Posts tagged concert (see all posts).
Our next concert Gwent Chamber Orchestra
Gwent Chamber Orchestra.
Our next concert is Gwent Chamber Orchestra on Saturday 26th September, 7.30pm at St. Michael & All Angels, Cwmdu, NP8 1RW. Tickets are available now.
Our popular annual evening led by local professional musicians, this event offers concert-goers favourite chamber works close-up, as well as the chance to discover more unusual musical offerings.
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 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.
Our March 2025 Nantwen Ensemble concert
We were treated to an inspiring and varied programme by the wonderful Nantwen Ensemble (website) on the 8th March.
Nantwen Ensemble preparing for their concert.
Firstly the imaginative sound world created with some unusual string techniques by composer Caroline Shaw in Plan & Elevation, her musical drawing of Dumbarton Oaks, and then the beautiful and hypnotic Verses by Ólafur Arnalds. Then Nantwen’s own commission, Songs without Words composed to complement the Schubert string quintet, from Welsh composer John Metcalf. This set the scene perfectly for the concert’s second half with its closing hymn-like prayer.
In his introduction, Daniel said that each time he prepares the Schubert Quintet with different colleagues, they each bring something new to the work with their ideas and interpretations. Schubert’s mastery of writing for all the instruments and the sheer beauty and scale of the work meant that time almost stood still for us. It’s a work that never seems to date or lose its popularity.
Our Artist-in-residence, Helen of InSpired Pottery—“Beautifully handcrafted wares for everyday use” had a stunning display of her work. (Website).
Display with the artist, Helen.
Our last concert of 2024
In October we had a fabulous concert from composer, vocalist and violinist Claire Victoria Roberts with string players Treske Quartet and Swansea-based keyboardist and jazz band leader Dave Cottle.
Claire Victoria Roberts is a composer, vocalist and violinist–blurring the boundaries of jazz, contemporary and singer-songwriter genres. https://www.clairevictoriaroberts.com/
Treske Quartet–Oli Baily & Mollie Wrafter (violins), Abigail Hammett (viola), Robert Wheatley (cello)–is an emerging ensemble based in Manchester, UK. https://www.treskequartet.com/
Dave Cottle formed the Dave Cottle Band in 1985. Swansea’s Lord Mayor Awarded Dave for his services to music in the City at a Gala dinner in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea November 2018. https://www.davecottlemusic.com
See our 2025 calendar for next year’s events.