What better way to celebrate St David’s Day than with rousing music by iconic Welsh composers, performed by the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales?
Taking place in Brangwyn Hall, Swansea at 7:30PM on Thursday 29 February, the concert will celebrate the 80th birthday of one of Wales’ most legendary composers, Sir Karl Jenkins. Born in Swansea, Jenkins is famed for being one of the most performed living composers in the world and this concert sees the UK Premiere of his saxophone concerto, Stravaganza, written for and performed by the sensational saxophonist, Jess Gillam.
Stravaganza explores themes of the carnival and extravagant fantasy in four movements, with a certain eccentricity or quirkiness pervading throughout. The concertos soloist Jess Gillam, has been forging her own adventurous path since she shot to fame as the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year, and is the youngest ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the BBC Proms.
BBC NOW will also celebrate 90 years since William Mathias’ birth with his Holiday Overture, written in 1971 specially for BBC NOW, and it wouldn’t be St David’s Day without any singing, so BBC National Chorus of Wales and the National Youth Choir of Wales take centre stage in Jenkins’ Dewi Sant, and a medley of your favourite Welsh tunes - Help us raise the roof on our national day by joining in for this magnificent singalong. Conducted by the young Italian-Turkish Nil Venditti, this concert promises to be a spectacular occasion for Welsh music fans!
Tickets start at £5 for students and those aged 26 and under and are available to purchase via the BBC National Orchestra of Wales website.