Oriana Festival
cerddoriaeth glasurol gymraeg gyfoes | contemporary welsh classical music
The Oriana Festival is our annual festival of contemporary Welsh classical music. Held here at St Elvan's each summer since 2023, the festival has featured the former Royal harpist Claire Jones; National Eisteddfod of Wales Champions Lewis Merthyr Band; operatic baritone Mark Llewellyn Evans; Rhondda Symphony Orchestra - and more! The festival annually features the premiere performances of new Welsh music and has featured repertoire by Mervyn Burtch, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter, Gareth Trott, Gareth Wood and Grace Williams
2027 Festival
Saturday June 26th
"Time"
The Oriana Festival returns to St Elvan's on Saturday June 26th 2027 with a further incredible day long festival of the finest in contemporary Welsh classical music, which this year is themed around a journey through time in music
Additional information on this year's festival is available below
Tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
Information on previous year's festivals are available as follows:
Oriana Festival 2025
Oriana Festival 2024
Oriana Festival 2023
Oriana Festival 2027
2027 Gala Concert - "Time"
A journey through time and Wales, in music
Saturday June 26th
19:00 to 21:00
www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
2027 Gala Concert - "Time"
A journey through time and Wales, in music
Saturday June 26th
19:00 to 21:00
www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
Saturday June 26th
From 10:00
Doors Open
Refreshments available from Spires Coffee Shop
FREE tea & coffee, supported by Donna Ockenden and Oriana Publications
10:30
Festival Welcome & Introduction
Festival Director: Christopher Painter
Opening Session - "Oriana 2027 - Time"
An exploration of the development of music and musical instruments through time
Mark Brake | Christopher Painter | Craig Roberts
FREE!
From 10:00
Doors Open
Refreshments available from Spires Coffee Shop
FREE tea & coffee, supported by Donna Ockenden and Oriana Publications
10:30
Festival Welcome & Introduction
Festival Director: Christopher Painter
Opening Session - "Oriana 2027 - Time"
An exploration of the development of music and musical instruments through time
Mark Brake | Christopher Painter | Craig Roberts
FREE!
11:00
"Exploring Early Instruments"
A demonstration of early musical instruments of Wales and wider
to include Carnyx, Crwth, Hurdy Gurdy
FREE!
11:30
"The Mediaeval Sound"
David Munrow
12:00
Lunch
Spires Coffee Shop
13:00
Afternoon Harpsichord Recital
Andrew Chinnock
14:00
Coffee Break
14:30
"From Swamps To Turbines"
*premiere*
Jonathan & Sylvia Gregory
Sion Tomos Owen and Elijah Thomas
15:30
Daytime Close & Meal Break
18:00
Doors Open
19:00
Evening Gala Concert
"Time"
Lewis Merthyr Band
Programme
Fanfare: Dolbadarn (Glyn)
Doctor Who (Grainger | Harper)
Neanderthal (Thorne)
With His First Breath (Lovatt-Cooper)
Men of Stone (Pickard)
Sosban Fach (Wood)
The Pines of the Appian Way (Respighi / Snell)
How To Train Your Dragon (Powell)
Canterbury Chorale (Van Der Roost)
Penrhys Fanfare (Tann)
Pastime With Good Company (Henry VIII | Roberts)
Toccata In D Minor (Bach | Farr)
Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart / Harries)
Paganini Variations [Excerpt] (Wilby)
Legends of Cyfartha (Hall)
Metropulence (Jones | Marshall) *premiere performance*
Doctor Who | Exterminate
Fanfare: Dolbadarn (Glyn)
Doctor Who (Grainger | Harper)
Neanderthal (Thorne)
With His First Breath (Lovatt-Cooper)
Men of Stone (Pickard)
Sosban Fach (Wood)
The Pines of the Appian Way (Respighi / Snell)
How To Train Your Dragon (Powell)
Canterbury Chorale (Van Der Roost)
Penrhys Fanfare (Tann)
Pastime With Good Company (Henry VIII | Roberts)
Toccata In D Minor (Bach | Farr)
Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart / Harries)
Paganini Variations [Excerpt] (Wilby)
Legends of Cyfartha (Hall)
Metropulence (Jones | Marshall) *premiere performance*
Doctor Who | Exterminate
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2027 Featured Performers
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
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
2027 Featured Welsh Composers
Christopher Painter
Festival Director
"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
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
Chris Marshall | Gwyncy Jones
"Metropulence"
Welsh composer Chris Marshall balances his growing career as a composer and arranger with a busy performance schedule as a professional percussionist. Marshall’s compositions have been performed by some of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera and the Ulster Orchestra
His growing portfolio of compositions, began with the music for “Heartstrings” (no 1 download on iTunes) which was recorded for Classic FM/Decca in 2012, and was featured on Claire Jones’ bestselling album – “The Girl With The Golden Harp”. Marshall also went on to compose “Bluestone” and arranged many tracks on Claire’s subsequent chart topping album “Journey”
Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. The work was again featured in the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra and Claire Jones, with Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans. In April 2019, Jones & Marshall also performed the premiere of Chris’ Double Concerto for Harp & Percussion in Richmond, Virginia
Marshall has also composed music for television advertisements for Clogau (screened internationally), and for Fishermans Friends (USA). In 2017, Chris was also 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. In 2018, to mark the 100 year anniversary of the end of the First World War, Owain Arwel Hughes and the Welsh Proms commissioned Marshall to write a brand new work called ‘’Homecoming’’ which was premiered on the Last Night by the RPO
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 then commissioned for the Stadorchester Ravensburg with the support of Wales Arts International and premiered by them at the Ravensburg Konzerthaus in 2022 in celebration of the longstanding twinning between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Germany
Chris’s career highlights as a percussionist include appearing with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet, London Mozart Players, The Royal Shakespeare Company and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also worked on many productions in London's West End and international touring shows in the UK, Europe and China, including We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz, Zorro, Carousel, West Side Story, Evita, Love Beyond, Big, Bat Out of Hell and Elf the Musical. He also has a passion for playing instruments from all around the world
For the 2026 Oriana Festival, Chris will present a new work for brass - "Metropulence" by Gwyncy Jones. We look forward to the premiere performance of this exciting new work on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and full details of the performance - and day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
His growing portfolio of compositions, began with the music for “Heartstrings” (no 1 download on iTunes) which was recorded for Classic FM/Decca in 2012, and was featured on Claire Jones’ bestselling album – “The Girl With The Golden Harp”. Marshall also went on to compose “Bluestone” and arranged many tracks on Claire’s subsequent chart topping album “Journey”
Marshall's "Dylan" was premiered in New York on St David's Day 2014 for the Dylan Thomas centenary. The work was again featured in the 2024 Oriana Festival Evening Gala Concert performed by Rhondda Symphony Orchestra and Claire Jones, with Narration by Mark Llewellyn Evans. In April 2019, Jones & Marshall also performed the premiere of Chris’ Double Concerto for Harp & Percussion in Richmond, Virginia
Marshall has also composed music for television advertisements for Clogau (screened internationally), and for Fishermans Friends (USA). In 2017, Chris was also 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. In 2018, to mark the 100 year anniversary of the end of the First World War, Owain Arwel Hughes and the Welsh Proms commissioned Marshall to write a brand new work called ‘’Homecoming’’ which was premiered on the Last Night by the RPO
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 then commissioned for the Stadorchester Ravensburg with the support of Wales Arts International and premiered by them at the Ravensburg Konzerthaus in 2022 in celebration of the longstanding twinning between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Germany
Chris’s career highlights as a percussionist include appearing with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet, London Mozart Players, The Royal Shakespeare Company and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also worked on many productions in London's West End and international touring shows in the UK, Europe and China, including We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz, Zorro, Carousel, West Side Story, Evita, Love Beyond, Big, Bat Out of Hell and Elf the Musical. He also has a passion for playing instruments from all around the world
For the 2026 Oriana Festival, Chris will present a new work for brass - "Metropulence" by Gwyncy Jones. We look forward to the premiere performance of this exciting new work on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and full details of the performance - and day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
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Gareth Glyn
"Dolbadarn"
Gareth Glyn was born in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, in 1951, but has lived since 1978 on Anglesey, an island whose history, mythology and landscape have been important influences on his work as a composer, as has his Welsh identity
His works were first broadcast by the BBC while he was studying music at Merton College, Oxford
His compositions have been commissioned and played by eminent orchestras, ensembles and bands, and include orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental and vocal works, musicals, songs and song-cycles for professionals, amateurs and children, music for brass band, and large-scale works for orchestra, narrators, actors and audience-participation. Compositions like EGAD! and Strings on the Wing - and arrangements of classical works - which can be performed by players of many different abilities simultaneously, are now used by orchestras worldwide, including the LSO, the Berlin Philharmonic, L’Orchestre de Paris, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony, L’Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Australian World Orchestra and San Diego Symphony. His multi-ability arrangement of Elgar’s Nimrod opened the 2012 London Olympic Games
2017 saw the première and tour of his Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd (A Week in a Future Wales), a commissioned full-length opera in the Welsh language – the first of its kind to be composed for over a century; it was judged Best Production in the Welsh Language in the Wales Theatre Awards 2018
His music has been broadcast on the BBC (Radios 2, 3 and 4) and Classic FM, and on radio stations in various countries including North America, Canada, Holland, New Zealand and Australia
Gareth Glyn received an Honorary Fellowship from Bangor University, and the rank of Honorary Druid in the National Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd of Bards, for his services to music in Wales.
His works were first broadcast by the BBC while he was studying music at Merton College, Oxford
His compositions have been commissioned and played by eminent orchestras, ensembles and bands, and include orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental and vocal works, musicals, songs and song-cycles for professionals, amateurs and children, music for brass band, and large-scale works for orchestra, narrators, actors and audience-participation. Compositions like EGAD! and Strings on the Wing - and arrangements of classical works - which can be performed by players of many different abilities simultaneously, are now used by orchestras worldwide, including the LSO, the Berlin Philharmonic, L’Orchestre de Paris, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony, L’Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Australian World Orchestra and San Diego Symphony. His multi-ability arrangement of Elgar’s Nimrod opened the 2012 London Olympic Games
2017 saw the première and tour of his Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd (A Week in a Future Wales), a commissioned full-length opera in the Welsh language – the first of its kind to be composed for over a century; it was judged Best Production in the Welsh Language in the Wales Theatre Awards 2018
His music has been broadcast on the BBC (Radios 2, 3 and 4) and Classic FM, and on radio stations in various countries including North America, Canada, Holland, New Zealand and Australia
Gareth Glyn received an Honorary Fellowship from Bangor University, and the rank of Honorary Druid in the National Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd of Bards, for his services to music in Wales.
Hilary Tann
"Penrhys Fanfare"
“beautiful, lyrical work” – Classical Music Web
From her childhood in the coal-mining valleys of South Wales, Hilary Tann developed the love of nature which has inspired all her music, whether written for performance in the United States (Adirondack Light for narrator and orchestra, for the Centennial of Adirondack State Park, 1992) or for her first home in Wales (the celebratory overture, With the heather and small birds, commissioned by the 1994 Cardiff Festival)
A deep interest in the traditional music of Japan led to study of the ancient Japanese vertical bamboo flute (the shakuhachi) from 1985 to 1991. Among many works reflecting this special interest is the large orchestral work, From afar, premiered in 1996 by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kirk Trevor. From afar received its European premiere in 2000 by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and was selected for the opening concert of The International Festival of Women in Music Today at the Seoul Arts Center in Korea (KBS Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Apo Hsu, 2003). Hilary Tann (hilarytann.com ) lives south of the Adirondacks in upstate New York where she is the John Howard Payne Professor of Music at Union College in Schenectady. She holds degrees in composition from the University of Wales at Cardiff and from Princeton University. From 1982 to 1995, she was active in the International League of Women Composers and served in a number of Executive Committee positions
Numerous organizations have supported her work, including the Welsh Arts Council, New York State Council on the Arts, Hanson Institute for American Music, Vaughan Williams Trust, Holst Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer/Arts Endowment Commissioning Music USA. Her connection with Wales continues in various choral commissions, including Psalm 104 (Praise, my soul) for the North American Welsh Choir (1998) and Paradise for Tenebrae (Gregynog Festival, 2008). The influence of the Welsh landscape is also evident in many chamber works and in text selections from Welsh poets George Herbert (Exultet Terra for double choir and double reed quintet), R. S. Thomas (Seven Poems of Stillness for cello and narrator) and Menna Elfyn (Songs of the Cotton Grass for soprano and oboe). In July 2001, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes premiered The Grey Tide and the Green, commissioned for the Last Night of the Welsh Proms
A series of concerto commissions threads though her orchestral work – for violin (Here, the Cliffs premiered by the North Carolina Symphony with Corine Brouwer Cook, 1997), alto saxophone (In the First, Spinning Place premiered by the University of Arizona Symphony with Debra Richtmeyer, March 2000), and cello (Anecdote, premiered by the Newark (DE) Symphony with Romanian cellist Ovidiu Marinescu, December 2000). Shakkei, a diptych for oboe and small orchestra, premiered by Virginia Shaw in the Presteigne Festival, August 2007, has since been performed multiple times, including in Dublin Ireland, at the 2008 IAWM Congress in Beijing, in New York City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, and at the 15th World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok (2009), with Susan Fancher (solo soprano saxophone) and the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Recent composer-residencies include the 2011 Eastman Women in Music Festival, 2013 Women Composers Festival of Hartford, and 2015 Ty Cerdd, Music Center Wales. Over sixty works are available on CD including three solo discs of vocal, chamber and orchestral music
A Musical Opinion Quarterly (Oct. 2014) review of the 2014 Presteigne Festival string quartet commission, And the Snow Did Lie, concludes: “… its lyrical melodies, delicate textures and subtly variegated hues made an exquisite and lasting impression.” “music of great integrity, impeccable craft, and genuine expressive ambition” – Robert Carl, Fanfare 36:I
Hilary Tann's "Penrhys Fanfare" will be performed at the 2026 Oriana Festival in the "Time" concert on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and further details of the performance - and full day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
From her childhood in the coal-mining valleys of South Wales, Hilary Tann developed the love of nature which has inspired all her music, whether written for performance in the United States (Adirondack Light for narrator and orchestra, for the Centennial of Adirondack State Park, 1992) or for her first home in Wales (the celebratory overture, With the heather and small birds, commissioned by the 1994 Cardiff Festival)
A deep interest in the traditional music of Japan led to study of the ancient Japanese vertical bamboo flute (the shakuhachi) from 1985 to 1991. Among many works reflecting this special interest is the large orchestral work, From afar, premiered in 1996 by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kirk Trevor. From afar received its European premiere in 2000 by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and was selected for the opening concert of The International Festival of Women in Music Today at the Seoul Arts Center in Korea (KBS Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Apo Hsu, 2003). Hilary Tann (hilarytann.com ) lives south of the Adirondacks in upstate New York where she is the John Howard Payne Professor of Music at Union College in Schenectady. She holds degrees in composition from the University of Wales at Cardiff and from Princeton University. From 1982 to 1995, she was active in the International League of Women Composers and served in a number of Executive Committee positions
Numerous organizations have supported her work, including the Welsh Arts Council, New York State Council on the Arts, Hanson Institute for American Music, Vaughan Williams Trust, Holst Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer/Arts Endowment Commissioning Music USA. Her connection with Wales continues in various choral commissions, including Psalm 104 (Praise, my soul) for the North American Welsh Choir (1998) and Paradise for Tenebrae (Gregynog Festival, 2008). The influence of the Welsh landscape is also evident in many chamber works and in text selections from Welsh poets George Herbert (Exultet Terra for double choir and double reed quintet), R. S. Thomas (Seven Poems of Stillness for cello and narrator) and Menna Elfyn (Songs of the Cotton Grass for soprano and oboe). In July 2001, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes premiered The Grey Tide and the Green, commissioned for the Last Night of the Welsh Proms
A series of concerto commissions threads though her orchestral work – for violin (Here, the Cliffs premiered by the North Carolina Symphony with Corine Brouwer Cook, 1997), alto saxophone (In the First, Spinning Place premiered by the University of Arizona Symphony with Debra Richtmeyer, March 2000), and cello (Anecdote, premiered by the Newark (DE) Symphony with Romanian cellist Ovidiu Marinescu, December 2000). Shakkei, a diptych for oboe and small orchestra, premiered by Virginia Shaw in the Presteigne Festival, August 2007, has since been performed multiple times, including in Dublin Ireland, at the 2008 IAWM Congress in Beijing, in New York City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, and at the 15th World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok (2009), with Susan Fancher (solo soprano saxophone) and the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Recent composer-residencies include the 2011 Eastman Women in Music Festival, 2013 Women Composers Festival of Hartford, and 2015 Ty Cerdd, Music Center Wales. Over sixty works are available on CD including three solo discs of vocal, chamber and orchestral music
A Musical Opinion Quarterly (Oct. 2014) review of the 2014 Presteigne Festival string quartet commission, And the Snow Did Lie, concludes: “… its lyrical melodies, delicate textures and subtly variegated hues made an exquisite and lasting impression.” “music of great integrity, impeccable craft, and genuine expressive ambition” – Robert Carl, Fanfare 36:I
Hilary Tann's "Penrhys Fanfare" will be performed at the 2026 Oriana Festival in the "Time" concert on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and further details of the performance - and full day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
Gareth Wood
"Sosban Fach"
Born in Cilfynydd near Pontypridd in 1950, Gareth Wood studied at the Royal Academy of Music and joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as a double bass player in 1972
During his career, Gareth performed across the world under many leading conductors including Leopold Stokowski, Rudoph Kempe, Karl Bohm, Bernard Haitink and Sir Georg Solti, and became its Chairperson in 1991, a post he held for three years. Gareth also conducted the orchestra at the San Juan Music Festival in 1995 and was for many years deeply involved in its educational outreach work. The orchestra commissioned his overture 'Suffolk Punch', whilst he also wrote several works for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. His 'Fantasy on Welsh Song' became a tradition at the annual 'Welsh Proms' series at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, being performed there on the Last Night each summer
As a composer, Gareth wrote extensively for brass bands, including the 1992 European Championship set-work, 'Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden'. His works featured at many important cultural events, including fanfares to open the National Assembly of Wales (Senedd), as well as the Kravis Centre in West Palm Beach in Florida
His first major brass band work was the overture 'Tombstone, Arizona' in 1976. He later arranged it for symphonic wind orchestra to mark the centenary of the infamous 'Gunfight at the OK Corral', which was performed at the exact spot in the USA, 100 years to the day. Numerous other well received compositions followed, many of which were used at major championship events at different levels — including 'Introduction and Allegro', 'Coliseum', 'The Margam Stones', 'Culloden Moor', 'Tuba Mirum', 'Hinemoa', 'This Happy Island', 'Helvetia', 'Salome', 'Brass Triumphant' and 'Acteon'. Gareth also adjudicated at the 1992 European Championships, as well as at the Dutch and National Championships of Great Britain
Gareth wrote concerti for euphonium, trumpet, tenor horn, trombone and percussion, and numerous works for symphonic winds
Throughout his life, Gareth held a close affinity with youth music making, and and his educational work 'Sea Dogs' remains immensely popular
Gareth's final work, his "Under Milk Wood suite - Rum & Laverbread" was premiered in a tributary recital at the 2024 Oriana Festival at St Elvan's. The beautiful third movement "The Prayer" who premiered one year earlier, following the composer's sad passing, at the festival in 2023
Gareth's ever-popular "Sosban Fach" will be performed at the 2026 Oriana Festival in the "Time" concert on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and further details of the performance - and full day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
During his career, Gareth performed across the world under many leading conductors including Leopold Stokowski, Rudoph Kempe, Karl Bohm, Bernard Haitink and Sir Georg Solti, and became its Chairperson in 1991, a post he held for three years. Gareth also conducted the orchestra at the San Juan Music Festival in 1995 and was for many years deeply involved in its educational outreach work. The orchestra commissioned his overture 'Suffolk Punch', whilst he also wrote several works for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. His 'Fantasy on Welsh Song' became a tradition at the annual 'Welsh Proms' series at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, being performed there on the Last Night each summer
As a composer, Gareth wrote extensively for brass bands, including the 1992 European Championship set-work, 'Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden'. His works featured at many important cultural events, including fanfares to open the National Assembly of Wales (Senedd), as well as the Kravis Centre in West Palm Beach in Florida
His first major brass band work was the overture 'Tombstone, Arizona' in 1976. He later arranged it for symphonic wind orchestra to mark the centenary of the infamous 'Gunfight at the OK Corral', which was performed at the exact spot in the USA, 100 years to the day. Numerous other well received compositions followed, many of which were used at major championship events at different levels — including 'Introduction and Allegro', 'Coliseum', 'The Margam Stones', 'Culloden Moor', 'Tuba Mirum', 'Hinemoa', 'This Happy Island', 'Helvetia', 'Salome', 'Brass Triumphant' and 'Acteon'. Gareth also adjudicated at the 1992 European Championships, as well as at the Dutch and National Championships of Great Britain
Gareth wrote concerti for euphonium, trumpet, tenor horn, trombone and percussion, and numerous works for symphonic winds
Throughout his life, Gareth held a close affinity with youth music making, and and his educational work 'Sea Dogs' remains immensely popular
Gareth's final work, his "Under Milk Wood suite - Rum & Laverbread" was premiered in a tributary recital at the 2024 Oriana Festival at St Elvan's. The beautiful third movement "The Prayer" who premiered one year earlier, following the composer's sad passing, at the festival in 2023
Gareth's ever-popular "Sosban Fach" will be performed at the 2026 Oriana Festival in the "Time" concert on Saturday June 27th. Tickets and further details of the performance - and full day - are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans
