Contemporary Welsh choral music by Contemporary Music Group

Cardiff University’s Contemporary Music Group (CMG) recently performed a concert of contemporary Welsh choral music at St Augustine’s Church, Penarth.

During the week of 18 June, the CMG recorded a selection of new choral works by Welsh composers at the church, culminating in a performance on Saturday 23 June, with many of the composers whose work was performed present in the audience.

The programme, compiled by ensemble director Dr Robert Fokkens, presents a snapshot of the breadth of creative musical activity in Wales today. Performances included compositions by Max Davies, Guto Puw, Rhian Samuel and Eloise Gynn. The performance was supported by the School of Music and a grant from the Ty Cerdd “Programming Welsh Music” Lottery fund.

A review of the performance by Seen and Heard International reads “The mostly short pieces presented a wide variety of styles and techniques which had a general appeal and had attracted an audience, admittedly small, but not exclusively confined to a select body of aficionados.

“This audience was rewarded by generally excellent performances by a student body (that is, not professional singers) who had clearly been well prepared under the expert guidance of Robert Fokkens. I was pleased to learn that many of the featured works are to be included on a CD release in due course, which had been set down during the week preceding this concert.”

Dr Robert Fokkens, Director of the Contemporary Music Group said: “Our student performers were absolutely exceptional in their dedication, concentration and musicianship throughout the course of the project.”

A CD of the recordings will be released by Ty Cerdd later this year.