PREMIERE
The premiere of Gwanwyn (Spring) by the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Julian Perkins, director, took place on 14th March in Portland, Oregon, USA, with a second performance the next day. Alas, Rhian couldn't attend in person, but did so via the web, giving a pre-concert introduction to the piece, a work that was inspired by Vivaldi's 'Spring' from The Four Seasons. Gwanwyn may be played by either a baroque or modern ensemble; the score is soon to be published by Tŷ Cerdd. The concert will be placed on the web and will remain there for 6 weeks. Gwanwyn (Spring) will be recorded and a video later placed on Youtube.
REPEAT PERFORMANCES:
More performances of Cwmdonkin Songs (to poems by Dylan Thomas) are coming up in the next few months. James Gilchrist will sing the piece several times: at the Wigmore Hall in July, 2025 with Anna Tilbrook. piano, and before that at the Crickhowell Festival on May 5th, 2025. James will also sing the pieces later in May at St David's Cathedral and Dulwich College with Jocelyn Freeman, piano. The American baritone, Matthew Hoch, and Jonathan Levin, piano, presented the pieces in Colombia, South America, in March, and will do so again in June in Columbus, Mississippi, USA, while the CD containing the songs, issued by the Dylan Thomas Project, will appear soon. One of Rhian's most-performed choral works, Love bade me welcome (George Herbert), was sung again by New College Choir, director Robert Quinney, on 1st March at Evensong; it will be presented by Cantorion Llandrindod, conductor Hilary Cox, on 14th June in Llandrindod, Powys, along with 'Proud of my Broken Heart' from Lovesongs and Observations (Emily Dickinson).The Tender Branch was played by David Pipe at Huddersfield Town Hall on 24th March after its performance by Tom Winpenny at St Paul's Cathedral, London, last October.
EARLIER
Performances of Rhian's songs and song-cycles in autumn, 2024, included three songs from Spring Dairy (Anne Stevenson) by baritone James Atkinson with Ian Tindale, piano, at the Shipston-on-Stour Festival; Cwmdonkin Songs by tenor Chris O'Gorman & pianist David Pipe at Worcester College, Oxford, and by contralto Jess Dandy with pianist Ceri Owen at the Llandeilo Festival and The Gaze (Shakespeare) at St Laurence's Church, Catford, by Francesa Chiejina, soprano, and Jocelyn Freeman, piano.
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| The combined orchestras before the concert at the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Cardiff. |
A lovely event at the British Library on 1st May, 2024: the celebration of the acquisition of the archives of Jane Manning and Anthony Payne, hosted by Chris Scobie for the BL and presented by Steph Power. Many old friends there! Rhian's Trois chansons de Francois Villon, written years ago when she was a graduate student at Washington University, St Louis, USA, was performed impressively by Patricia Auchterlonie, soprano, and Robert Manasse, flute & piccolo.
Recent Publications
- Songscapes, three pieces for piano, pub. Tŷ Cerdd, Nov. 2024. (Around Grade 6-7 standard.)
- Cwmdonkin Songs, three songs to texts by Dylan Thomas, pub. Tŷ Cerdd, Feb. 2024. Two versions now published: (1) for medium voice; (2) for high voice.
- The Tender Branch for organ, pub. Stainer & Bell, Feb. 2024.
- Earth Newborn, four SATB pieces to poems by Edward Thomas, pub. separately by Stainer & Bell: (i) 'The Trumpet'; (ii) 'Lights Out'; (iii) 'Bright Clouds of May'; (iv) 'After Rain'.
- My Heart Beside for medium/high voice, viola and piano, three pieces to poems by Emily Dickinson, pub. Tŷ Cerdd.
- Rhyfedd, rhyfedd / Wonder, wonder (2020) for SATB chorus and organ, pub. in Vol. 3, Multitude of Voyces, ed. Louise Stewart, the Welsh text by the renowned 18th-century poet, Ann Griffiths, and the English translation by the composer. This work is also published separately by Stainer & Bell in their series, Choral Now.
- Rejoice: Fantasia on 'Victimae Paschali Laudes' for solo organ. In Gregoriana, ed. Anna Lapwood, pub. Stainer & Bell.
- Sarabande from Isolation Suite, arr. for harpsichord, on Julian Perkins's CD, From Handel's Home (Delphian).
- Ad Lucem, a 3-movement work for solo organ, played by Tom Winpenny on the organ of St Alban's Cathedral: St Albans Experience (Willowhayne Records).
- LIttle Duos for oboe and cor anglais, played by Penelope Smith and Nicola Hands, on the Tailleferre Ensemble's CD, There are Things to be Said (UA).
- Songs of Earth and Air: the vocal works of Rhian Samuel (Lorelt). A CD made by Jeremy Huw Williams, baritone, Paula Fan, piano, and instrumentalists on the Faculty of The University of Arizona. Works on the disc are Songs of Earth & Air, Spring Diary, Moon over Maenefa, Summer Songs, A Swift Radiant Morning and Rondeau. A total of 18 songs. Many thanks to Jeremy for his initiative in creating this CD, and to all who supported it, including a number of British trusts.
- Rhian's Violin Sonata, played by Mary Hofman and Richard Ormrod, on Tŷ Cerdd's disc, Unbroken Threads.