With the Cardiff and Swansea seasons brought to successful closes, you might think there would be a bit of a let up at BBC National Orchestra of Wales HQ prior to the onslaught of the Proms. And there sort of is - with a lovely week of annual leave just hovering on the horizon. However, that oasis of free time is sandwiched in between many festival appearances for the orchestra, in what promises to be a very busy June and July.
This week, just before I pack my suitcase to head back to be fed and watered by my parents for that blessed week of annual leave, we have two exciting projects.
Thomas Søndergård
Firstly, we will be the orchestra for the final of the Welsh Singer Competition. This competition falls in the year in between Cardiff Singer of the World and is used to choose the Welsh competitor for the main Cardiff Singer competition. This year's Welsh Singer finalists are: soprano Menna Cazel Davies, soprano Céline Forrest, mezzo soprano Samantha Price and mezzo soprano Eirlys Myfanwy Davies.
We are delighted that our Principal Conductor, Thomas Søndergård will be taking the baton for next year's Cardiff Singer of the World competition. He has won much acclaim in operatic circles for his work with the Royal Danish Orchestra, in particular for the premiere of Poul Ruders' Kafka's Trial, and was himself the timpanist of that orchestra before making the transition to the podium. It will be our first opportunity to get a bit more 'in depth' in the genre with him.
The contest can be heard live on Monday evening on BBC Radio Cymru and highlights will also be available on S4C.
Jac van Steen
At the end of the week, along with conductor Jac van Steen, we travel to Aberystwyth for a performance at the Gregynog Festival which can be heard live on Radio 3 on Friday evening. This is the first time that I have been to play at the festival which attracts some of the very finest international artists, so I’m looking forward to the experience (though it's a rather tricky programme!), and really wish I could stay on to hear the Nash Ensemble perform the following evening.
In this centenary year of the outbreak of World War One the Gregynog Festival this year explores the theme of War. We will be playing a programme that includes music by Belgian composers with Welsh connections through their exile here during WW1.
Behind the scenes with NOW in the airplane hangar
On a slightly different note, there are now some more details available for the BBC Ten Pieces project that the orchestra has been involved in. You can even get a sneak peek of us being film stars in a big airplane hangar - though you'll have to watch very closely to get a glimpse of me!
Ten Pieces
If you have school age children, is their school involved? Let us know! It promises to be a great, long-term project that will see Britain's school children getting creative on a national scale - through music, movement and art.
The Orchestra will perform at the final of the Welsh Singer Competition at St David’s Hall, Cardiff at 7.30pm on Monday 23 June.
Further information on Gregynog Festival.
Find out about BBC Ten Pieces.
