Artistic Director’s Introduction
John Metcalf
2011 marks a watershed for the Festival. Twenty years since we embarked on a policy of focussing solely on the music of living composers we are allowing ourselves a brief moment to look back on what has been a rich and fulfilling period of exploration. Thus the 2011 programme contains the names of some familiar composers (among them, Glass, Pärt, Reich and Vasks) and performers – not least the BBC National Orchestra of Wales whose regular presence is highly prized by us. We also welcome back truly one of the world’s great choirs, the Latvian Radio Choir who give the opening concert at St. Augustine’s Church. The phenomenal piano duo of Jeroen and Sandra van Veen offer two highly distinctive and contrasting programmes and our performing roster is completed by a gala concert which features three artists who are making a profound commitment to new music in Wales – Elinor Bennett, Matthew Jones and Jeremy Huw Williams.
Contrary to first impressions this is however a case, as the French say, of ‘reculer pour mieux avancer’ – retreating in order better to advance. During the Festival we’ll be making a detailed formal announcement about exciting future plans, major changes and developments. Friends of the Festival will hear of these plans first at a champagne reception prior to the gala concert at Fonmon Castle on Wednesday 7th and they will be announced publicly at a Press Conference at the Wales Millennium Centre the following day. Furthermore, scattered within this year’s programmes are works by composers we’ll be featuring in 2012 and beyond, offering audiences a first hearing of composers who will subsequently be the subject of major features.
I’m writing this very shortly after the Royal Wedding at which Paul Mealor’s Ubi Caritas made such a strong impression. This prompts a couple of reflections. Contemporary music of a high standard can reach a large audience. For this and other reasons the future for new music in Wales suddenly looks much brighter. The featuring of five Welsh composers in this year’s programme and the special film and music performance on Friday 9th from the new Dora Stoutzker Hall at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama are testimony to this. And are we now pleased that we have a world premiere by Paul Mealor in this year’s programme? Yes. So there are good reasons to attend these concerts. Here are unique programmes containing exciting new music played by world-class performers in distinctive and atmospheric venues.
John Metcalf, May 2011