood performance of the Music of Gareth Wood, and in Massed Bands together with City of Bristol Brass Band in The Lord of the Rings
City of Bristol Brass Band
Brass bands in Bristol date back to at least 1850, with a number recorded as performing for the opening of the city’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1864. The sound of the brass band has remained a core element of the musical fabric of the city to this day
City of Bristol Brass Band itself was formed in 1936 by local businessman H S Perry (who also played euphonium in the band) and the former Lord Mayor of Bristol, William George Cozens. Originally entitled “Fishponds British Legion Band”, the band adopted its present title in the mid 1960s
City of Bristol has been highly successful in both concert and competition throughout its history, becoming ODBBA, GBBA and West of England Regional Champions, and has also represented the city and region in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain on numerous occasions. In March 2024, the band were again crowned West of England First Section Champions, being placed first out of 18 bands in the 2024 championships at the Riviera Centre, Torquay. As a result, in September 2024, City of Bristol will go on to represent the West of England in the Finals of the National Championships of Great Britain at The Centaur, Cheltenham, and will be promoted to Championship section in 2025
The band has performed at a wealth of venues across the UK, including the Royal Albert Hall and Alexandra Palace, London; De Montfort Hall, Leicester; The Centaur, Cheltenham; Riviera Centre, Torquay, St George’s, Bristol and many more
In June 2022, the band was delighted to perform as part of the Tall Ships Festival at Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucester, and also to support the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, performing as part of a massed Hallelujah Chorus flash mob throughout Bristol, culminating at Bristol Cathedral and College Green
In September 2022, the band broadened its performance horizons further, travelling to Colorado, USA, to perform in the Estes Park International Tattoo and Long’s Peak International Scottish-Irish Highland Festival. The band made history while in Colorado: the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II took place while the band were mid-rehearsal for the 2022 Estes Park International Tattoo. Just six minutes after the announcement of the passing of Her Majesty, the band together with the 3rd US Marine Aircraft Wing Band, became the first performers in 70 years to perform "God Save The King", and one day later appeared in the first major international event to perform the same
The band's achievements continued in 2023, with City of Bristol performing in "Sing For The King", which saw the band perform together with a massed choir of 650 voices (this year being the 650th anniversary of Bristol city) at Bristol Cathedral, in a performance of Handel's "Zadok The Priest" and additional coronation anthems, a copy of which was then gifted to Buckingham Palace as the city's gift on the occasion of the Coronation of King Charles III
City of Bristol is a keen advocate and supporter of new music. In recent years, the band has performed Dr Liz Lane’s “Innovation 216” tribute to Concorde - beneath the wings of the iconic aircraft itself! - at Aerospace Bristol in 2020, before giving the premiere performance of Laura Shipsey’s “Of Far Flung Skies” in a performance at St George’s which was recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 3
In September 2022, the band presented its new performance project, “Eastern Horizons” which featured the premiere performance of two new works composed especially for City of Bristol by Hong Kong born (and BBC National Orchestra of Wales performed) composer Mandy Leung, plus the title suite by British Army composer Gareth Trott
In December 2022, City of Bristol also presented its new Christmas package “The Snowman Live” at the Curzon Cinema, Clevedon, which saw two sell-out performances. Such was the success of the project, the performance was repeated in December 2023 in four sell out performances at both the Curzon and also St George's, Bristol
City of Bristol Brass Band is always keen to work with new partners and venues. New performance partners for 2023 included 1532 Performing Arts Centre, Trinity Academy, Rock Choir South West England, Homechoir, UWE Singers and more. The band was delighted to again work with the Curzon Cinema on their 111th anniversary celebrations in May, performing our popular "Day at the Movies" concert, which included live performance screenings of early films by British film pioneer William Haggar, and the English premiere of Christopher Painter's transcription for brass of Grace Williams' "Mountain Scene" (from The Blue Scar), the first film soundtrack written by a female composer
In 2024, the band will feature in a Lord of the Rings themed concert project, marking the 70th anniversary of the publication of J. R. R. Tolkien's iconic fantasy classic. Performances will be undertaken in massed bands with South Wales' Lewis Merthyr Band at the prestigious Oriana Festival at St Elvan's, Cynon Valley in May, and again at Bristol Cathedral in September
Further details of all the band’s forthcoming events and projects are available in the Events page of this site, or for up to the minute information on the band and its activities, please do connect with us via our social media channels on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram
City of Bristol Brass Band will continue to make music at the highest level, offer musical education opportunities for local people of all ages, and continue to support our local community in Bristol and wider, as the band has done continuously since 1936. The band is delighted to be appearing in the 2024 Oriana Festival, alongside our good friends from Lewis Merthyr Band
City of Bristol Brass Band will feature in the afternoon performance of The Lord of the Rings together with Lewis Merthyr Band, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
City of Bristol Brass Band itself was formed in 1936 by local businessman H S Perry (who also played euphonium in the band) and the former Lord Mayor of Bristol, William George Cozens. Originally entitled “Fishponds British Legion Band”, the band adopted its present title in the mid 1960s
City of Bristol has been highly successful in both concert and competition throughout its history, becoming ODBBA, GBBA and West of England Regional Champions, and has also represented the city and region in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain on numerous occasions. In March 2024, the band were again crowned West of England First Section Champions, being placed first out of 18 bands in the 2024 championships at the Riviera Centre, Torquay. As a result, in September 2024, City of Bristol will go on to represent the West of England in the Finals of the National Championships of Great Britain at The Centaur, Cheltenham, and will be promoted to Championship section in 2025
The band has performed at a wealth of venues across the UK, including the Royal Albert Hall and Alexandra Palace, London; De Montfort Hall, Leicester; The Centaur, Cheltenham; Riviera Centre, Torquay, St George’s, Bristol and many more
In June 2022, the band was delighted to perform as part of the Tall Ships Festival at Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucester, and also to support the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, performing as part of a massed Hallelujah Chorus flash mob throughout Bristol, culminating at Bristol Cathedral and College Green
In September 2022, the band broadened its performance horizons further, travelling to Colorado, USA, to perform in the Estes Park International Tattoo and Long’s Peak International Scottish-Irish Highland Festival. The band made history while in Colorado: the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II took place while the band were mid-rehearsal for the 2022 Estes Park International Tattoo. Just six minutes after the announcement of the passing of Her Majesty, the band together with the 3rd US Marine Aircraft Wing Band, became the first performers in 70 years to perform "God Save The King", and one day later appeared in the first major international event to perform the same
The band's achievements continued in 2023, with City of Bristol performing in "Sing For The King", which saw the band perform together with a massed choir of 650 voices (this year being the 650th anniversary of Bristol city) at Bristol Cathedral, in a performance of Handel's "Zadok The Priest" and additional coronation anthems, a copy of which was then gifted to Buckingham Palace as the city's gift on the occasion of the Coronation of King Charles III
City of Bristol is a keen advocate and supporter of new music. In recent years, the band has performed Dr Liz Lane’s “Innovation 216” tribute to Concorde - beneath the wings of the iconic aircraft itself! - at Aerospace Bristol in 2020, before giving the premiere performance of Laura Shipsey’s “Of Far Flung Skies” in a performance at St George’s which was recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 3
In September 2022, the band presented its new performance project, “Eastern Horizons” which featured the premiere performance of two new works composed especially for City of Bristol by Hong Kong born (and BBC National Orchestra of Wales performed) composer Mandy Leung, plus the title suite by British Army composer Gareth Trott
In December 2022, City of Bristol also presented its new Christmas package “The Snowman Live” at the Curzon Cinema, Clevedon, which saw two sell-out performances. Such was the success of the project, the performance was repeated in December 2023 in four sell out performances at both the Curzon and also St George's, Bristol
City of Bristol Brass Band is always keen to work with new partners and venues. New performance partners for 2023 included 1532 Performing Arts Centre, Trinity Academy, Rock Choir South West England, Homechoir, UWE Singers and more. The band was delighted to again work with the Curzon Cinema on their 111th anniversary celebrations in May, performing our popular "Day at the Movies" concert, which included live performance screenings of early films by British film pioneer William Haggar, and the English premiere of Christopher Painter's transcription for brass of Grace Williams' "Mountain Scene" (from The Blue Scar), the first film soundtrack written by a female composer
In 2024, the band will feature in a Lord of the Rings themed concert project, marking the 70th anniversary of the publication of J. R. R. Tolkien's iconic fantasy classic. Performances will be undertaken in massed bands with South Wales' Lewis Merthyr Band at the prestigious Oriana Festival at St Elvan's, Cynon Valley in May, and again at Bristol Cathedral in September
Further details of all the band’s forthcoming events and projects are available in the Events page of this site, or for up to the minute information on the band and its activities, please do connect with us via our social media channels on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram
City of Bristol Brass Band will continue to make music at the highest level, offer musical education opportunities for local people of all ages, and continue to support our local community in Bristol and wider, as the band has done continuously since 1936. The band is delighted to be appearing in the 2024 Oriana Festival, alongside our good friends from Lewis Merthyr Band
City of Bristol Brass Band will feature in the afternoon performance of The Lord of the Rings together with Lewis Merthyr Band, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
Massed Male Choir
The Oriana Festival Massed Male Choir is drawn from members of Cwmbach, Cwmdare Voices and Pelenna Valley male choirs, three choirs conducted by Dr Mike Thomas MBE
Featured in the celebrated annual Caradogfest performances, members of the three choirs will join together with the Massed Bands of City of Bristol and Lewis Merthyr in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance of this year's festival in Edward Gregson's "An Age of Kings"
Additional information on the annual Caradogfest, which takes place at St Elvan's each July, is available at www.caradogfest.com
Featured in the celebrated annual Caradogfest performances, members of the three choirs will join together with the Massed Bands of City of Bristol and Lewis Merthyr in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance of this year's festival in Edward Gregson's "An Age of Kings"
Additional information on the annual Caradogfest, which takes place at St Elvan's each July, is available at www.caradogfest.com
R&R Wellbeing
Held each Thursday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00pm at Oriana Festival venue St Elvan's, "R&R", a FREE Music & Wellbeing session with "Ragsy & Reevsy" - Christina Reeves and Aberdare's own star of "The Voice UK", Ragsy
Supported by Community Music Wales, these FREE weekly sessions are aimed at tackling isolation and promoting positive mental health and improved wellbeing through music
Being held this year during Mental Health Awareness Week, the 2024 Oriana Festival will open with a FREE open R&R Music & Wellbeing session with Ragsy & Reevsy
Everyone is welcome to attend. Come along and sing a song, request a song, or just enjoy a cuppa or chat, together with some great music
Croeso i bawb | All welcome!
Supported by Community Music Wales, these FREE weekly sessions are aimed at tackling isolation and promoting positive mental health and improved wellbeing through music
Being held this year during Mental Health Awareness Week, the 2024 Oriana Festival will open with a FREE open R&R Music & Wellbeing session with Ragsy & Reevsy
Everyone is welcome to attend. Come along and sing a song, request a song, or just enjoy a cuppa or chat, together with some great music
Croeso i bawb | All welcome!
2024 Featured Composers
Johan De Meij
Dutch composer and conductor Johan de Meij (Voorburg, 1953) received his musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague, where he studied trombone and conducting. His award-winning oeuvre of original compositions, symphonic transcriptions and film score arrangements has garnered him international acclaim and have become permanent fixtures in the repertoire of renowned ensembles throughout the world
His Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings was awarded the prestigious Sudler Composition Prize and has been recorded by myriad ensembles including The London Symphony Orchestra, The North Netherlands Orchestra, The Nagoya Philharmonic and The Amsterdam Wind Orchestra. His Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple, Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth, Symphony No. 4 Sinfonie der Lieder as well as his solo concertos, T-Bone Concerto (trombone), UFO Concerto (euphonium) and Casanova (cello) have been enthusiastically received at many of the world’s finest venues
Before devoting his time exclusively to composing and conducting, Johan de Meij enjoyed a successful professional career as a trombone and euphonium player, performing with major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands. He is in high demand as a guest conductor and lecturer, frequently invited to speak about and perform his own works. In 2010, he was appointed regular guest conductor of the Simón Bolívar Youth Wind Orchestra in Caracas, Venezuela – part of the celebrated Venezuelan educational system El Sistema. He currently maintains posts with both the New York Wind Symphony and the Kyushu Wind Orchestra in Fukuoka, Japan as their principal guest conductor. Johan is founder and CEO of his own publishing company Amstel Music, established in 1989
When not traveling, Johan divides his time between his Hudson Valley home, and Manhattan and Amsterdam apartments with his wife and muse Dyan, cats Lenny, Gustavo, Tosca & Lulu and doggy Lucy
AWARDS & PRIZES
1989 1st Prize at The Sudler International Composition Competition Award for Symphony no. 1 The Lord of the Rings
1995 Honorable Mention International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple
1999 1st Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Casanova (for cello & wind orchestra)
2000 1st Prize at The Oman International Composition Prize for The Red Tower
2001 The Midwest Clinic International Award - Chicago, Illinois - USA
2006 2nd Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth
2007 Dutch Wind Music Award/Prijs Nederlandse Blaasmuziek
2009 Friends of the WMC Award - Kerkrade, The Netherlands
2016 2nd Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Echoes of San Marco
2016 1st Prize at The 6th International Composition Contest City of Muro - Spain for Fifty Shades of E
2017 Buma Classical Award - The Netherlands
2017 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2017 for FELLINI (Omaggio a Federico Fellini)
2017 Finalist for the WASBE Composition Contest with African Harmony (Songs from Mama Africa)
2018 Midwest Clinic Legend Award for Lifetime Contributions to Music Education - Chicago, Illinois - USA
2019 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2019 for Symphony No. 5 Return to Middle Earth
2021 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2021 for UN MOMENTO DADO (Homenaje en Memoria de Johan Cruijff)
2021 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2021 for DA VINCI (A Study on Ivory Keys)
2021 Winner of Europe's Favorite Set Test Piece with EXTREME MAKEOVER (Metamorphoses on a Theme by Tchaikovsky) Organized by the EBBA, the European Brass Band Association.
2022 2nd Prize and an Honorable Mention at the 1st International Composition Contest of Filharmonica Imolese, Imola - Italy, for The Year 2020
2022 Best Feature Film at the Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival 2022 for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3)
2022 Buma Wind Music Award - The Netherlands
2022 Special Mention at the 1st Wind Composition Contest Saxony, organized by the Dresdner Bläserphilharmonie for MONDRIAAN - An Essay in Primary Colors (for baritone saxophone & wind orchestra)
2022 Woodstock Film Festival Award for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2023 for THE PAINTED BIRD (A Cry against Fascism)
2023 Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Award for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 1st Prize @ the Cleveland Arthouse Film Awards: Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Winner Award of Merit at the IndieFEST Film Awards or Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Winner of the San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival: CASANOVA & THE THREE GRACES, a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Best Musical Film Feature at the ROME Music Video Awards: CASANOVA & THE THREE GRACES, a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
Two movements from Johan's world renowned Lord of the Rings Symphony - Hobbits and Gandalf - will be performed in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance, featuring the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
His Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings was awarded the prestigious Sudler Composition Prize and has been recorded by myriad ensembles including The London Symphony Orchestra, The North Netherlands Orchestra, The Nagoya Philharmonic and The Amsterdam Wind Orchestra. His Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple, Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth, Symphony No. 4 Sinfonie der Lieder as well as his solo concertos, T-Bone Concerto (trombone), UFO Concerto (euphonium) and Casanova (cello) have been enthusiastically received at many of the world’s finest venues
Before devoting his time exclusively to composing and conducting, Johan de Meij enjoyed a successful professional career as a trombone and euphonium player, performing with major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands. He is in high demand as a guest conductor and lecturer, frequently invited to speak about and perform his own works. In 2010, he was appointed regular guest conductor of the Simón Bolívar Youth Wind Orchestra in Caracas, Venezuela – part of the celebrated Venezuelan educational system El Sistema. He currently maintains posts with both the New York Wind Symphony and the Kyushu Wind Orchestra in Fukuoka, Japan as their principal guest conductor. Johan is founder and CEO of his own publishing company Amstel Music, established in 1989
When not traveling, Johan divides his time between his Hudson Valley home, and Manhattan and Amsterdam apartments with his wife and muse Dyan, cats Lenny, Gustavo, Tosca & Lulu and doggy Lucy
AWARDS & PRIZES
1989 1st Prize at The Sudler International Composition Competition Award for Symphony no. 1 The Lord of the Rings
1995 Honorable Mention International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple
1999 1st Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Casanova (for cello & wind orchestra)
2000 1st Prize at The Oman International Composition Prize for The Red Tower
2001 The Midwest Clinic International Award - Chicago, Illinois - USA
2006 2nd Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth
2007 Dutch Wind Music Award/Prijs Nederlandse Blaasmuziek
2009 Friends of the WMC Award - Kerkrade, The Netherlands
2016 2nd Prize at The International Composition Competition of Corciano - Italy for Echoes of San Marco
2016 1st Prize at The 6th International Composition Contest City of Muro - Spain for Fifty Shades of E
2017 Buma Classical Award - The Netherlands
2017 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2017 for FELLINI (Omaggio a Federico Fellini)
2017 Finalist for the WASBE Composition Contest with African Harmony (Songs from Mama Africa)
2018 Midwest Clinic Legend Award for Lifetime Contributions to Music Education - Chicago, Illinois - USA
2019 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2019 for Symphony No. 5 Return to Middle Earth
2021 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2021 for UN MOMENTO DADO (Homenaje en Memoria de Johan Cruijff)
2021 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2021 for DA VINCI (A Study on Ivory Keys)
2021 Winner of Europe's Favorite Set Test Piece with EXTREME MAKEOVER (Metamorphoses on a Theme by Tchaikovsky) Organized by the EBBA, the European Brass Band Association.
2022 2nd Prize and an Honorable Mention at the 1st International Composition Contest of Filharmonica Imolese, Imola - Italy, for The Year 2020
2022 Best Feature Film at the Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival 2022 for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3)
2022 Buma Wind Music Award - The Netherlands
2022 Special Mention at the 1st Wind Composition Contest Saxony, organized by the Dresdner Bläserphilharmonie for MONDRIAAN - An Essay in Primary Colors (for baritone saxophone & wind orchestra)
2022 Woodstock Film Festival Award for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Nominated for the Vermeulen Prize 2023 for THE PAINTED BIRD (A Cry against Fascism)
2023 Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Award for Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 1st Prize @ the Cleveland Arthouse Film Awards: Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Winner Award of Merit at the IndieFEST Film Awards or Cine-Symphony PLANET EARTH (Symphony No. 3) a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Winner of the San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival: CASANOVA & THE THREE GRACES, a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
2023 Best Musical Film Feature at the ROME Music Video Awards: CASANOVA & THE THREE GRACES, a film by Dyan Machan & Jed Parker
Two movements from Johan's world renowned Lord of the Rings Symphony - Hobbits and Gandalf - will be performed in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance, featuring the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
Edward Gregson
Edward Gregson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England, in 1945. He graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Music in 1967, having studied piano and composition (with Alan Bush), and then completed a B.Mus (Hons) degree at London University. He is a composer of international standing whose music has been performed, broadcast, and recorded worldwide. He has written orchestral, chamber, instrumental and choral music, as well as making major contributions to the wind and brass repertoire. He has also written music for the theatre, film, and television
His orchestral music has been performed by many orchestras and conductors worldwide, including all the BBC orchestras, the London Symphony, Royal Scottish National, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Bournemouth Symphony orchestras; with conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Edward Downes, Rumon Gamba, Alexander Gibson, Gunther Herbig, Kent Nagano, Gianandrea Noseda, Bramwell Tovey, and soloists including Ole Edvard Antonsen, Wissam Boustany, Olivier Charlier, Michael Collins, Nelson Goerner, Guy Johnston, Nobuya Sugawa, and Richard Watkins. His chamber music has been performed and recorded by groups including the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, London Brass, the Navarra and Nightingale string quartets, the Nash Ensemble, whilst his music for brass bands has been performed by all the major ensembles in the world
His music has been extensively broadcast and recorded, and perhaps of special note is the ongoing series of his symphonic music and concertos on the Chandos label performed by the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Concert orchestras, and London Brass – the latest volume being released in 2020. Included in this series are all his major concertos: horn (1971), tuba (1976), trumpet (1983), trombone (1979), clarinet (1994), piano (1997), violin (2000), saxophone (2006), cello (2007), and flute (2013). He has also recently embarked on a three-volume series of his instrumental and chamber music for the Naxos label, the third of which is due for release in May 2022. In addition, and of similar importance, is the six-volume survey of his complete music for brass band on the Doyen label
His most recent compositions include Three Études for piano, recorded on the Naxos label by Murray McLachlan, an Oboe Concerto (A Vision in a Dream) for Jennifer Galloway and the BBC Philharmonic, a Euphonium Concerto for David Childs, The World Rejoicing (Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale) - a commission from five European countries, and The Salamander and the Moonraker, a work for children’s choir, narrators and orchestra commissioned by the Hallé Concerts Society in 2018, with story and libretto by his wife Susan Gregson. In 2016, as Composer in Association with Black Dyke Band, he composed a Cornet Concerto and Four Études, and in 2017, as Composer in Residence at the Presteigne Festival, his 2nd String Quartet was premiered by the Nightingale Quartet from Denmark
Edward Gregson has had an impressive career as an academic, from his time as Head of Composition and resident conductor in the music department of Goldsmiths College, University of London (1976-96), and where he was appointed a Professor of Music, to his tenure as Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester (1996-2008). He retired from academe in 2008 in order to concentrate on his composition
He holds honorary degrees and fellowships from a dozen English universities and conservatoires, including the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, Manchester University and Lancaster University, and is also a Companion and Emeritus Professor of the RNCM. He has won many awards and prizes, including an Ivors Academy Composer Award in 2019, having been nominated on two previous occasions. He was a Writer Director of the Performing Right Society (1995-2021), and has also served on many international music juries, worked as jury member and expert commentator for the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year programmes, and as a conductor has premiered many works by UK composers. He has also written a number of scholarly articles for various publications
Gregson's epic An Age of Kings will be performed in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance, featuring the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
His orchestral music has been performed by many orchestras and conductors worldwide, including all the BBC orchestras, the London Symphony, Royal Scottish National, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Bournemouth Symphony orchestras; with conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Edward Downes, Rumon Gamba, Alexander Gibson, Gunther Herbig, Kent Nagano, Gianandrea Noseda, Bramwell Tovey, and soloists including Ole Edvard Antonsen, Wissam Boustany, Olivier Charlier, Michael Collins, Nelson Goerner, Guy Johnston, Nobuya Sugawa, and Richard Watkins. His chamber music has been performed and recorded by groups including the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, London Brass, the Navarra and Nightingale string quartets, the Nash Ensemble, whilst his music for brass bands has been performed by all the major ensembles in the world
His music has been extensively broadcast and recorded, and perhaps of special note is the ongoing series of his symphonic music and concertos on the Chandos label performed by the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Concert orchestras, and London Brass – the latest volume being released in 2020. Included in this series are all his major concertos: horn (1971), tuba (1976), trumpet (1983), trombone (1979), clarinet (1994), piano (1997), violin (2000), saxophone (2006), cello (2007), and flute (2013). He has also recently embarked on a three-volume series of his instrumental and chamber music for the Naxos label, the third of which is due for release in May 2022. In addition, and of similar importance, is the six-volume survey of his complete music for brass band on the Doyen label
His most recent compositions include Three Études for piano, recorded on the Naxos label by Murray McLachlan, an Oboe Concerto (A Vision in a Dream) for Jennifer Galloway and the BBC Philharmonic, a Euphonium Concerto for David Childs, The World Rejoicing (Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale) - a commission from five European countries, and The Salamander and the Moonraker, a work for children’s choir, narrators and orchestra commissioned by the Hallé Concerts Society in 2018, with story and libretto by his wife Susan Gregson. In 2016, as Composer in Association with Black Dyke Band, he composed a Cornet Concerto and Four Études, and in 2017, as Composer in Residence at the Presteigne Festival, his 2nd String Quartet was premiered by the Nightingale Quartet from Denmark
Edward Gregson has had an impressive career as an academic, from his time as Head of Composition and resident conductor in the music department of Goldsmiths College, University of London (1976-96), and where he was appointed a Professor of Music, to his tenure as Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester (1996-2008). He retired from academe in 2008 in order to concentrate on his composition
He holds honorary degrees and fellowships from a dozen English universities and conservatoires, including the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, Manchester University and Lancaster University, and is also a Companion and Emeritus Professor of the RNCM. He has won many awards and prizes, including an Ivors Academy Composer Award in 2019, having been nominated on two previous occasions. He was a Writer Director of the Performing Right Society (1995-2021), and has also served on many international music juries, worked as jury member and expert commentator for the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year programmes, and as a conductor has premiered many works by UK composers. He has also written a number of scholarly articles for various publications
Gregson's epic An Age of Kings will be performed in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance, featuring the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol, Massed Male Choir and vocalist Harriet Whitehead
Alun Hoddinott
Alun Hoddinott was born in Bargoed on 11 August 1929, the son of a schoolteacher, Thomas Ivor Hoddinott, and his wife Gertrude (née Jones). The family moved to Gorseinon and he received his education at Gowerton Grammar School, which boasted a strong musical tradition. He began the violin at a young age and was one of the first members of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, formed in 1946. In the same year he gained a scholarship to the University College in Cardiff, and during his time there took private lessons in composition with Arthur Benjamin in London
He graduated B.Mus. (Wales) in 1949 and in 1951 was appointed to the then Cardiff College of Music and Drama. In 1953 he won the Walford Davies Prize for composition and in 1957 the Medal of the Arnold Bax Society. He was appointed to a lectureship at his old college in Cardiff in 1959 and gained the D.Mus. (Wales) the following year. He was promoted Reader in 1963 and Professor in 1967. He founded the Cardiff Festival of 20th century music and attracted prominent composers such as Benjamin Britten and Olivier Messiaen to take part. He retired from his university chair in 1987, and from the Festival in 1989, to concentrate on composition
He came to general notice and was acknowledged as a very promising composer in 1954 when his Concerto for clarinet (op.3) was performed at the Cheltenham Music Festival by the celebrated clarinettist Gervase de Peyer and the Hallé Orchestra under John Barbirolli. Although this neo-classical work has remained in the repertoire, Hoddinott subsequently developed a more intricate and personal style, with an emphasis on chromatic shades and complex rhythms. And though acknowledging the influence of the serialists he did not abandon tonality. He composed in a number of forms, producing ten symphonies and orchestral works notable for their colour, and inspired by poetic imagery, including The sun, the great luminary of the universe (1970). He also enjoyed success as a composer of operas, such as The Beach of Falesá, The Trumpet Major, and What the old man does is always right. He was proud to be called a Welsh composer, and drew on Welsh authors for material, but there is no influence of folk music on his idiom, and the strongest musical influence on him was probably the Italian tradition
He was awarded a C.B.E. in 1981, and the Glyndwr award for outstanding contribution to the arts in Wales in 1997. He married, 2 April 1953, Rhiannon Huws, daughter of the Rev. Llewellyn Caradog Huws, Gwauncaegurwen, and they had one son, Ceri. He died in Swansea on 11 March 2008. The new hall of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the Millennium Centre in Cardiff was named Hoddinott Hall in recognition of his contribution to music in Wales
Alun's "Quodlibet" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
He graduated B.Mus. (Wales) in 1949 and in 1951 was appointed to the then Cardiff College of Music and Drama. In 1953 he won the Walford Davies Prize for composition and in 1957 the Medal of the Arnold Bax Society. He was appointed to a lectureship at his old college in Cardiff in 1959 and gained the D.Mus. (Wales) the following year. He was promoted Reader in 1963 and Professor in 1967. He founded the Cardiff Festival of 20th century music and attracted prominent composers such as Benjamin Britten and Olivier Messiaen to take part. He retired from his university chair in 1987, and from the Festival in 1989, to concentrate on composition
He came to general notice and was acknowledged as a very promising composer in 1954 when his Concerto for clarinet (op.3) was performed at the Cheltenham Music Festival by the celebrated clarinettist Gervase de Peyer and the Hallé Orchestra under John Barbirolli. Although this neo-classical work has remained in the repertoire, Hoddinott subsequently developed a more intricate and personal style, with an emphasis on chromatic shades and complex rhythms. And though acknowledging the influence of the serialists he did not abandon tonality. He composed in a number of forms, producing ten symphonies and orchestral works notable for their colour, and inspired by poetic imagery, including The sun, the great luminary of the universe (1970). He also enjoyed success as a composer of operas, such as The Beach of Falesá, The Trumpet Major, and What the old man does is always right. He was proud to be called a Welsh composer, and drew on Welsh authors for material, but there is no influence of folk music on his idiom, and the strongest musical influence on him was probably the Italian tradition
He was awarded a C.B.E. in 1981, and the Glyndwr award for outstanding contribution to the arts in Wales in 1997. He married, 2 April 1953, Rhiannon Huws, daughter of the Rev. Llewellyn Caradog Huws, Gwauncaegurwen, and they had one son, Ceri. He died in Swansea on 11 March 2008. The new hall of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the Millennium Centre in Cardiff was named Hoddinott Hall in recognition of his contribution to music in Wales
Alun's "Quodlibet" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
Sir Karl Jenkins
Sir Karl Jenkins is one of the most performed living composers in the world
The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace alone has been performed close to 3000 times in 50 different countries since the recording was released and in 2023 gained the unique status of having achieved ‘1000 Weeks’ in the UK Classical chart, while his recorded output has resulted in 17 gold and platinum disc awards
He was born in Wales and educated at Gowerton Grammar School before reading music at the University of Wales, Cardiff. He then commenced postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London
It was in jazz that he initially made his mark. In those days of ‘Jazz Polls’ he was a prolific poll winner, playing at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s club before co-forming Nucleus, which won first prize at the Montreux jazz festival and appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island
This was followed by a period with Soft Machine, one of the seminal bands of the '70s. Through many incarnations, ‘Softs’ defied categorization playing venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the classical ‘Proms’ at the Royal Albert Hall, and the Reading ‘Rock’ Festival
In the field of advertising music he has won the prestigious D&AD award for best music [twice], the ‘Creative Circle Gold’ and several ‘Clios’ [New York] and ‘Golden Lions’ [Cannes]. Credits include Levi’s, British Airways, Renault, Volvos, C&G, Tag Heuer, Pepsi as well as US/global campaigns for De Beers and Delta Airlines and Bafta ‘gongs’ for his scores for the documentaries The Celts and Testament
After this period as a media composer, his return to the music mainstream was initially marked by the success of the Adiemus project. Adiemus, combining the ‘classical’ with global vocal sounds and percussion with an invented language, topped classical and ‘pop’ charts around the world
His output includes the harp concerto Over The Stone commissioned by King Charles III (when Prince of Wales) for the Royal Harpist, Catrin Finch, Euphonium Concerto for David Childs, the concertante Quirk commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Sir Colin Davis, Tlep written for virtuoso violinist Marat Bisengaliev and based on Kazakh themes and In These Stones Horizons Sing, featuring Sir Bryn Terfel and Catrin Finch with the WNO Orchestra & Chorus, which was premiered at the Royal Gala opening of the Welsh Millennium Centre in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. Most recently his new saxophone concerto Stravaganza was premiered by Jess Gillam and the Deutschen Symphonie-Orchester at the Berlin Philharmonie in June 2023
In the summer of 2005 he scored the feature film, River Queen starring Kiefer Sutherland and Samantha Morton, the soundtrack of which won the Golden Goblet award for best score at the Shanghai Film Festival
Recording releases include Requiem, “Kiri Sings Karl” with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, This Land Of Ours with the award-winning Cory Band and Only Men Aloud, the Easter themed Stabat Mater, Quirk, a collection of concertos which includes La Folia, commissioned by Dame Evelyn Glennie, the Christmas themed Stella Natalis, and The Peacemakers. Releases on Deutsche Grammophon include Adiemus Colores with a Latin American theme and guest artists including tenor Rolando Villazón and guitarist Milos Karadaglic, Motets featuring a collection of choral arrangements sung by Polyphony conducted by Stephen Layton and Cantata Memoria, a reflection on the tragic loss of children in the Aberfan disaster of 1966. His most recent recordings on Decca are Symphonic Adiemus, an SATB version with orchestra of the iconic work, which reached No1 in the Classical Artist Albums Chart, a Piano Album with the composer at the keyboard and Miserere featuring Iestyn Davies, Polyphony and Britten Sinfonia conducted by Stephen Layton. His latest recording, One World, performed by the World Choir for Peace and the World Orchestra for Peace, was released by Decca in July 2023
In 2004 Karl Jenkins entered Classic FM’s ‘Hall of Fame” at No8, the highest position for a living composer, as well as in 2006 ranking No4 amongst British composers. In 2015 he was confirmed as the most popular living composer in Classic FM’s 'Ultimate Hall of Fame'. In 2024 The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was placed fourth in the Hall of Fame and in a list of Great British Classics – in both cases the highest position of a living composer - and was selected to represent the decade 2000-2009 in BBC Radio 3’s Soundscape of a Century
As a conductor, Karl has appeared on the rostrum in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London, the Welsh Millennium Centre and St David’s Hall in Cardiff, and Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, as well as conducting performances of his music as far afield as Johannesburg, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Beijing (The Forbidden City Concert Hall) and Tokyo. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, highlights from Karl's The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace and Adiemus were performed and recorded by over 6000 members of the Stay at Home Choir from 72 countries
Karl holds a D.Mus [Doctor of Music] degree from the University of Wales, has been made both a Fellow and an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, where a room has been named in his honour, and has fellowships at Cardiff University, Swansea University, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Trinity College Carmarthen, Swansea Metropolitan University and was also presented by Classic FM with the ‘Red f' award for ‘outstanding service to classical music’. Further awards include an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Leicester, the Chancellors Medal from the University of Glamorgan and two Honorary visiting Professorships, one at Thames Valley University/London College of Music and the other at the ATriUM, Cardiff
In November 2009 he was given the Cymru For The World Award and in March 2010 was honoured with the Hopkins Medal given by the St David’s Society for the State of New York. He has been personally decorated by the Presidents of Hungary and Kosovo. He has been the subject of the ITV South Bank Show by Lord [Melvyn] Bragg as well as being a ‘castaway’ on ‘Desert Island Discs’. Karl is a Freeman of the City of London and of Swansea
Karl Jenkins was awarded a Knighthood in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours for "services to composing and crossing musical genres". His autobiography Still with the Music was published by Elliott & Thompson in September 2015. Tros y Garreg from the harp concerto Over the Stone was included in music for the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in May 2023. His music is published exclusively by Boosey & Hawkes and he records for Decca
“As a composer he recognises no boundaries – musical, commercial, geographical, or cultural. His is a way of thinking and composing that is perfectly in tune with the spirit of the times” – citation on receiving CFM’s ‘Red f’ award for ‘outstanding service to classical music’.
Reprinted by kind permission of Boosey & Hawkes
Karl's Palladio will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace alone has been performed close to 3000 times in 50 different countries since the recording was released and in 2023 gained the unique status of having achieved ‘1000 Weeks’ in the UK Classical chart, while his recorded output has resulted in 17 gold and platinum disc awards
He was born in Wales and educated at Gowerton Grammar School before reading music at the University of Wales, Cardiff. He then commenced postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London
It was in jazz that he initially made his mark. In those days of ‘Jazz Polls’ he was a prolific poll winner, playing at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s club before co-forming Nucleus, which won first prize at the Montreux jazz festival and appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island
This was followed by a period with Soft Machine, one of the seminal bands of the '70s. Through many incarnations, ‘Softs’ defied categorization playing venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the classical ‘Proms’ at the Royal Albert Hall, and the Reading ‘Rock’ Festival
In the field of advertising music he has won the prestigious D&AD award for best music [twice], the ‘Creative Circle Gold’ and several ‘Clios’ [New York] and ‘Golden Lions’ [Cannes]. Credits include Levi’s, British Airways, Renault, Volvos, C&G, Tag Heuer, Pepsi as well as US/global campaigns for De Beers and Delta Airlines and Bafta ‘gongs’ for his scores for the documentaries The Celts and Testament
After this period as a media composer, his return to the music mainstream was initially marked by the success of the Adiemus project. Adiemus, combining the ‘classical’ with global vocal sounds and percussion with an invented language, topped classical and ‘pop’ charts around the world
His output includes the harp concerto Over The Stone commissioned by King Charles III (when Prince of Wales) for the Royal Harpist, Catrin Finch, Euphonium Concerto for David Childs, the concertante Quirk commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Sir Colin Davis, Tlep written for virtuoso violinist Marat Bisengaliev and based on Kazakh themes and In These Stones Horizons Sing, featuring Sir Bryn Terfel and Catrin Finch with the WNO Orchestra & Chorus, which was premiered at the Royal Gala opening of the Welsh Millennium Centre in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. Most recently his new saxophone concerto Stravaganza was premiered by Jess Gillam and the Deutschen Symphonie-Orchester at the Berlin Philharmonie in June 2023
In the summer of 2005 he scored the feature film, River Queen starring Kiefer Sutherland and Samantha Morton, the soundtrack of which won the Golden Goblet award for best score at the Shanghai Film Festival
Recording releases include Requiem, “Kiri Sings Karl” with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, This Land Of Ours with the award-winning Cory Band and Only Men Aloud, the Easter themed Stabat Mater, Quirk, a collection of concertos which includes La Folia, commissioned by Dame Evelyn Glennie, the Christmas themed Stella Natalis, and The Peacemakers. Releases on Deutsche Grammophon include Adiemus Colores with a Latin American theme and guest artists including tenor Rolando Villazón and guitarist Milos Karadaglic, Motets featuring a collection of choral arrangements sung by Polyphony conducted by Stephen Layton and Cantata Memoria, a reflection on the tragic loss of children in the Aberfan disaster of 1966. His most recent recordings on Decca are Symphonic Adiemus, an SATB version with orchestra of the iconic work, which reached No1 in the Classical Artist Albums Chart, a Piano Album with the composer at the keyboard and Miserere featuring Iestyn Davies, Polyphony and Britten Sinfonia conducted by Stephen Layton. His latest recording, One World, performed by the World Choir for Peace and the World Orchestra for Peace, was released by Decca in July 2023
In 2004 Karl Jenkins entered Classic FM’s ‘Hall of Fame” at No8, the highest position for a living composer, as well as in 2006 ranking No4 amongst British composers. In 2015 he was confirmed as the most popular living composer in Classic FM’s 'Ultimate Hall of Fame'. In 2024 The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was placed fourth in the Hall of Fame and in a list of Great British Classics – in both cases the highest position of a living composer - and was selected to represent the decade 2000-2009 in BBC Radio 3’s Soundscape of a Century
As a conductor, Karl has appeared on the rostrum in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London, the Welsh Millennium Centre and St David’s Hall in Cardiff, and Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, as well as conducting performances of his music as far afield as Johannesburg, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Beijing (The Forbidden City Concert Hall) and Tokyo. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, highlights from Karl's The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace and Adiemus were performed and recorded by over 6000 members of the Stay at Home Choir from 72 countries
Karl holds a D.Mus [Doctor of Music] degree from the University of Wales, has been made both a Fellow and an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, where a room has been named in his honour, and has fellowships at Cardiff University, Swansea University, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Trinity College Carmarthen, Swansea Metropolitan University and was also presented by Classic FM with the ‘Red f' award for ‘outstanding service to classical music’. Further awards include an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Leicester, the Chancellors Medal from the University of Glamorgan and two Honorary visiting Professorships, one at Thames Valley University/London College of Music and the other at the ATriUM, Cardiff
In November 2009 he was given the Cymru For The World Award and in March 2010 was honoured with the Hopkins Medal given by the St David’s Society for the State of New York. He has been personally decorated by the Presidents of Hungary and Kosovo. He has been the subject of the ITV South Bank Show by Lord [Melvyn] Bragg as well as being a ‘castaway’ on ‘Desert Island Discs’. Karl is a Freeman of the City of London and of Swansea
Karl Jenkins was awarded a Knighthood in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours for "services to composing and crossing musical genres". His autobiography Still with the Music was published by Elliott & Thompson in September 2015. Tros y Garreg from the harp concerto Over the Stone was included in music for the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in May 2023. His music is published exclusively by Boosey & Hawkes and he records for Decca
“As a composer he recognises no boundaries – musical, commercial, geographical, or cultural. His is a way of thinking and composing that is perfectly in tune with the spirit of the times” – citation on receiving CFM’s ‘Red f’ award for ‘outstanding service to classical music’.
Reprinted by kind permission of Boosey & Hawkes
Karl's Palladio will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones is one of the most important Welsh, or indeed British, post-war composers. He left a large body of works in virtually all spheres of creative activity – thirteen symphonies; eight string quartets; a large body of chamber music; incidental music; opera (The Knife and Orestes); several cantatas; and concertos, the three most notable of these being for Cello, Oboe, and Violin.
Born in Swansea, he was at first encouraged to study English literature in Swansea University where he graduated with first class honours, later taking his MA for the study of Elizabethan Lyric. His boyhood friend, Dylan Thomas, became the internationally known poet and their relationship is colourfully captured in Jones’s memoir My Friend Dylan Thomas (1977). Jones composed the award-winning music for Under Milk Wood and would later edit Thomas’s poems including several examples of the poet’s early work. Their word games as boyhood friends no doubt inspired both their work
Following on from his studies in Swansea, Jones studied conducting in the Royal Academy of Music – these were the first years of professional performances of his early chamber music in particular. During the war, Jones famously worked in Bletchley Park as a Captain in the Russian-Japanese section (he was a gifted multi linguist). This interest in complexity stemmed from childhood and resulted in his formulating a concept of what he called’ complex metres’. After the war, he eventually returned to Swansea where the bulk of his mature work was composed
His First Symphony was a watershed in Welsh music when it was performed at the Swansea Festival. There followed another twelve symphonies, together with eight String Quartets, which are surely one of the most distinguished series in post-war British music (think of the series by Elizabeth Machonchy for example). His output is of the British symphonic sonata-allegro principle, coupled with rhythmic ingenuity and experimentation, and a harmonic language based on rather than in tonality
Daniel's "Dance Fantasy" will be performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra to close the 2024 Evening Gala Concert
Born in Swansea, he was at first encouraged to study English literature in Swansea University where he graduated with first class honours, later taking his MA for the study of Elizabethan Lyric. His boyhood friend, Dylan Thomas, became the internationally known poet and their relationship is colourfully captured in Jones’s memoir My Friend Dylan Thomas (1977). Jones composed the award-winning music for Under Milk Wood and would later edit Thomas’s poems including several examples of the poet’s early work. Their word games as boyhood friends no doubt inspired both their work
Following on from his studies in Swansea, Jones studied conducting in the Royal Academy of Music – these were the first years of professional performances of his early chamber music in particular. During the war, Jones famously worked in Bletchley Park as a Captain in the Russian-Japanese section (he was a gifted multi linguist). This interest in complexity stemmed from childhood and resulted in his formulating a concept of what he called’ complex metres’. After the war, he eventually returned to Swansea where the bulk of his mature work was composed
His First Symphony was a watershed in Welsh music when it was performed at the Swansea Festival. There followed another twelve symphonies, together with eight String Quartets, which are surely one of the most distinguished series in post-war British music (think of the series by Elizabeth Machonchy for example). His output is of the British symphonic sonata-allegro principle, coupled with rhythmic ingenuity and experimentation, and a harmonic language based on rather than in tonality
Daniel's "Dance Fantasy" will be performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra to close the 2024 Evening Gala Concert
Lowri Mair Jones
Lowri Mair Jones had her first instrumental lessons when she was at Pont Siôn Norton Primary School, learning the piano, violin and harp. It was while she was at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen that she started composing for the first time, and found her passion for classical music in the Four Counties Orchestra, and later, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales
She went to the University of Manchester to study a degree in music, and stayed there to do a Masters course in composition. After graduating, she worked as a professional harpist in the Manchester area, and played with a number of orchestras and professional groups, as well as weddings and events. She moved back to Wales to work at the Wales Millennium Centre, before working at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
In 2008 she moved to work in the television industry, and after some time working for an independent television company, she started a job at the BBC in 2011. Lowri co-ordinated the prestigious national ‘BBC Young Musician’ and ‘BBC Young Jazz Musician’, as well as the ‘BBC Young Dancer’. She has worked on various other productions for the BBC, such as Singer of the World, Proms in the Park, the National Eisteddfod, Glastonbury and many more, and at the moment, she is a Production Manager in the Education Department of BBC Wales
She is a member of Godre’r Garth Choir, enjoys singing and, occasionally, plays the violin. She enjoys going to gigs, and listening to all kinds of music. She has turned back to composing very recently, and is looking forward to creating more music in the future
She went to the University of Manchester to study a degree in music, and stayed there to do a Masters course in composition. After graduating, she worked as a professional harpist in the Manchester area, and played with a number of orchestras and professional groups, as well as weddings and events. She moved back to Wales to work at the Wales Millennium Centre, before working at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
In 2008 she moved to work in the television industry, and after some time working for an independent television company, she started a job at the BBC in 2011. Lowri co-ordinated the prestigious national ‘BBC Young Musician’ and ‘BBC Young Jazz Musician’, as well as the ‘BBC Young Dancer’. She has worked on various other productions for the BBC, such as Singer of the World, Proms in the Park, the National Eisteddfod, Glastonbury and many more, and at the moment, she is a Production Manager in the Education Department of BBC Wales
She is a member of Godre’r Garth Choir, enjoys singing and, occasionally, plays the violin. She enjoys going to gigs, and listening to all kinds of music. She has turned back to composing very recently, and is looking forward to creating more music in the future
Chris Marshall
Chris Marshall, who goes by the professional name ‘Marshall’, balances his performance schedule with his flourishing career as a composer and arranger. Many of Marshall’s works have been performed by some of the World’s leading orchestras such as Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera and the Ulster Orchestra
In 2018 , to mark the 100 year anniversary of the End of WW1, The Welsh Proms commissioned Marshall to write a brand new work called ‘’Homecoming’’ which was premiered on the last night by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
His growing portfolio of compositions, includes the music for Heartstrings (no 1 download on iTunes) which was recorded for Classic FM/Decca in 2012 and was featured on Claire Jones’ album - Girl With The Golden Harp. Marshall has composed Bluestone and arranged many tracks on Claire’s chart topping album Journey. In addition, Marshall has composed music for TV adverts including a track for Clogau, shown internationally, and for ‘Fishermans Friends’ shown in the USA. In 2017 he was commissioned to arrange and conduct a new album with the Portuguese singing sensation, Yolanda Soares, with whom he has performed at the Tivoli Theatre Lisbon and Colisseum in Porto
His career highlights as a percussionist include appearing with the BBC symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet, London Mozart Players, The Royal Shakespeare Company and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
Chris has also worked on many productions in London's Westend and international touring shows in the UK, Europe and China, these include; We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz, Zorro, Carousel, West Side Story, Evita, Love Beyond, Big, Bat Out of Hell and Elf the Musical
Chris has a passion for playing instruments from all around the world, and it has resulted in seeing him perform on numerous recording sessions for TV and film. He also performs as part of Deuos with his wife the world-renowned Claire Jones, former Official Harpist to HRH Prince Charles. This unique duo has toured extensively throughout the UK and in the USA. In April 2019, the group performed the premier of Chris’ double concerto for harp and percussion in Richmond, Virginia
Chris has recently written a number of works for brass band and wind orchestra, including Fulling Mill Lea for Lewis Merthyr Band, which received its world premiere performance by the band at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands in 2022, and UK premiere at the 2023 Oriana Festival. His Türme der Freundschaft | Towers of Friendship for Wind Orchestra was written for the Stadorchester Ravensburg and premiered by them at the Ravensburg Konzerthaus in 2022 in celebration of the longstanding twinning between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Germany
Chris Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. The work will feature in the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra, former Royal Harpist to King Charles III, Claire Jones, with Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans
In 2018 , to mark the 100 year anniversary of the End of WW1, The Welsh Proms commissioned Marshall to write a brand new work called ‘’Homecoming’’ which was premiered on the last night by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
His growing portfolio of compositions, includes the music for Heartstrings (no 1 download on iTunes) which was recorded for Classic FM/Decca in 2012 and was featured on Claire Jones’ album - Girl With The Golden Harp. Marshall has composed Bluestone and arranged many tracks on Claire’s chart topping album Journey. In addition, Marshall has composed music for TV adverts including a track for Clogau, shown internationally, and for ‘Fishermans Friends’ shown in the USA. In 2017 he was commissioned to arrange and conduct a new album with the Portuguese singing sensation, Yolanda Soares, with whom he has performed at the Tivoli Theatre Lisbon and Colisseum in Porto
His career highlights as a percussionist include appearing with the BBC symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet, London Mozart Players, The Royal Shakespeare Company and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
Chris has also worked on many productions in London's Westend and international touring shows in the UK, Europe and China, these include; We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz, Zorro, Carousel, West Side Story, Evita, Love Beyond, Big, Bat Out of Hell and Elf the Musical
Chris has a passion for playing instruments from all around the world, and it has resulted in seeing him perform on numerous recording sessions for TV and film. He also performs as part of Deuos with his wife the world-renowned Claire Jones, former Official Harpist to HRH Prince Charles. This unique duo has toured extensively throughout the UK and in the USA. In April 2019, the group performed the premier of Chris’ double concerto for harp and percussion in Richmond, Virginia
Chris has recently written a number of works for brass band and wind orchestra, including Fulling Mill Lea for Lewis Merthyr Band, which received its world premiere performance by the band at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands in 2022, and UK premiere at the 2023 Oriana Festival. His Türme der Freundschaft | Towers of Friendship for Wind Orchestra was written for the Stadorchester Ravensburg and premiered by them at the Ravensburg Konzerthaus in 2022 in celebration of the longstanding twinning between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Germany
Chris Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. The work will feature in the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra, former Royal Harpist to King Charles III, Claire Jones, with Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans
William Mathias
William Mathias was born in Whitland, Dyfed in 1934 and died in 1992. He began to compose at an early age, studying first at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, taking his BMus with first-class honours, and subsequently on an Open Scholarship in composition at the Royal Academy of Music. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1965, and gained the DMus of the University of Wales in 1966. In 1968 he was awarded the Bax Society Prize under the Harriet Cohen International Music Awards, and in 1981 the John Edwards Memorial Award. From 1970-1988 he was Professor and Head of the Music Department at the University College of North Wales, Bangor. He was known as a conductor and pianist, and gave or directed many premières of his own works. In 1972 he founded the North Wales Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral and remained its artistic director until his death
A house composer with Oxford University Press since 1961, his compositions cover an extraordinarily wide range. Early success include the Clarinet Sonatina at the 1957 Cheltenham Festival (followed within a year by broadcasts in France and Poland), and the Divertimento for String Orchestra which, following its London première, was quickly taken up as far afield as Prague and California. He has made a highly significant contribution to twentieth-century organ music, and his church music and carols are still regularly performed worldwide. Works such as the Symphonies, Clarinet Concerto, Harp Concerto, Improvisations for Harp, Laudi, Piano Concerto No.3, Ave Rex, Riddles and This Worlde's Joie have entered the repertory; the Organ Concerto scored a great success in the 1984 BBC Proms, and Lux Aeterna has been hailed as one of the finest British choral/orchestral works this century
Mathias' full-scale opera The Servants (with a libretto by Iris Murdoch) was premièred by Welsh National Opera in 1980. Works composed to celebrate Royal occasions include the Investiture Anniversary Fanfare (for the tenth anniversary of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales), Vivat Regina and A Royal Garland (for the Queen's Silver Jubilee), Let all the World in every corner sing (for the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal School of Church Music), As truly as God is our Father (for the Friends of St Paul's Cathedral and their Patron, The Queen Mother), and Let the people praise Thee, O God - the anthem especially composed for the wedding of The Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981. His last important compositions included Symphony No.3 (1991) and the Violin Concerto for Gyorgy Pauk (1992)
Mathias' musical language embraced both instrumental and vocal forms with equal success, and he addressed a large and varied audience both in Britain and abroad. He was awarded an Honorary DMus by Westminster Choir College, Princeton in 1987 and he was made CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours. In 1992, the year of his death, Nimbus Records embarked upon a series of recordings of his major works
Mathias' "Dance Overture" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
A house composer with Oxford University Press since 1961, his compositions cover an extraordinarily wide range. Early success include the Clarinet Sonatina at the 1957 Cheltenham Festival (followed within a year by broadcasts in France and Poland), and the Divertimento for String Orchestra which, following its London première, was quickly taken up as far afield as Prague and California. He has made a highly significant contribution to twentieth-century organ music, and his church music and carols are still regularly performed worldwide. Works such as the Symphonies, Clarinet Concerto, Harp Concerto, Improvisations for Harp, Laudi, Piano Concerto No.3, Ave Rex, Riddles and This Worlde's Joie have entered the repertory; the Organ Concerto scored a great success in the 1984 BBC Proms, and Lux Aeterna has been hailed as one of the finest British choral/orchestral works this century
Mathias' full-scale opera The Servants (with a libretto by Iris Murdoch) was premièred by Welsh National Opera in 1980. Works composed to celebrate Royal occasions include the Investiture Anniversary Fanfare (for the tenth anniversary of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales), Vivat Regina and A Royal Garland (for the Queen's Silver Jubilee), Let all the World in every corner sing (for the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal School of Church Music), As truly as God is our Father (for the Friends of St Paul's Cathedral and their Patron, The Queen Mother), and Let the people praise Thee, O God - the anthem especially composed for the wedding of The Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981. His last important compositions included Symphony No.3 (1991) and the Violin Concerto for Gyorgy Pauk (1992)
Mathias' musical language embraced both instrumental and vocal forms with equal success, and he addressed a large and varied audience both in Britain and abroad. He was awarded an Honorary DMus by Westminster Choir College, Princeton in 1987 and he was made CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours. In 1992, the year of his death, Nimbus Records embarked upon a series of recordings of his major works
Mathias' "Dance Overture" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
Stephen McNeff
Stephen McNeff was born in Ireland and grew up in South Wales, where his inspirational teacher awoke an interest in music. After studying composition at the Royal Academy of Music, his career started by working in theatres throughout Britain, followed by a period in Canada where his posts included composer-in-residence at the Banff Centre. Recognition came steadily; until the early 2000s McNeff’s name would be known mainly in theatre circles through his film noir operatic version of The Wasteland (1994), his many scores for the Unicorn Theatre (including a highly successful Beatrix Potter Suite in 2002), or among windband fraternities for Ghosts (2001). However, from the première of his opera for young people Clockwork in 2004, based on Philip Pullman’s book, at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, and his appointment the following year to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra as the first Royal Philharmonic Society/Performing Right Society Foundation Composer in the House, his reputation has gone from strength to strength
McNeff’s theatrical work continued to flourish with the operas Gentle Giant (2007), commissioned by the Royal Opera House, and Tarka (2005-6) which won a coveted British Composer Award for Best Stage Work in 2007. His new orchestration for smaller forces of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (2009) received plaudits galore (and an RPS nomination) and his opera-oratorio The Chalk Legend, composed for Kokoro, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music ensemble and community music forces to mark the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad in Dorset, was premiered in Portland, performed in London - and nominated for another British Composer Award
Also in 2012 his music-theatre work, The Secret Garden (1985, revised 2012) was revived in a critically praised new production in London by Trinity Laban and in Canada by the Banff Festival. Other works in this period included ConcertO Duo, premiered at the 80th birthday concert of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2010, and a work for dance, Seven for a Secret (based on the music of Ravel) was premiered by Rambert Dance in 2011 choreographed by Rambert’s Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin. 2014 saw concertos for flute and oboe (the latter as part of his residency at the Presteigne Festival) and a highly successful new version of Bizet’s Carmen for Mid Wales Opera
In 2016 A Half Darkness for Chamber Choir Ireland (on the Centenary of the Dublin Easter Rising) was premiered in Cork and Dublin, and Eden Rock - a BBC Radio 3 commission for tenor Mark Padmore and guitarist Morgan Szymanski – was first heard at the Wigmore Hall. His opera, Banished, was premiered in London in June 2016 to widespread acclaim and plans for future productions
In early 2017 he completed recording 2117/Hedd Wyn for Welsh National Opera in preparation for the filming of this opera especially commissioned by WNO and S4C the Welsh television channel. It will also be widely seen in cinemas in Wales and internationally on the Opera Platform. More recently The Burning Boy, a new opera for professionals and the community was commissioned by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It was premiered to acclaim (and a 4 star Times review) in Launceston, Cornwall (the home-town of its librettist, Charles Causley). Spring 2018 will see the new a new production of Gentle Giant at the Staasoper, Hannover, of Pelléas et Mélisande in the USA and the commercial release of two news CDs
McNeff, formally Associate Director and Composer in Residence at the Banff Centre in Canada, has given seminars, led courses and held residencies at many music colleges and conservatoires in the UK, Canada, the USA and Ireland. His Opera Composers Studio programme has been extremely successful at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music, the Academy of Music at the University of Slovenia in Ljubljana, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and, in 2014-16, as part of the summer opera programme in Fontainebleau, France given by Guildhall School of Music and Drama. McNeff is on the composition staff at Guildhall School of Music where he works with the MA composers on the Opera Makers Programme
McNeff’s theatrical work continued to flourish with the operas Gentle Giant (2007), commissioned by the Royal Opera House, and Tarka (2005-6) which won a coveted British Composer Award for Best Stage Work in 2007. His new orchestration for smaller forces of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (2009) received plaudits galore (and an RPS nomination) and his opera-oratorio The Chalk Legend, composed for Kokoro, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music ensemble and community music forces to mark the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad in Dorset, was premiered in Portland, performed in London - and nominated for another British Composer Award
Also in 2012 his music-theatre work, The Secret Garden (1985, revised 2012) was revived in a critically praised new production in London by Trinity Laban and in Canada by the Banff Festival. Other works in this period included ConcertO Duo, premiered at the 80th birthday concert of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2010, and a work for dance, Seven for a Secret (based on the music of Ravel) was premiered by Rambert Dance in 2011 choreographed by Rambert’s Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin. 2014 saw concertos for flute and oboe (the latter as part of his residency at the Presteigne Festival) and a highly successful new version of Bizet’s Carmen for Mid Wales Opera
In 2016 A Half Darkness for Chamber Choir Ireland (on the Centenary of the Dublin Easter Rising) was premiered in Cork and Dublin, and Eden Rock - a BBC Radio 3 commission for tenor Mark Padmore and guitarist Morgan Szymanski – was first heard at the Wigmore Hall. His opera, Banished, was premiered in London in June 2016 to widespread acclaim and plans for future productions
In early 2017 he completed recording 2117/Hedd Wyn for Welsh National Opera in preparation for the filming of this opera especially commissioned by WNO and S4C the Welsh television channel. It will also be widely seen in cinemas in Wales and internationally on the Opera Platform. More recently The Burning Boy, a new opera for professionals and the community was commissioned by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It was premiered to acclaim (and a 4 star Times review) in Launceston, Cornwall (the home-town of its librettist, Charles Causley). Spring 2018 will see the new a new production of Gentle Giant at the Staasoper, Hannover, of Pelléas et Mélisande in the USA and the commercial release of two news CDs
McNeff, formally Associate Director and Composer in Residence at the Banff Centre in Canada, has given seminars, led courses and held residencies at many music colleges and conservatoires in the UK, Canada, the USA and Ireland. His Opera Composers Studio programme has been extremely successful at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music, the Academy of Music at the University of Slovenia in Ljubljana, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and, in 2014-16, as part of the summer opera programme in Fontainebleau, France given by Guildhall School of Music and Drama. McNeff is on the composition staff at Guildhall School of Music where he works with the MA composers on the Opera Makers Programme
Morfydd Owen
Morfydd Owen was born at Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf in 1891. Both her father, an accountant, and her mother were accomplished amateur musicians, and Morfydd showed great musical talent at an early age. Whilst still in her teens she performed professionally as soloist in the Grieg Piano Concerto.
She studied composition privately with Dr David Evans for two years before winning a scholarship to Cardiff University and being admitted formally to his composition class. Her first published work appeared in 1909. Altogether, twenty of Morfydd's compositions were premièred at student recitals in Cardiff. Upon graduation, she proceeded to the Royal Academy in London where her impact was swift and impressive. Under the guidance of her professor, Frederick Corder, Morfydd generated a stream of new music which dominated showcase programmes for young composers and elicited unanimous praise from the review columns of London newspapers. Morfydd also accumulated a steady stream of scholarships and awards, including the blue-riband award - the Charles Lucas Silver Medal for composition, for her Nocturne in D flat for large orchestra, described at the time as the most original student work ever heard at that Institution. Her record of distinction at the Academy is as yet unequalled.
Morfydd was appointed to the teaching staff at the Academy, and began what promised to be a brilliant career as both singer and composer. Tragically, this promise was to be cut short by her death from appendicitis a month short of her 27th birthday in 1918. The previous year, she had married the famous psycho-analyst Dr Ernest Jones.
In just over 10 years, she produced some 180 compositions, instrumental, choral, and orchestral; and at the heart of her work, some one hundred songs. Surprisingly for a Welsh composer of that time, sacred music formed only a small part of her output - 22 hymn tunes and a few anthems. However, she remains best known in Wales for her stunning setting of the Welsh hymn 'Gweddi y Pechadur' (The Sinner's Prayer).
Morfydd Owen was a beautiful and romantic young woman, and her emotions are expressed freely in her music. Many of her works are advanced and innovative, and often astonishingly beautiful. As a singer herself, she composed with an especial understanding of the mezzo-soprano voice
Morfydd Owen's "Nocturne" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
She studied composition privately with Dr David Evans for two years before winning a scholarship to Cardiff University and being admitted formally to his composition class. Her first published work appeared in 1909. Altogether, twenty of Morfydd's compositions were premièred at student recitals in Cardiff. Upon graduation, she proceeded to the Royal Academy in London where her impact was swift and impressive. Under the guidance of her professor, Frederick Corder, Morfydd generated a stream of new music which dominated showcase programmes for young composers and elicited unanimous praise from the review columns of London newspapers. Morfydd also accumulated a steady stream of scholarships and awards, including the blue-riband award - the Charles Lucas Silver Medal for composition, for her Nocturne in D flat for large orchestra, described at the time as the most original student work ever heard at that Institution. Her record of distinction at the Academy is as yet unequalled.
Morfydd was appointed to the teaching staff at the Academy, and began what promised to be a brilliant career as both singer and composer. Tragically, this promise was to be cut short by her death from appendicitis a month short of her 27th birthday in 1918. The previous year, she had married the famous psycho-analyst Dr Ernest Jones.
In just over 10 years, she produced some 180 compositions, instrumental, choral, and orchestral; and at the heart of her work, some one hundred songs. Surprisingly for a Welsh composer of that time, sacred music formed only a small part of her output - 22 hymn tunes and a few anthems. However, she remains best known in Wales for her stunning setting of the Welsh hymn 'Gweddi y Pechadur' (The Sinner's Prayer).
Morfydd Owen was a beautiful and romantic young woman, and her emotions are expressed freely in her music. Many of her works are advanced and innovative, and often astonishingly beautiful. As a singer herself, she composed with an especial understanding of the mezzo-soprano voice
Morfydd Owen's "Nocturne" will feature in the 2024 Evening Gala Concert, performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra
Christopher Painter
"one of the real heavyweights on the Welsh music scene"
Christopher Painter was born at Port Talbot, South Wales in 1962 and studied music at University College, Cardiff. His composition studies were initially with Timothy Taylor and Richard Elfyn Jones and in 1984 he began to study with Alun Hoddinott
He studied full-time with Hoddinott until 1989 and complemented these studies with consultations and masterclasses with Samuel Adler (Eastman School of Music, New York); George Benjamin; John McCabe (London College of Music); Edward Gregson (Royal Northern College of Music); Robert Saxton (Worcester College, Oxford); Robert Simpson and Marek Stachowski (Warsaw University). In addition to his composition studies, Christopher also studied brass band conducting with Edward Gregson; choral conducting with Stanley Saunders (University of Guelph, Canada) and Rod Walker (University of Texas, USA) and latterly, orchestral conducting with Christopher Adey
Christopher Painter was the first recipient of the Afan Thomas Composer's Award and has also won the National Eisteddfod Composition Prize (Newport 1988) and was featured in the Welsh Arts Council's Young Welsh Composer Forum in 1987. In 1997, he was the first Welsh winner of the Gregynog Composer Award of Wales which was given for his Sonata for Harp which was premièred on June 28th at the 1997 Gregynog Festival
Appointed as Composer-in-Association with North Wales based Ensemble Cymru in October 1997, Christopher wrote a number of works for this ensemble, including the children's dance work,Yggdrasil, a Millennium Commission/Techniquest commission as part of the Sounds for Science education project
In 1999 Christopher Painter was Composer-in-Residence with both the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Wales. His work, Invisible Cities, for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, not only received performances around the UK but was also subsequently released on CD by the orchestra
The Royal Society of Arts awarded Christopher Painter a Fellowship in December 2003
In August 2005, Christopher won the prestigious Tlws y Cerddor (Musicians Medal) at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his chamber work, Yr Hanes Swynol (A History of Charms). He won the award for a second time in 2010 for Syniadau’r Serch (Thoughts on Love), a cycle of songs for baritone, violin and harp
Between Autumn 2005 and Spring 2006 Christopher was Composer-in-Residence with the Thueringen Philharmonie in Gotha, Germany. Here he worked closely with Welsh conductor Alun Francis, a long-time champion of his music, and his tenure ended with the première of a major work for the orchestra, Forest of Dreams, which received two performances and was broadcast on German television. The work subsequently received its UK première with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, under the direction of Jac van Steen, in April 2009
In 2010, the Lunar Saxophone Quartet premièred his Lunar Seas on their These Visions tour and the work was released on Signum Classics. This followed an earlier recording, also on Signum, of his Sonata for Alto Saxophone, commissioned by Welsh saxophonist, Lara James
In 2006, his Symphony No.3 - Fire in the Snow received its première in Mexico City where it was twice performed by the Orchesta Filharmonico de la UNAM under the direction of Alun Francis. The second performance was broadcast live on Mexican national television to an estimated audience in excess of one million people
In March 2011, Furnace of Colours was premièred by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and soprano Claire Booth, conducted by Jac van Steen, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3
His most recent works include Hanes Taliesin (Taliesin’s Tale) for solo clarinet and dancer; Images in the Mist for the Richards String Quartet and The Gregynog Suite for solo harp, commissioned by the Gregynog Festival and premièred by Catrin Finch.
Christopher Painter’s works are published by Arcomis Publishing; Maecenas Music; Oriana Publications and Vanderbeek & Imrie
Painter's "Mirkwood" will receive its premiere performance in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance by the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol
Christopher Painter was born at Port Talbot, South Wales in 1962 and studied music at University College, Cardiff. His composition studies were initially with Timothy Taylor and Richard Elfyn Jones and in 1984 he began to study with Alun Hoddinott
He studied full-time with Hoddinott until 1989 and complemented these studies with consultations and masterclasses with Samuel Adler (Eastman School of Music, New York); George Benjamin; John McCabe (London College of Music); Edward Gregson (Royal Northern College of Music); Robert Saxton (Worcester College, Oxford); Robert Simpson and Marek Stachowski (Warsaw University). In addition to his composition studies, Christopher also studied brass band conducting with Edward Gregson; choral conducting with Stanley Saunders (University of Guelph, Canada) and Rod Walker (University of Texas, USA) and latterly, orchestral conducting with Christopher Adey
Christopher Painter was the first recipient of the Afan Thomas Composer's Award and has also won the National Eisteddfod Composition Prize (Newport 1988) and was featured in the Welsh Arts Council's Young Welsh Composer Forum in 1987. In 1997, he was the first Welsh winner of the Gregynog Composer Award of Wales which was given for his Sonata for Harp which was premièred on June 28th at the 1997 Gregynog Festival
Appointed as Composer-in-Association with North Wales based Ensemble Cymru in October 1997, Christopher wrote a number of works for this ensemble, including the children's dance work,Yggdrasil, a Millennium Commission/Techniquest commission as part of the Sounds for Science education project
In 1999 Christopher Painter was Composer-in-Residence with both the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Wales. His work, Invisible Cities, for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, not only received performances around the UK but was also subsequently released on CD by the orchestra
The Royal Society of Arts awarded Christopher Painter a Fellowship in December 2003
In August 2005, Christopher won the prestigious Tlws y Cerddor (Musicians Medal) at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his chamber work, Yr Hanes Swynol (A History of Charms). He won the award for a second time in 2010 for Syniadau’r Serch (Thoughts on Love), a cycle of songs for baritone, violin and harp
Between Autumn 2005 and Spring 2006 Christopher was Composer-in-Residence with the Thueringen Philharmonie in Gotha, Germany. Here he worked closely with Welsh conductor Alun Francis, a long-time champion of his music, and his tenure ended with the première of a major work for the orchestra, Forest of Dreams, which received two performances and was broadcast on German television. The work subsequently received its UK première with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, under the direction of Jac van Steen, in April 2009
In 2010, the Lunar Saxophone Quartet premièred his Lunar Seas on their These Visions tour and the work was released on Signum Classics. This followed an earlier recording, also on Signum, of his Sonata for Alto Saxophone, commissioned by Welsh saxophonist, Lara James
In 2006, his Symphony No.3 - Fire in the Snow received its première in Mexico City where it was twice performed by the Orchesta Filharmonico de la UNAM under the direction of Alun Francis. The second performance was broadcast live on Mexican national television to an estimated audience in excess of one million people
In March 2011, Furnace of Colours was premièred by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and soprano Claire Booth, conducted by Jac van Steen, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3
His most recent works include Hanes Taliesin (Taliesin’s Tale) for solo clarinet and dancer; Images in the Mist for the Richards String Quartet and The Gregynog Suite for solo harp, commissioned by the Gregynog Festival and premièred by Catrin Finch.
Christopher Painter’s works are published by Arcomis Publishing; Maecenas Music; Oriana Publications and Vanderbeek & Imrie
Painter's "Mirkwood" will receive its premiere performance in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance by the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol
Howard Shore
Howard Shore is one of today’s premier composers whose music is performed in concert halls around the world by the most prestigious orchestras and is heard in cinemas across the globe
Shore’s musical interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative world of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, as portrayed in the films directed by Peter Jackson, have enthralled people of all generations for years. This work stands as his most acclaimed composition to date awarding him with three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes as well as numerous critic’s and festival awards
He is an Officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la France, the recipient of Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and is an officer of the Order of Canada. The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures honored Howard Shore with an award for Career Achievement for Music Composition, the City of Vienna bestowed him with the Max Steiner Award and in 2017 he received the Wojciech Kilar Award established by the mayors of Krakow and Katowice. Shore has received numerous other awards for his career achievements
Shore has been invited to speak at many prestigious institutions, including La Fémis in Paris with Michel Hazanavicius. Other notable talks have been at Oxford Union, Royal Conservatory, Yale, NYU, Julliard, UCLA, University of Toronto, Berklee School of Music, Berlinale, Cinémathèque in Paris, and at Trinity College Dublin where he received the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage.
Perhaps most notable from his early career, Shore was one of the original creators of Saturday Night Live and served as music director from 1975 – 1980. At the same time, he began collaborating with David Cronenberg and has since scored 15 of the director’s films, including The Fly, Crash, and Naked Lunch. He was awarded Canadian Screen Awards for Maps to the Stars for score and Cosmopolis for both score and song. His original scores to A Dangerous Method, Eastern Promises and Dead Ringers were each honoured with a Genie Award. Shore continues to distinguish himself with a wide range of projects, from Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, The Departed, The Aviator (for which he won his third Golden Globe Award) and Gangs of New York to Ed Wood, Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Mrs. Doubtfire and the score for Tom McCarthy’s Academy Award-winning film Spotlight. His score for François Girard’s film The Song of Namespremiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 and won the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Score and Song. In 2020, his scores for Michel Hazanavicius’ film Le Prince Oublié premiered in France in February and Kornél Mundruczó’s Pieces of a Woman premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September
In 2003, Shore conducted the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings Symphony in Wellington. Since then, the Symphony and The Lord of the Rings – Live to Projection concerts have had over 500 performances by the world’s most prestigious orchestras
His opera, The Fly (2008), premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and at Los Angeles Opera and completed a successful run in Germany at Theatre Trier. Other works include the piano concerto Ruin and Memory for Lang Lang (2010), the song cycle A Palace Upon the Ruins commissioned for mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano (2014), a cello concerto Mythic Gardens commissioned for Sophie Shao (2012), Fanfare for the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia (2008), Sea to Sea in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation (2017), and the song cycle L’Aubepremiered in October 2017 performed by Susan Platts and commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. 2018 saw the premiere performance of Shore’s Latin Mass for the Hof Church in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Forest, a guitar concerto composed for Miloš was commissioned and conducted by Alexander Shelley for The National Arts Centre Orchestra. The concerto premiered on May 1, 2019
Music from Howard's incredible scores for the Lord of the Rings movies will feature in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance by the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol
Shore’s musical interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative world of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, as portrayed in the films directed by Peter Jackson, have enthralled people of all generations for years. This work stands as his most acclaimed composition to date awarding him with three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes as well as numerous critic’s and festival awards
He is an Officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la France, the recipient of Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and is an officer of the Order of Canada. The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures honored Howard Shore with an award for Career Achievement for Music Composition, the City of Vienna bestowed him with the Max Steiner Award and in 2017 he received the Wojciech Kilar Award established by the mayors of Krakow and Katowice. Shore has received numerous other awards for his career achievements
Shore has been invited to speak at many prestigious institutions, including La Fémis in Paris with Michel Hazanavicius. Other notable talks have been at Oxford Union, Royal Conservatory, Yale, NYU, Julliard, UCLA, University of Toronto, Berklee School of Music, Berlinale, Cinémathèque in Paris, and at Trinity College Dublin where he received the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage.
Perhaps most notable from his early career, Shore was one of the original creators of Saturday Night Live and served as music director from 1975 – 1980. At the same time, he began collaborating with David Cronenberg and has since scored 15 of the director’s films, including The Fly, Crash, and Naked Lunch. He was awarded Canadian Screen Awards for Maps to the Stars for score and Cosmopolis for both score and song. His original scores to A Dangerous Method, Eastern Promises and Dead Ringers were each honoured with a Genie Award. Shore continues to distinguish himself with a wide range of projects, from Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, The Departed, The Aviator (for which he won his third Golden Globe Award) and Gangs of New York to Ed Wood, Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Mrs. Doubtfire and the score for Tom McCarthy’s Academy Award-winning film Spotlight. His score for François Girard’s film The Song of Namespremiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 and won the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Score and Song. In 2020, his scores for Michel Hazanavicius’ film Le Prince Oublié premiered in France in February and Kornél Mundruczó’s Pieces of a Woman premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September
In 2003, Shore conducted the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings Symphony in Wellington. Since then, the Symphony and The Lord of the Rings – Live to Projection concerts have had over 500 performances by the world’s most prestigious orchestras
His opera, The Fly (2008), premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and at Los Angeles Opera and completed a successful run in Germany at Theatre Trier. Other works include the piano concerto Ruin and Memory for Lang Lang (2010), the song cycle A Palace Upon the Ruins commissioned for mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano (2014), a cello concerto Mythic Gardens commissioned for Sophie Shao (2012), Fanfare for the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia (2008), Sea to Sea in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation (2017), and the song cycle L’Aubepremiered in October 2017 performed by Susan Platts and commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. 2018 saw the premiere performance of Shore’s Latin Mass for the Hof Church in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Forest, a guitar concerto composed for Miloš was commissioned and conducted by Alexander Shelley for The National Arts Centre Orchestra. The concerto premiered on May 1, 2019
Music from Howard's incredible scores for the Lord of the Rings movies will feature in the afternoon Lord of the Rings performance by the Massed Bands of Lewis Merthyr and City of Bristol
Gareth Wood
Born in Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, Gareth studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London and joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as a double bass player in 1972. He later became the RPO's Chair. Gareth has written extensively for brass bands, wind bands and orchestras
His noted brass band works include "Salome", "Brass Triumphant" and more, while his fanfares include those written for HM The Queen, the opening of both the Senedd, Cardiff Bay and the Kravis Centre in West Palm Beach, Florida
Gareth's youth projects are numerous and include the narration piece "Sea Dogs". Originally scored for symphonic brass, the work was transcribed for brass band instrumentation in 2012, and premiered by an ensemble from the Cory Band at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff. Gareth has also written many pieces for multiple harps, multiple double basses, as well as three concertos and three sonatas for double bass. His "Songs of Wales" have been performed at the Last Night of the Welsh Proms very year for more than 25 years
Gareth's music will feature in an hour long performance by Lewis Merthyr, to include the world premiere of his Under Milk Wood Suite Rum & Laverbread
His noted brass band works include "Salome", "Brass Triumphant" and more, while his fanfares include those written for HM The Queen, the opening of both the Senedd, Cardiff Bay and the Kravis Centre in West Palm Beach, Florida
Gareth's youth projects are numerous and include the narration piece "Sea Dogs". Originally scored for symphonic brass, the work was transcribed for brass band instrumentation in 2012, and premiered by an ensemble from the Cory Band at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff. Gareth has also written many pieces for multiple harps, multiple double basses, as well as three concertos and three sonatas for double bass. His "Songs of Wales" have been performed at the Last Night of the Welsh Proms very year for more than 25 years
Gareth's music will feature in an hour long performance by Lewis Merthyr, to include the world premiere of his Under Milk Wood Suite Rum & Laverbread
