Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music 2011

31st August 2011

This year’s Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music will begin on September 6.

Highlights of the festival this year include three world premieres: The world premiere of a new arrangement of Twilight for Harp, baritone and violin by Welsh Composer Paul Mealor made world-famous overnight following the performance of his piece Ubi caritas at the recent Royal Wedding, the World Premiere of Lyra by Mark Bowden - BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ new Composer in Residence and a cutting-edge multi-media performance of the World Premiere of NL XL on Music at The Dora  Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama by the dutch piano duo Jeroen & Sandra van Veen.

The Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music was formed in 1969 by its present Artistic Director, John Metcalf, taking place each Autumn with performances given in a variety of intimate venues situated in and around the Vale and Cardiff. In 1991, the Vale of Glamorgan Festival redefined its position and artistic policy as a ‘festival of living composers’. Since then the Festival has gained a reputation as one of the most adventurous and unique in Britain.

This year’s festival will be celebrating and reviewing the wealth of music and composers previously featured in the festival’s 41-year history whilst also previewing new artists and composers who will be the subject of major forthcoming festival profiles. The season will include World and UK Premieres and feature the work of outstanding new and established composers.

The Latvian Radio Choir, regarded as one of the top professional chamber choirs in Europe, return with their astounding a cappella singing to open the event at St Augustine’s Church, Penarth(6th Sept) in a vocal celebration. The music of Baltic big-hitters Arvo Pärt and Pēteris Vasks will be performed alongside a wealth of younger composers including Latvians, Ēriks Ešenvalds and Santa Ratniece conducted by Sigvards Kļava, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Choir.

The second concert of the season features three established festival artists from Wales, known for their consistent championing and support for new music, Elinor Bennet  (harp), Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone) and Matthew Jones (viola). Two premieres feature in this concert taking place at Fonmon Castle (8th Sept).  Per Nørgård Libro per Nobuko for viola receives its UK Premiere and the festival features the music of Welsh composer Paul Mealor for the first time, with a World Premiere of his new arrangement of Twilight for Harp, baritone and violin.  Paul Mealor became world-famous overnight following the performance of his piece Ubi caritas at the recent Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey launching the piece to the top of itunes charts globally. 

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales presents the third festival concert at BBC Hoddinott Hall at the Wales Millennium Centre (8th Sept).  Newly announced as their next Composer in Residence, Mark Bowden’s Lyra for cello and orchestra with soloist Oliver Coates will receive its World Premiere and new-comer to the festival, Qigang Chen’s work Wu Xing opens the concert.  Chen was the Music Director of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, was Olivier Messiaen’s final pupil and his music is an extraordinary  fusion of western and eastern musical elements.    He will be the subject of a major feature in 2012.  Gerard McChrystal plays festival Director, John Metcalf’s Three Mobiles for soprano saxophone and string orchestra conducted by young French-Canadian Jean-Michäel Lavoie.

The festival makes its first visit to the new Dora Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in the first of two concerts given by the dutch piano duo Jeroen & Sandra van Veen (9th Sept).  Pianos, synthesisers, percussion, toy pianos and samplers all feature in this cutting-edge multi-media performance of the World Premiere of NL XL on Music.  Jeroen van Veen’s music accompanies a mesmerising film of aerial images from photographer Karel Tomei’s art book NLXL. 

Fellow minimalist composers feature in the second of the two concerts by Jeroen & Sandra van Veen in the intimate candlelit setting of Ewenny Priory Church in the festival finale (10th Sept).  The programme features new arrangements for four hands of minimalist classics finishing with an arrangement of Philip Glass’ haunting score for the film “The Hours”, which won the 2002 Bafta Award for Best Film Music.

Tickets are available by calling the 03700 10 10 51 (BBC National Orchestra of Wales Audience Line).

http://valeofglamorganfestival.org.uk/

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