Mathias 80 anniversary with Sinfonia Cymru and Catrin Finch

Ben Gernon and Catrin Finch

Sinfonia Cymru is celebrating William Mathias's 80th anniversary this week, touring a programme which includes Mathias's Melos. Written for harp and chamber orchestra, the work was premiered in 1977 by Marisa Robles and the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer. The name Melos derives from the fact that the music was partly stimulated by a summer cruise off the Greek Islands. Melos is both an island in the Aegean Sea (the mythical birthplace of Apollo), and the Latin/Greek word for 'song.' 

Sinfonia Cymru is joined by harpist Catrin Finch and conductor Ben Gernon and they will be performing  Mathias's Melos alongside music for harp and ensemble by Ravel and Debussy, plus Ibert's Divertissement and the original chamber version of Copland's Appalachian String. The programme is being performed in Harlech (5 June), Llanelli (6 June), Cardiff (7 June) and Newport (8 June). Further information from the Sinfonia Cymru website.

Conductor Ben Gernon is the winner of the Nestle and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award and the LA Philharmonic Dudamel Fellow. He makes his BBC Proms debut this summer conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.