To close their Anniversary Season, Wales’s leading chamber music ensemble, Ensemble Cymru, is embarking on its most ambitious concert tour to date featuring nine top flight musicians and music from Handel to Debussy, as well as a brand new commission by Welsh composer, Gareth Glyn.
Ensemble Cymru is celebrating its 15 year anniversary this season, and following on from the first instalment of this series last November, the finale planned for May will bring a taste of chamber music that is truly diverse in both time and place.
From Wales, the Ensemble will perform works by two living composers; music from Aberdyfi-based composer, Rhian Samuel, will feature and also a world premiere of a brand new piece, I’r Pedwar Gwynt / To the Four Winds, written especially for the tour by Anglesey composer, Gareth Glyn.
In keeping with Ensemble Cymru’s ethos of showcasing the finest chamber music from Wales and across the world, music by some of the world’s best loved classical music composers will be presented as part of the concert tour. Debussy’s Dances for Harp and String Quartet, considered as a harp ‘showcase’ will be performed alongside a rarely performed gem, Nonet, by the English composer Arnold Bax. While the concert reaches its finale with Handel’s Harp Concerto which calls on nearly all the instrumental force of the nine-strong ensemble.
In addition to the main tour, three composers have been chosen to have their music showcased in special pre-concert events during the May tour as part of a joint venture with Composers of Wales.
The three selected composers, Gareth Churchill, Rhian Samuel and Guto Pryderi Puw, will each have their music performed by Ensemble Cymru during a ‘Composers Spotlight / Goleuni ar Gyfansoddwr’ event which will take place ahead of the main concert at selected venues. With the composers present at each of the 30-minute events, audiences across Wales will be treated to an exclusive opportunity to meet the composers and hear their music. See the dates for the Composers Spotlight events here.
Speaking ahead of the tour, Ensemble Cymru’s Artistic Director, Peryn Clement-Evans said:
“We’re thrilled to be closing this season reaffirming our mission to promote Wales’ vibrant music from its past and present. Our nine principal players will be giving first performances of music by Gareth Glyn, rediscovering the music of 20th century English composer Arnold Bax alongside that of Handel, Debussy and Rhian Samuel. Alongside our pre-concert ‘Composers Spotlight’ events at select venues I don’t think I could have imagined a more exciting and joyous way of drawing this special anniversary year for the Ensemble to a close.”
Ensemble Cymru will be performing at venues across Wales on the following dates:
Friday 4 May, 7pm (prelude concert 6pm) Chapter Cardiff
Sunday 6 May, 3pm (prelude concert 2pm) Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Monday 7 May, 10:30am, Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli
Tuesday 8 May, 7pm, Capel Gad Cilcain
Thursday 10 / Friday 11 / Saturday 12 May, 10am. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.
Saturday 12 May, 7:30pm, Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead
Sunday 13 May, 3pm (prelude concert 2pm) Pontio, Bangor
For full details, visit our Events section.