Vale of Glamorgan Festival 2022: a spotlight on living composers

This year's Vale of Glamorgan Festival runs from 22 to 30 September 2022 with concerts in Cardiff and Penarth, and puts the spotlight on living composers with John Luther Adams and Huw Watkins as featured composers. The festival opens on 22 September at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Jac van Steen, in new pieces by David Roche and Sarah Lianne Lewis, music by John Metcalf, and Huw Watkins, plus Grace Williams' Piano Concertante with Clare Hammond (piano).

Visitors to the festival include the Carducci Quartet and pianist Robin Green. The Carducci Quartet will be performing music by John Luther Adams, Huw Watkins, Tarik O'Regan, Philip Glass and György Kurtág, as well as joining forces with Robin Green for Huw Watkins' Piano Quartet. Robin Green's solo recital features music by Thomas Adès, Robert Fokkens, and John Adams.

There are concerts from Deian Rowlands (harp) and Sara Trickey (violin). and Jennifer Walker (soprano), Stephen Wood (piano) including the premiere of a festival commission from Helen Woods. Sandbox Percussion make a welcome return to the festival with two concerts including John Luther Adams' Inksuit for massed percussion which will be performed at Bute Park and Arboretum.

Full details from the festival website.

Vale of Glamorgan at Home

This weekend, the Vale of Glamorgan Festival is going on-line, with a series of events featuring composers who were to be part of the 2020 festival. The first event, last night, was a mix of discussion and performance with composer and pianist Huw Watkins, composer and festival director John Metcalf, composer and writer Steph Power and harpist Anne Denholm [available on YouTube].

On Monday 18 May 2020, Steph Power will be joined in discussion by composers Mark Bowden, Mared Emlyn, Maja Palser, David John Roche, and director of Ty Cerdd, Deborah Keyser. And there will be performances of each of the composers' music, by David Adams, violin, Robin Green, piano, Anne Denholm, harp, David John Roche, guitar, Matthew Jones, violin, Annabel Thwaite, piano.

Then on Friday 22 May 2020, the festival goes international as John Metcalf and Steph Power will be joined in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams to discuss his music and creative process. Musicians George Barton (percussion) and Siwan Rhys (piano), and Anne Denholm (harp) perform music by John Luther Adams and also join in the conversation.

See the Vale of Glamorgan Festival's YouTube channel.

Looking ahead: Vale of Glamorgan Festival 2019

The Vale of Glamorgan Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary season in 2019 which runs from 18 May 2019 to 24 May 2019. Highlights include more than 30 world premieres, including 14 festival commissions and works by 20 Welsh composers. 10 of the commissions are for Astrid the Dutch Street Organ, for which a variety of composers have been asked to write a short work. 

The artistic director of the festival, John Metcalf, is presenting a new version of 'Polly Garter's Aria' from Under Milkwood for soprano and orchestra. Other composers featured during the festival include Dobrinka Tabakova, Peteris Vasks, Robert Fokkens, Mark David Boden and Graham Fitkin, who will be presenting a programme of his own piano music including music for prepared piano.

Artists performing at the festival include the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the New York percussion quartet Sandbox Percussion, and the Berlin-based Armida String Quartet.

Full details from the festival website.

Guto Puw's Welsh-language opera premieres at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival

Guto Puw and Gwyneth Glyn

The highlight of this year's Vale of Glamorgan Festival (19-26 May 2017) must be Music Theatre Wales' premiere of Guto Puw's Welsh language opera Y Tŵr (The Tower), but there are plenty of other good things on. The only UK festival devoted to the work of living composers, there are lots of other new pieces on offer with the Marsyas Trio showcasing music by six women composers, Onyx Brass performing another Guto Puw piece, this time for fairground organ and brass quintet, and the Apollon Musagete Quartet celebrating John Adams' 70th birthday. The festival finale features the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Tecwyn Evans, in the premiere of Graham Fitkin's concerto for multiple amplified recorders, written for BBC Young Musician Finalist Sophie Westbrooke, and Huw Watkins' Cello Concerto performed by his brother Paul Watkins.

Y Tŵr, Guto Puw's first opera, is commissioned and performed by Music Theatre Wales in conjunction with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, the Welsh-language national theatre company. The libretto, by Welsh poet Gwyneth Glyn, adapts a classic play by Gwenlyn Parry which explores the journey of two people through life. Gwenlyn Parry (1932-1991) was one of the most important 20th century Welsh-language playwrights. He joined BBC Wales in 1966 where he helped establish the scripts department and worked on popular Welsh programmes such as Pobol y Cwm. He played a key role in popularising drama in theatre and television in the 1970s and 1980s, and his plays, including Y Tŵr had a huge impact.

Michael McCarthy directs the opera and Richard Baker conducts with a cast featuring Caryl Hughes and Gwion Thomas. There are two performances at the festival, 19 & 20 May 2017 at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff (details from the festival website) and then Music Theatre Wales take the piece on tour - Aberystwyth (May 23), Bangor (May 25), Mold (June 5), Swansea (June 15) and the Buxton Festival (July 17). Full details from the Music Theatre Wales website.

Looking Ahead: Vale of Glamorgan Festival

One of the festival venues - Ewenny Priory

The only UK festival to be devoted entirely to living composers, the Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival gives audiences a chance to experience a wide variety of contemporary music in some striking venues in the Vale of Glamorgan, which is the area West of Cardiff. This year the festival runs from 19 May to 26 May 2017 and there are six world premieres (two from the Welsh composer Guto Puw), including four festival commissions, as well as a UK premiere of John Adams.

Music Theatre Wales will be presenting a new Welsh language opera, Y Twr (The Tower) by Guto Puw with a libretto by the Welsh poet Gwyneth Glyn based on the classic 1978 play by Gwenlyn Parry. In addition, Puw's new work for fairground organ and brass will be premiered by Onyx Brass as part of a concert at the Eastern Shelter, Barry Island, in a programme which also includes the premiere of a new arrangement of John Adams' China Gates, and music by James Maynard, Stuart MacRae, Joe Dudel, Tim Jackson and Michael Berkeley. Onyx Brass will also be giving free concerts along the Vale of Glamorgan coastline.

Guto Puw's work for Onyx Brass is a replacement for a commission which was originally offered to the late Peter Reynolds. Peter Reynolds was a long time supporter of the festival, and The Peter Reynolds Composer Studio is being created in his name supporting the development of eight composers in the early stages of their career.

The Marsyas Trio will be performing a programme of music by women composers Gates of The Soul: Celebrating Women Composers in the historic surroundings of Ewenny Abbey. The concert includes the world premieres of Hilary Tann's Into the Air and Steph Power's And ante, plus music by Cecilia McDowall, Judith Weir, Chen Yi and Elisenda Fabregas. There is a meet the composer's event prior to the concert with the chance to hear Steph Power and Hilary Tann in conversation.

There is something of an American theme running through the festival. One of the guest artists at the festival is the American keyboard sextet the Grand Band and they will be giving the premiere of a new work by Ben Wallace alongside music by Paul Kerekes, Philip Glass, David Lang, John Metcalf (artistic director of the festival) and Steve Reich. During their two day residency, The Grand Band will also be working with composers from The Peter Reynolds Composer Studio, giving a masterclass with students from Cardiff University and giving a primary schools concert.

In addition to Onyx Brass's performance of John Adams China Gates, Robin Green and Mei Yi Foo will be performing the complete piano works of John Adams including the UK premiere of Roll Over Beethoven, and the Polish group, Apollon Musagete Quartet will be performing John Adams' John's Book of Alleged Dances in a concert which also includes Krzysztof Penderecki's Quartet No. 3. Music by John Adams also features in the concluding concert in the festival with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Tecwyn Evans with Paul Watkins (cello), Sophie Westbrooke (recorder) and the Apollon Musage Quartet, performing Adams The Chairman Dances and Absolute Jest, plus Huw Watkins Cello Concerto and the premiere of Graham Fitkin's Concerto for amplified recorders and orchestra which was written for Sophie Westbrooke, former BBC Young Musician Finalist and still only 17.

Soft stillness at the Hoddinott Hall

Madeleine Mitchell

On 12 May 2016 (at 2pm) the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Edwin Outwater, will be giving a contemporary programme at the Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, as part of the 2016 Vale of Glamorgan Festival. The concert includes the UK premiere of Sala by Latvian composer Peteris Vasks (who is 70 this year), and the world premiere of Ghyll by Mark David Boden; the orchestra will be joined by violinist Madeleine Mitchell for the Violin Concerto - Soft Stillness by Guto Puw.

Puw's violin concerto was premiered in 2014 by Madeleine Mitchell with the Orchestra of the Swan at the Bangor New Music Festival. The work is based on lines from Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, lines which were also used by RVW for his Serenade to Music.

Full information from the Vale of Glamorgan Festival website. The festival runs from 10  to 20 May 2016 with concerts celebrating the 70th birthdays of Peteris Vasks and John Metcalf, and the 80th birthday of Steve Reich. For the final concert, on 20 May 2016 at the Hoddinott Hall, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Edwin Outwater, perform John Metcalf's Cello Symphony with cellist Alice Neary, and give the world premiere of Peteris Vasks's Viola Concerto with viola player Maxim Rysanov.

Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music programme for 2016

St. Illtud’s Church, Llantwit Major

This year's Vale of Glamorgan Festival will be celebrating the birthdays of three composers, Pēteris Vasks (70), Steve Reich (80) and festival artistic director John Metcalf (70). The festival, which runs from 10 to 20 May 2016 will include five world premieres and eight UK premieres. 

Performers include the Latvian Radio Choir, Quatuor Tana, Ensemble MidtVest, accordionist Andreas Borregaard , violinist Parmela Attariwala and tabla player Shawn Mativetsky at a range of venues across the Vale of Glamorgan including Penarth’s All Saints Church, St Augustine’s Church and Penarth Pier Pavillion, Ewenny Priory Church, St. Illtud’s Church, Llantwit Major, and BBC Hoddinott Hall and BayArt Gallery in Cardiff Bay.

Quatuor Tana & Nick Baron at Ewenny Priory
at the 2014 Vale of Glamorgan Festival

The 2016 Festival will feature the first of three new commissions (2016-2018) scored for symphony orchestra by major international composers, a new Viola Concerto written for Maxim Rysanov by Pēteris Vasks will be premiered by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on 20 May, at BBC Hoddinott Hall. The orchestra also gives the world premiere of Ghyll by Mark David Boden (12 May, BBC Hoddinott Hall) conducted by Edwin Outwater. Belgium-based group Quatuor Tana will give the premiere of David Hudry's Anamorphosis (BayArt Gallery, 13 May).

Event and talks include musician and teacher of yoga and meditation, Matthew Jones, exploring meditation techniques and mindfulness as they affect the process of listening to music, and writer and broadcaster, Ian Skelly, exploring the interests of featured composer, Pēteris Vasks, in the relationship between man and the environment.

The full festival programme will be on the festival website from 19 February 2016.

2015 Vale of Glamorgan Festival

St Illtud's Church, Llantwit Major

The Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music takes place this year from 12 to 23 May 2015. The festival is now in its 47th year and was founded by the composer John Metcalf and focuses on the work of living composers. This year's festival has its focus on the works of three composers, the Estonian composer Arvo Part who is 80 this year, Amsterdam-based British composer Richard Ayres whose opera Peter Pan is being performed by Welsh National Opera this year and the young composer Dobrinka Tabakova (who was recently appointed Resident Composer with the Orchestra of the Swan)

Premieres at this years festival include three festival commissions, from the young British composer Tom Green and from two young Chinese composers Ying Xiao and Yanche Ye. Welsh-based composers Ben Lunn and Andrew Wallace also have premieres in the festival and Estonian composer Helena Tulve has a UK premiere.

The pianist Robin Green is the festival's 2015 Young Artist in Residence and he will also be playing the hurdy gurdy (!) accompanying violinist Sarah Trickey. Other artists include the viol consort Fretwork as well as visits from the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. These latter two will each give individual concerts as well as providing the festival finale which includes Arvo Part's Stabat Mater and music by Dobrinaka Tabakova.

As usual the festival utilises a variety of venues in and around the Vale of Glamorgan including major concert halls in Cardiff, plus the Pier Pavilion in Penarth, Dyffering House and St Illtud's Church in Llantwit Major.

Further information from the festival website, you can also read my coverage of last year's festival on this blog.

Singing cellos in John Tavener - Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival

Guy Johnston

John Tavener - The Protecting Veil, Requiem: Guy Johnston, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, David Atherton: Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival at St David's Hall, Cardiff
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on May 17 2014
Star rating: 5.0
Two of Tavener's large scale works bring the Vale of Glamorgan Festival to a spectacular conclusion

John Tavener was one of the featured composers in this year's Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival and so it was appropriate that the final concert in the festival (17 May 2014) featured two of the composer's large scale works, performed in St. David's Hall, Cardiff. David Atherton conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with cellist Guy Johnston as the soloist in Tavener's The Protecting Veil. Then the orchestra was joined by the BBC National Chorus of Wales, cellist Josephine Knight, soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and tenor Nicholas Mulroy for Tavener's Requiem.

The Protecting Veil was written in 1998, originally a commission from cellist Steven Isserlis though Isserlis had envisaged a work of around 10 minutes whereas The Protecting Veil lasts some 45 minutes. The piece is inspired by the vision of the Mother of God appearing at a time when Constantinople was threatened by the Saracens in the 10th century; she appeared spreading out her Veil as protective shelter for the Christians.

Clare Hammond at the Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival

Clare Hammond, credit Julie Kim

John Tavener, Andrew Keeling, John Metcalf, Adam Gorb, Tarik O'Regan: Clare Hammond: Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival at Penarth Pier Pavilion
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on May 17 2014
Star rating: 4.0
Shorter works for contemporary piano performed by young British pianist

Penarth Pier Pavilion is a relatively new venue, a stylish new concert venue having been created in Penarth Pier as part of the 2013 renovations of the pier on the esplanade at Penarth (near Cardiff). This year's Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival has been making good use of the venue. For the festival's final visit to Penarth Pier Pavilion, on May 17, pianist Clare Hammond performed a programme of contemporary music for solo piano. Her programme consisted of a highly varied selection of generally short works, some written specifically for Hammond, including music by John Tavener, Andrew Keeling, John Metcalf, Adam Gorb, Tarik O'Regan, Peter Fribbins, Alan Mills and Robin Walker.

Penarth Pier Pavillion

Hammond started with John Tavener's tiny Zodiacs (1997). It opened with a simple bell-like motif which Tavener managed to imbue with his usual fascination. The middle section repeated the same motif, but at a far faster speed, creating a rather attractive moment, before the opening returned.

Composer Andrew Keeling has a varied background, working both in contemporary classical and in rock. His Coniunctio (2013) was written for Clare Hammond and was receiving its world premiere performance.

In search of the contemporary string quartet - Quatuor Tana at Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival

Quatuor Tana and Nick Baron

Music for string quartet by Gabriel Jackson, Yann Robin, John Metcalf, Daniel D'Adamo, John Tavener: Quatuor Tana, Nick Baron: Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival at Ewenny Priory Church
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on My 16 2014
Star rating: 4.0
Young Belgian string quartet performs contrasting group of contemporary works for string quartet

Ewenney Priory Church

The Belgium-based string quartet, Quatuor Tana made their second appearance of the Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival at the lovely Ewenny Priory on 16 May 2014. The 12th century priory church hidden in the countryside outside Bridgened formed the venue for a programme of contemporary music for string quartet with music by Gabriel Jackson, Yann Robin, John Metcalf, Daniel D'Adamo and John Tavener. The quartet were joined by Nick Baron on handbells for Tavener's The Last Sleep of the Virgin.

Chamber Choir Ireland at Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival

Chamber Choir Ireland

Lang, Tavener, Martland, Williamson, Fennessy: Chamber Choir Ireland, Paul Hillier: Vale of Glamorgan Festival
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on May 16 2014
Star rating: 4.0
Wide range of contemporary short pieces in this imaginative programme from Ireland's premiere chamber choir

The second of Paul Hillier and Chamber Choir Ireland's concerts at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival took place at lunchtime on 16 May, in the light and bright modernised gothic interior of All Saints Church, Penarth. The choir performed a programme of contemporary works by David Lang, John Tavener, Steve Martland, Michael Williamson and David Fennessy.

In a spoken introduction , Paul Hillier explained how he had planned the concert over a year ago, to include music by Steve Martland and John Tavener. In the intervening period both composers died, thus turning a tribute into a memorial.