Without a doubt, the Wales Millennium Centre is a building that houses a real melting pot of arts organisations. This offers such an opportunity for the Welsh creative arts - the cooperation of these creative bodies, and the subsequent artistic cross-pollination, creates exciting projects that put Welsh arts on the international stage. We have been resident in the building, in our Hoddinott Hall studio, for five years, and it has been exciting to collaborate with some of our artistic neighbours, and see what potential lies there.
Our concert on Saturday 7 June from 成人论坛 Hoddinott Hall, under the baton of Grant Llewellyn, is a continuation of our relationship with . T欧 Cerdd is situated in the main atrium of the WMC, and like the Orchestra has a deep and wide ranging commitment to Welsh music, both past and present, and in nurturing Wales鈥� future musicians.
Llyr Williams. Photo credit: Evy Ottermans
We are excited to join our neighbours for this concert which will be part of T欧 Cerdd鈥檚 inaugural conference - a three day event that will include debates on the future of music in Wales, alongside performances of Welsh music. We will be performing music celebrating the past 60 years of Welsh composition, with works by , , and .
Readers of this blog will know that I have been . One of 鈥� Kardomah Cafe set, he also worked as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Many of the members of the Orchestra remember Daniel Jones coming to our old studio at Broadcasting House and I have it on good authority that he was really quite a character! I was very taken with his cello concerto (which we performed in St Asaph with the lovely Paul Watkins), and I am looking forward to getting to know his Tenth Symphony for this concert.
Daniel Jones
Our soloist for Mathias鈥� Piano Concerto No 2 will be Ll欧r Williams, who has just finished recording Daniel Jones鈥� Bagatelles for Solo Piano (released on T欧 Cerdd Records, T欧 Cerdd鈥檚 new record label). Ll欧r has recorded Jones鈥� Bagatelles alongside those by Bela Bart贸k, not only placing Jones鈥� oeuvre in a historical context, but also demonstrating that good Welsh music has a legitimate place on the international stage alongside the works of more established composers. Similarly, the orchestra maintains a deep commitment to the performing of Welsh music on both the domestic and international stage. Indeed, we are very proud to be premiering Mathias鈥� wonderful Violin Concerto at this year鈥檚 Proms, and it is exciting for us to have neighbours who share such similar goals.
Over this season, we have also enjoyed hosting a series of chamber concerts promoted by and the Wales Millennium Centre - our Sunday Lunch Chamber Series. We began with a potpourri of mixed ensemble music performed by the orchestra鈥檚 own principals, and have since played host to the likes of Lawrence Power (my favourite, obviously), Ben Johnson, and Rosemary Joshua. At this season鈥檚 final on 8th June, you can get a sneak preview of Ll欧r鈥檚 recording as he performs works by Daniel Jones, Bartok, Beethoven, and a host of other greats!
The Orchestra鈥檚 听is on Saturday 7 June, 7pm, at 成人论坛 Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay. To book tickets, call the Wales Millennium Centre on 02920 636464. 听