Our next concert is Ensemble19 Saturday July 4th 7:30pm 2026 at St. Michael & All Angels, Cwmdu, NP8 1RW.
Tickets.
More information here and via our newsletter (subscribe above).
If you'd like to help publicise our next concert you can download an A4 PDF poster
or set of flyers (3 per A4 page) to print out.
Ensemble19 programme
We have the programme details for our hugely anticipated concert on July 4th 7:30pm in Cwmdu. Tickets
Okavango - Damien Harron
Escape Velocity - Dave Hall
String Quartet No. 12 - Dvořák
Living Room Music - John Cage
Cute - Neal Hefti
Hopopono - GoGo Penguin arr. Luke Baxter
Marimba Music - Eckhard Kopetzki
Mad Rush - Philip Glass
Girlfriends - Bob Becker
Interval
Mambo Influenciado - Chuck Valdes
Farewell to Stromness - Peter Maxwell Davies
Pieces of Wood - Steve Reich
Risca - Luke Baxter
Take 5 - Dave Brubeck
Luó guādāo
Aguas da Amazonia - Philip Glass
Brecon Jazz-Debbie Arthur’s Hot Five
Tuesday 14th July 2026, 8pm, The Muse / BJC, Brecon, LD3 7DW
Swing sounds from a wonderful lineup of in-demand musicians. This lively band include in their programme the often overlooked music of Annette Hanshaw, the 1920s singer whose wonderful music is filled with beautiful, meaningful songs full of emotion and expression. > LINEUP: Debbie Arthurs (sax & vocals), Keith Little (piano), Rachel Hayward (guitar), Richard Leach (trombone), Bill Lynn (double bass).
Hay Music-International Rising Stars of the Piano Weekend
International Rising Stars of the Piano Weekend.
Tickets (see concert details): £20 / under 25s £10. Weekend saver ticket: £45 / under 25s £22.50.
A limited number of free tickets are available for under 25s.
Saturday, 11 July 3.00–5.00pm Concert 1 details
Saturday, 11 July 7.00–9.00pm Concert 2 details
Sunday, 12 July 5.00–7.15pm Concert 3 details
All concerts at St Mary’s Church, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EB.
The Beacons Orchestra-upcoming concert
Saturday 27th June, 7:30pm, St Marys Church, Brecon, LD3 7AA
Tickets £12.50 (free admission if under 21) at door or online.
Image source: The Beacons Orchestra.
Conducted by Emily Singh
Verdi: Nabucco Overture
Bizet: Carmen Suite No.1
Dvorak: 9th Symphony (from the New World)
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Brecon Town Council & The Audrey Tyler Trust
Our next concert Ensemble19
Saturday 4th July, 7.30pm—Ensemble19.
Image: Ensemble19.
A return of this fabulous percussion ensemble. Their last visit was a stellar concert in 2018.
Ensemble19 is a dynamic percussion collective known for their versatile performances, laid- back presentation and passion for music. Formed by graduates of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and the Royal Academy of Music, the ensemble has performed recitals across the UK, spanning repertoire from beloved family classics to the contemporary masterworks of John Cage and Steve Reich.
The group is celebrated for their ability to demystify percussion, with critic Philip Buttall noting: “This was all about the enthusiasm of these four young Welsh-trained wizards… producing a stunning result that truly emphasised that percussion is not just about drums – and about noise.” Beyond the stage, Ensemble19 is deeply committed to outreach, delivering workshops in schools and community settings alongside partners like Children’s Musical Adventures to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Check our newsletter, this website and social media for updates. Tickets available now—and don’t forget our concessionary pricing, which for example means a child aged 15 or under and Carer/Parent (one ticket covers you both!) get in for £1 deposit (refunded at door). Full details at the Tickets link.
Brecon Choir Festival, major new commission
Brecon Choir Festival have announced a major new commission for this years event, World Premiere: Prayer by Owain Park". Link to their newsletter.
Our first concert of 2026 — Emma Rawicz Trio
This first concert with Emma Rawicz (saxophones & vocals), Niklas Lukassen (bass) and Jonny Mansfield (percussion & vibraphone) proved a very engaging and entertaining evening to a packed audience.
Emma Rawicz, Jonny Mansfield & Niklas Lukassen.
Quite superb. Almost telepathic music making. Very happy audience. Apart from her obvious musical gifts [Emma] was one of the most eloquent and inspiring speakers for promoting the arts. Top drawer.
Very successful night; different audience, three exceptionally gifted musicians.
Each piece they performed had an accompanying contextual introduction by Emma; a transcendently beautiful example just before the interval (when we had warming punch!) being inspired by a Japanese word komorebi—dappled sunlight seen through trees.
Our previous Autumn Concert: Gwent Chamber Orchestra
Gwent Chamber Orchestra.
The annual September concert given by the Gwent Chamber Orchestra was much enjoyed by a capacity audience. The opening Handel Concerto Grosso in D minor featured some fine solo playing from the oboes and bassoon and the whole orchestra played with much clarity, highlighting the wonderful acoustics of Cwmdu Church.
We then heard some interesting anecdotes from the GCO conductor Stephen Broom about the composer Dag Wirén, before the performance of his charming Serenade for Strings. It had some very memorable melodies and was played with great energy and gusto. The first half ended on a high with the Vivaldi Concerto in A minor for two Violins performed by Julia Watkins (the leader of GCO) and Lesley Gwyther (principal 2nd violin). They always play so wonderfully together and it was thrilling to hear them play so fast and rhythmically in the outer movements, but also their lyrical interplay in the beautiful slow movement.
After a busy interval with everyone catching up after the Summer and enjoying a glass of wine, we were treated to the ever popular Symphony no. 40 in G minor by Mozart. Foot tappingly good, it was a fitting and thrilling end to both a fabulous programme and another great year of concerts here in Cwmdu. Please do join us for the four very varied concerts coming up in 2026!
Gwent Chamber Orchestra, rehearsing for our concert.
Our previous summer concert
Will Barnes Quartet.
Our summer concert given by Will Barnes Quartet was a fantastic evening. We heard tracks from their recently released album ‘Source of the Severn’ (which many of us purchased at the end) and some brand new material. They each played with such virtuosity and ease and just seemed so natural with each other, in gentle mood lighting. It was fascinating to watch their interplay and to feel their groove. Each of them had several solo moments which seamlessly transitioned between them. We had some chilled and mellow tracks interspersed with others where they really upped the energy and pulse with such complex rhythmic intricacy.
Our Artist-in-residence Maikki Ranger of Hey!remade had a fabulous display of handmade and unique recycled glassware.
May 2025 Rhossili Duo concert
We had a very engaging concert from the Rhossili Duo, who opened with Argentinian tango composer Astor Piazzola’s Histoire du Tango and closed with First Milonga, Last Tango by Welsh composer Stephen Goss—written as an elegy to the former and a piece using fragments of material from his work. Then Welsh folk songs including Suo gan arranged by Goss and Bartok’s Romanian Dances based on his extensive folk music studies. The Bartok works are often heard in their original piano or orchestral renderings, and this interpretation brought a great zest to them.
The duo then had an opportunity to play solo pieces by Agustín Barrios (guitar) and Eugène Bozza (flute). Then Sonatina by leading composer for the guitar, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco—exiled from Italy to the US prior to WWII.
The performances received enthusiastic applause from our audience; and were a brilliant reminder of how lucky we are to have alumni and students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama at our annual concert series.
Rhossili Duo can be seen in June at the Budleigh Music Festival.
Artist-in-residence Francesca Kay displayed a selection of her letterpress, calligraphy and paper designs—website.