Delighted to share the programme for this year’s Conwy Classical Music Festival, which takes place in our bustling church St. Mary’s and All Saints in Conwy. All concerts in our church have no fixed entry fee, with a retiring collection in support of the festival and the artists.
CONWY CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
GWYL GWERDDORIAETH GLASUROL CONWY
July 19– 26 2025 Gorffennaf 19- 26
Details correct as at March 8th, but there is the possibility that the programme may change slightly over the coming weeks. All concerts/events at St. Mary’s Church, Conwy, unless otherwise stated.
SATURDAY, JULY 19th
7.30 pm – CARLA MAFFIOLETTI – Soprano, IVAN PIRES – Piano. For over ten years Carla Maffioletti was one of the singers with Andre Rieu’s Orchestra, reaching a world-wide audience of millions. Carla was to have appeared here at the 2020 festival, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, and so we are delighted that at last we shall have the opportunity to welcome her to Conwy. Along with her fellow Brazilian, the pianist Ivan Pires, she will present a programme under the title ‘El Amor’, showcasing the expressive beauty of Spanish and Brazilian music, with its passionate rhythms and vivid storytelling. Works by Fernando Obradors, Waldemar Henrique, Claudio Santoro, Chiquinha Gonzaga and Carla Maffioletti herself will feature. With a focus on melody, rhythm and cultural expression, this recital offers an enriching exploration of the divers and vibrant landscape of Latin music.
SUNDAY, JULY 20th
4 pm – FESTIVAL EVENSONG with Cantorion Celynnin, Cantamus and members of other choirs. Joe Cooper – Conductor, Martin Brown – Organist. The music will include Herbert Sumsion’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in A and Sir Edward Bairstow’s anthem ‘Blessed city, heavenly Salem’.
7.30 pm – SIONED GWEN DAVIES – Mezzo-Soprano, IWAN OWEN – Piano. In this recital, WNO mezzo-soprano Sioned Gwen Davies explores the legacy of the legendary North Wales singer, Leila Megane, who left an indelible impression on all those who heard her perform. The programme will include works from her opera repertoire by Saint-Saens and Massenet, songs by Granville Bantock with whom she enjoyed a lively literary correspondence, and by her husband, the composer T. Osborne Roberts. Piano works composed by Osborne Roberts from his time in Llandudno, will also enliven the programme.
MONDAY, JULY 21st
1 pm – LAURA JELLICOE – Flute, LAURIE ASHWORTH – Soprano, JOHN GOUGH – Piano. ‘Birds and the Romani Life’. A delightful programme of songs and instrumental items linking the freedom of birds and the Romani Life by composers including Debussy, Michael Head and Saint-Saens. Laura Jellicoe is principal flute with the English Symphony Orchestra and plays as guest flute with many other of the UK’s leading orchestras as well as being Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy. Laurie Ashworth had a distinguished career at music college and subsequently has concentrated on recital and concert work, appearing at many of the country’s leading venues, and making numerous recordings. As well as enjoying a career as a concert pianist, chamber musician and accompanist, John Gough was for over 30 years Senior Tutor in Piano and Accompaniment at the RNCM.
7.30 pm – THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA. SARAH BRANDWOOD-SPENCER – Leader, BENJAMIN POWELL – Piano. This year the Orchestra will once again bring us an exciting programme of sparkling festival works. The evening will open with a performance of Wagner’s ever-popular Siegfried Idyll, followed by Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto, No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 with Ben Powell, who is on the staff at the Royal Northern and is much in demand as a concerto and recital pianist, as soloist. Mendelssohn visited Conwy in 1829, and it is always a delight to include his works in our programme in recognition of that link. The evening will culminate in a performance of Mozart’s magisterial Symphony No.41. in C major, K. 551, The Jupiter Symphony, which is widely regarded as among the greatest symphonies in classical music.
TUESDAY – JULY 22nd
1 pm – THE FITZSIMMON ENSEMBLE. Sarah Brandwood-Spencer – Violin, Cath Yates – Violin, Raymond Lester – Viola, Alexander Holladay – Cello, Benjamin Powell -Piano. This year the Ensemble bring us two standard works of the chamber repertoire by French composers: Ravel’s String Quartet in F major and the Piano Quintet in D minor, Op. 89, by Gabriel Faure.
3 pm – CHRISTINA MASON-SCHEUERMANN – Piano. Conwy’s very own Christina Mason-Scheuermann performs a programme of some of her favourite pieces, including works by Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov.
7.30pm – A NIGHT AT THE OPERA with ERIN GWYN ROSSINGTON – Soprano, SIONED GWEN DAVIES – Mezzo, EMYR LLOYD JONES – Tenor, STEFFAN LLOYD OWEN – Baritone, IWAN OWEN – Piano. Four of Wales’s finest young singers bring us a night of operatic gold to remember. All four received numerous prizes and scholarships during their time at music college and have been winners of the most prestigious competitions at the National and Urdd Eisteddfodau. They have performed with many leading opera companies such as WNO, SNO, Covent Garden and Opra Cymru, and at festivals such as Glyndebourne, Longborough and Buxton.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23rd
10.30 am – CALEB RHYS – Baritone, Soprano to be announced, CATHERINE BARNETT – Piano. Two young singers who are both rapidly making names for themselves on the concert platform bring you a varied programme of art songs, lieder, and song from the shows. Sit back and enjoy!
1 pm – DAVID EDWARD – Violin and Voice, GARWYN LINELL – Cello and Voice. David and Garwyn are both members of The Magic Tree Collective. At the 2024 festival they stunned us with their creative approach to combining classical and folk music, and this year will again perform an innovative programme of classical music reimagined, creating a truly unique offering for you, the listeners.
7.30 pm – LLŶR WILLIAMS – Piano. Internationally acclaimed pianist, Llŷr Williams, is without doubt one of the foremost pianists of his generation, and it is a great joy to welcome him to perform for us in Conwy. His programme will include Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 13 in Bb major, Brahms Four Klavierstucke, Op. 119, and a number of works by Schumann. The programme will conclude with Liszt’s Consolation No. 3, S.172 and some fireworks in the form of his Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514.
THURSDAY, JULY 24th
1 pm – ZOE BEYERS– Violin, CHRISTINA MASON-SCHEUERMANN – Piano. Zoe Beyers is one of the finest and most versatile violinists based in the UK and is Leader of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Concertmaster of the English Symphony Orchestra. Those of you who were at the 2023 festival will recall her magical performances of ‘The Lark Ascending’ with the Festival Orchestra and her wonderful performance of the Cesar Franck Violin Sonata with Christina Mason-Scheuermann. This year she will again team up with Christina to perform Richard Strauss’s lyrical Violin Sonata and Ernest Chausson’s much-loved ‘Poeme’.
3 pm – THE FESTIVAL LECTURE (at Neuadd Ni, Rosehill Street). VICKY MacDONALD – ‘Archbishop John Williams – Conwy’s most famous son’. John Williams was born in Chapel Street, Conwy in 1585 and rose to become Dean of Westminster, Bishop of Lincoln, Archbishop of York and Keeper of the Great Seal, the last cleric to hold this position. His career was noted for its many ups and downs, leading at one stage to a long period of imprisonment in the tower. The subject of various novels and biographies, including one by Vicky herself, his story is well worth hearing, and his name remembered in this his native place.
7.30 pm – THE CHELYS CONSORT OF VIOLS. ALISON KINDER – Director, GWENDOLEN MARTIN – Soprano, DAVID de WINTER (TBC) – Tenor. A return visit by the fantastic Chelys Consort of Viols with two of the country’s finest consort singers, this time to present a programme based around the work of Orlando Gibbons, who died 400 years ago this year in 1625. Gibbons led an extraordinary life, from working at the Chapel Royal, to contributing pieces to the first ever publication of keyboard music, to being organist at Westminster Abbey, to which post he was appointed by Conwy’s own John Williams, who was Dean of Westminster at the time. Gibbons wrote some of the best music in the repertoire for viol consort, and lots of beautiful sacred and secular vocal music. This programme celebrates the full range of his achievements, with instrumental gems, sacred pieces, and some madrigals.
FRIDAY, JULY 25th
1 pm – THE MANCHESTER ENSEMBLE. This year the Ensemble will perform an exciting programme of two contrasting works. A performance of Brahms’ wonderful String Quintet No.1 in F major, Op.88 will be followed by the String Octet by the Danish composer Niels Gade. This little-known work was composed in 1849 and is strongly influenced by the work of Mendelssohn; it might indeed well be a tribute to Mendelssohn who was Gade’s friend and mentor. Out of print for over a century it now forms a valuable and worthy addition to the scanty octet repertoire.
7.30pm – THE CHOIR OF KING’S COLLEGE, LONDON, JOSEPH FORT – Director. The Choir of King’s College, London is one of the leading university choirs in the country. They have made numerous recordings and are regularly to be heard broadcasting on BBC Radio. Two years ago, they brought us an unforgetable performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers. This year we are delighted to welcome them back with a programme entitled ‘Celtic Connections’ featuring Holst’s arrangements of Twelve Welsh Folksongs, which they will sing in Welsh, Stanford’s arrangements of Six Irish Folksongs, Geral Finzi’s ‘Seven Poems of Robert Bridges’, and John Rutter’s ‘Birthday Madrigals’. For all lovers of choral music, this is a treat not to be missed.
SATURDAY, JULY 26th
10.30am – BRANWEN MEDI JONES – Soprano, LEISA MAIR LLOYD-EDWARDS – Mezzo Soprano, CATHERINE BARNETT – Piano. Two young singers who are both rapidly making names for themselves on the concert platform bring you a varied programme of art songs, lieder, cerdd dant and song from the shows.
7.30 pm – CANTORION GOGLEDD CYMRU – THE NORTH WALES MALE CHORUS – ALED EDWARDS – Director, RUTH LLOYD OWEN – Accompanist, EIRY PRICE (TBC)– Soprano, CATHERINE BARNETT – Piano. To bring the festival to a rousing conclusion Cantorion Gogledd Cymru, the prestigious choir featuring the cream of North Wales’s male singers, will be joined by WNO mezzo soprano Eiry Price.
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