Concerts 2022

Our 2022 festival opens with Tom Poster and Elena Urioste, winners of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Inspiration Award and BBC Music Magazine Premiere Award. The duo presents their trademark eclectic selection of music, ranging from Mozart and Fauré to Tom’s arrangements of ‘80s hits! Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Sonata for piano and violin in B flat major, K. 454 Gabriel Fauré – Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano in E minor, Op. 108 Interval Elena and Tom present Uriposte Jukebox Sponsored by Cowbridge Travel

  Since becoming BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2012, cellist Laura van der Heijden has gone on to establish a reputation as one of the most exciting cellists of her generation. In this concert she performs one of Bach’s most loved solo suites for cello, together with works by Imogen Holst and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. Imogen Holst – Fall of the leaf Coleridge Taylor Perkinson – Lamentations: Black/Folk Song Suite Johann Sebastian Bach – Cello Suite no. 2 in D minor BWV 1008

  Featured on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio Cymru, Kizzy Crawford’s unique brand of soul-folk jazz has received wide acclaim. A Welsh speaker with Bajan heritage, Kizzy will sing in both Welsh and English, performing some of her most popular works.

  Associate Ensemble at Wigmore Hall, the ‘sparky, shape-shifting ensemble of starry young musicians’ (TheArtsDesk) that make up the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective bring a programme that combines celebrated piano quartets by Mozart and Dvořák with exciting works by Fanny Mendelssohn and Errollyn Wallen. Fanny Mendelssohn – Piano Quartet in A flat major Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, K. 493 Interval Errollyn Wallen – Dervish for cello and piano Antonín Dvořák – Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 87

  In 1922, Béla Bartók made his UK debut as a pianist–not in one of London’s celebrated concert halls, but in Aberystwyth Parish Hall. Beloved Welsh pianist Llŷr Williams returns to Cowbridge this year with a programme that celebrates the centenary of this event, pairing a number of Bartók’s works with music by Chopin, Grieg, Liszt and others. Béla Bartók – (the 5 pieces he later orchestrated as ‘Hungarian Sketches’) – An Evening in the Village (from Ten Easy Pieces, Sz. 39, BB 51, No. 5) – Bear Dance (from Ten Easy Pieces, Sz. 39, BB 51, No. 10) – Melody (from Four Dirges, Op. 9a, Sz. 45, BB 58, No. 2) – Slightly Tipsy (from Three Burlesques, Op. 8c, Sz. 47, BB 55, No. 2) – Swineherd’s Dance (from For Children, Sz. 42, BB 53, Vol. 2, No. 40) Frédéric Chopin – Polonaise op.44 Karol Szymanowski – 3 Mazurkas from op.50 Edvard Grieg – Lyric Pieces op.65 nos.1,2 and 6. Interval Béla Bartók – 6 Romanian Dances Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Dumka Isaac Albéniz – El Albaicin and El Polo from Iberia Franz Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody no.12 Sponsored by Tidy Translations

Saphwat Simab and Shahbaz Hussain will provide a fascinating and moving programme that showcases music from Afghanistan. These leading musicians have been performing to great acclaim across the UK over the past year, and tonight will make their Cowbridge debut.

  This year’s Young Artists’ Recital unites two rising stars–Welsh violinist Charlie Lovell-Jones and Israeli-born pianist Ariel Lanyi. The duo perform a rich programme of sonatas by Grieg, Debussy and Beethoven, together with some short pieces by Sibelius and Charlie’s own arrangement of Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn. Edvard Grieg – Violin Sonata No. 3 Charlie Lovell-Jones (arranger) – Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn Jean Sibelius – Selected Pieces for violin and piano: Op. 79 Nos. 1 and 6, Op. 81 No. 1, Op. 102 No. 1, Op. 106 No. 2 Interval Claude Debussy – Violin Sonata Ludwig van Beethoven – Violin Sonata No. 10 Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Cowbridge

  Welsh-Ukrainian soprano Natalya Romaniw and pianist Michael Pollock join forces for a performance of heartfelt songs by Dvořák, Grieg, Strauss, Rachmaninoff and others. Hailed as ‘the outstanding soprano of her generation’ (The Telegraph), Natalya Romaniw performs across the world; for this concert she returns to Wales to make her Cowbridge debut. Antonín Dvořák – Love songs -1,2,3,6,7,8 (12-13) Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Nimfa, Gornimi tikha Vítězslav Novák – Pohádka srdce op.8 Leoš Janáček – Laska, Stalost, Rozmaryn, Muzikanti INTERVAL Edvard Grieg – from Sechs Lieder: Grüß, Dereinst gedanke mein, Zur Rosenzeit, Ein Traum Richard Strauss – Morgen, Allerseelen, Ruhe meine Seele, Ständchen, Cäcilie Sergei Rachmaninoff – Oh never sing to me again, How fair this spot, Spring water, Arion Sponsored by Richard H. Powell and Partners Limited

  For this intimate, candlelit recital, Welsh harpist Gwenllian Llŷr performs a number of works from her new recording ‘Soliloquy’. As well as Welsh folk tunes, this beautiful programme also features a composition by Gwenllian, together with other evocative works. Soliloquy Gwenllian Llŷr – Ffantasi ar Calon Lân Alexander Scriabin – Nocturne Sue Rothstein – Ar Drywydd Glas y Dorlan (In Search of the Kingfisher) Pearl Chertok – Around the Clock Suite 1. Ten Past Two; 2 Beige Nocturne; 3 Harpicide at Midnight Ralph Vaughan Williams, arr. Keziah Thomas – Fantasia on Greensleeves Haldon Evans – Ymsonau, 3 O’r Banna (Soliloquies, 3 From the Beacons) Sponsored by Tŷ Cerdd 

  The Choir of King’s College London (directed by Joseph Fort) makes its debut at the festival, with a performance of Rachmaninoff’s much loved All-Night Vigil, better known as the ‘Vespers’. With a recent recording described as ‘a performance of astonishing intensity and musicality’ (Gramophone), this promises to be a moving performance. Derri Joseph Lewis – Gobaith Sergei Rachmaninoff – All-Night Vigil

  Cowbridge Music Festival teams up once again with Children’s Musical Adventures, to present an interactive musical extravaganza. This year, children aged three to twelve years old and their families will join Merlin as he ventures across the countries that make up the United Kingdom in search of the missing Welsh song. Meet dragons, legends and more and experience live traditional music. Musical fun for all the family!

  In a new event for 2022, we celebrate the conclusion of this year’s festival with a Choral Evensong in Holy Cross Parish Church. All are very welcome at this service, which will feature much loved Welsh hymns and several choral treasures from the Anglican tradition, and which will be led by members of the Choir of King’s College London. Admission free

  This 2022 festival is brought to a rousing close by the Darius Brubeck Quartet. ‘The chemistry of this quartet has to be seen live to be appreciated . . . this band never fails to delight’ (Jazz Journal). With varied selections ranging from cowboy songs to the blues, this jazz quartet will present an exhilarating programme of music for this year’s festival finale. Sponsored by the Sugarbush Trust