NEWS
Concert at the RAM (London) by the Tailleferre Ensemble to launch their new CD, There are Things to be Said, on 25th February, 2023: great to see (and hear) such a talented all-female line-up! Penelope Smith and Nicola Hands, founders of the ensemble, played Rhian's Little Duos for oboe and cor anglais.
Dear Night (2021) for unaccompanied SATB choir with soprano solo was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 9th February, 2023, as part of the Afternoon Concert. It was beautifully performed by the BBC Singers, conducted by James Sherlock. A setting of a text by the metaphysical poet, Henry Vaughan, it was recently published by Stainer & Bell.
A River, for soprano, baroque or modern oboe, viol (or cello) and harpsichord, an audience commission from the Walthamstow Music in the Village concert series in 2008, was performed there again (in the early-instrument version) on January 25th, 2023. Gillian Keith was the featured singer.
Gregoriana, an anthology of organ music ed. Anna Lapwood, pub. Stainer & Bell, has received the Presto Music 'New Publication of the Year' Award. It contains Rhian's Rejoice: Fantasia on 'Victimae Paschali Laudes' for solo organ.
In October 2022 Rhian attended the festival, 'L'Ombra Illuminata: Donna nella Musica', as the featured guest at the 'Conservatorio Niccolò Piccinni' in Bari, Italy. Several of her works were wonderfully performed there. Before the concert she was interviewed on stage by Prof. Mariacarla De Giorgi, University of Salento. Later in the month, at the Wigmore Hall in London, Summer's Leave, was premiered by Elgan Llŷr Thomas, tenor, Rosalind Ventris, viola and Ian Tindale, piano, in a concert to celebrate the Ludlow Festival.
Recent Publications
- Earth Newborn, 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. Ty 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 (see above)
- 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 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, launched at Powis Hall, Bangor, on 5th September, 2022.