A new piece of music written by one of the UK’s most talented composers will be premiered at the North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph.
The work by award-winning Guto Pryderi Puw will be performed at St Asaph Cathedral by the renowned Vienna-based Wiener Mozart Trio.
Called Trio (colour), it has been written specifically for an ensemble of violin, cello and piano.
Guto, 41, who lectures in music composition at Bangor University, is delighted that the piece will be heard for the first time at the festival which is supported by the Welsh Arts Council.
Organisers say this year’s event from September 20-28 promises to be one of the best yet.
Among the other highlights are a new choral work to celebrate the Prince of Wales’s 65th birthday that’s being written by royal composer Paul Mealor.
It has been commissioned jointly by the festival – which is supported by the Welsh Arts Council – and London-based Holywell Music, one of Europe’s leading harp suppliers.
The Prince’s first official harpist, international star Catrin Finch, and the current royal harpist, Hannah Stone, will both accompany the performance.
The stellar line-up this year also includes the Swingle Singers, virtuoso pianist Peter Donohoe, historical performance ensemble, La Serenissima and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
The festival’s Artistic Director, Ann Atkinson, believes the premiere of Guto’s new composition on Monday, September 23, will also be a special occasion.
She said: “Guto is a supremely gifted composer and we’re delighted that his new work will be performed by the internationally acclaimed Vienna Mozart Trio.”
According to Guto the new work is essentially preoccupied with the subtle changes of instrumental colour and textures.
He said: “At the beginning, you have a long sustained note in the violin that is gradually transformed into the cello part while the piano reinforces the effect. This is repeated a few times during the piece.
“The effect is very subtle and enables the audience to focus more on appreciating the small changes of each note, rather than concentrating on a particular melody or a rhythmic pattern. I have done something similar before in the orchestral piece Hologram, but I have long wanted to write a chamber piece specifically for a violin, cello and piano ensemble. And I am really looking forward to working with the Wiener Mozart-Trio.”
Guto grew up in the village of Parc, near Bala, and studied music at Bangor University, gaining his Master’s degree in 1996 and later his PhD in composition after winning the Parry Williams Scholarship.
Married and with three daughters, aged seven, four and one he now lives in Caernarfon and lectures at Bangor University but admits that much of the music he composes is influenced by Welsh literature and locations.
He said: “I make no apologies for that. For example, I wrote Reservoirs, a piece for full orchestral, in 2004 after being inspired by the R S Thomas poem of the same name. I was thrilled when it was first performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff.
“And, perhaps my most artistically profound work to date, “…onyt agoraf y drws…” (Unless I open the door) is based on one of the traditional Welsh tales of the Mabinogion.”
He added: “I’m absolutely thrilled the Wiener Mozart-Trio will perform Trio (colour), the first time before an audience, at St Asaph. And I’m really looking forward to meeting Irina, Daniel and Diethard Auner who are such wonderfully talented musicians.”
Writing Trio (colours) gave Guto a welcome break from working on his opera, Y Tŵr, in which he is writing as well as a concerto for violinist Madeleine Mitchel, which will be premiered at the Bangor New Music Festival on 14th of March 2014.
Guto won the Composer’s Medal at the National Eisteddfod in both 1995 and 1997 and his works have been broadcast on radio and TV and featured in music festivals around the country.
In February 2006 he was appointed resident composer with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and his Concerto for Oboe won the Listeners’ Award category at the British Composer Awards in 2007.
In 2009 he received a Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales to develop his operatic writing and his orchestral pieces will be released on CD later this year.
Wiener Mozart-Trio cellist, Diethard Auner, says his wife, pianist Irina, and violinist son, Daniel, are looking forward to performing at the North Wales International Music Festival for the first time.
Speaking from his Vienna home, he said: “We do play concerts in the UK as we tour Europe regularly. However, I believe this is the first time we have had the opportunity to perform at the North Wales International Music Festival.
“We will be performing many pieces from our extensive repertoire, in particular many works of Mozart. And we are very much looking forward to working with the contemporary Welsh composer, Guto Pryderi Puw.
“It is always special when you have the honour of premiering a piece of music on behalf of the composer.”
For more information about what’s on at this year’s festival and to book online go to: www.nwimf.com
