NEWS AND RECENT EVENTS


NEWS

Rhian's The Hare in the Moon, one of her most-performed pieces, was presented beautifully and dramatically by Llio Evans and Jâms Coleman in a guest concert at Cardiff University's School of Music on 5th March 2024.

Steven Grahl, RS & the choir of
Trinity College, Cambridge

February 2024 marked Rhian's 80th birthday (though she can't believe it!)   busy time, with  features / interviews from Stainer & Bell and Tŷ Cerdd, her main publishers, online, and on the day a surprise broadcast by the BBC Singers of 'The Trumpet' from Earth Newborn ('Breakfast Show', BBC3) and a performance of the Toccata from Ad Lucem by Tom Winpenny at St Albans Cathdral. Then on 11th February, further celebrations at Trinity College, Cambridge: the choir performed the SATB setting of Henry Vaughan's poem,  Dear Night, and a work for solo organ, The Tender Branch, was premiered by organist and director Steven Grahl.  

Donald & RS






Rhian's music was featured on 'Composer of the Week' on Thursday, 28 September, 2023, on BBC Radio 3. Rhian was one of the five Welsh women composers (although the only one living) presented as the 'Welsh Quintet'. Eight pieces were included, along with her very pleasant interview by Donald Mcleod. She was happy that her choral work, Love bade me welcome, sung by New College Choir, was aired.   


Anneke, RS &Catriona  



Music by Rhian was performed at two summer festivals in late August, 2023. At the Presteigne Festival, at Leintwardine, Fritillaries was played by Catriona Scott, clarinet, and Anneke Hodnett, harpThen at the Machynlleth Festival, the four-movement song-cycle, The Moon and I, was presented by Lotte Betts-Dean, mezzo, and Jâms Coleman, piano. Great performances!

                   
  Jâms & RS 
RS & Lotte
     










Recent Publications
  • Cwmdonkin Songs, three songs for medium voice and piano to texts by Dylan Thomas, pub. Tŷ Cerdd, Feb. 2024
  • The Tender Branch for organ, pub. Stainer & Bell, Feb. 2024.
  • Earth Newborn, a set of four pieces pub. separately by Stainer & Bell: 'The Trumpet', 'Lights Out', 'Bright Clouds of May' and 'After Rain'.
  • My Heart Beside for medium/high voice, viola and piano, three pieces to poems by Emily Dickinson, pub. Tŷ Cerdd.  The first of these was premiered at the Wigmore Hall in October 2022.
  • Rhyfedd, rhyfedd / Wonder, wonder (2020) for SATB chorus and organ, pub. 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 has now also been 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.
Works on Recent CDs  
  • 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) (see above).
  • 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 DiaryMoon 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, launched at Powis Hall, Bangor, on 5th September, 2022.