Many composers are working in the classical idiom in Wales, and probably the best known is Karl Jenkins, with Guto Puw receiving popular acclaim with the Radio 3 Listeners' Award in the 2007 British Composer Awards. Distinguished composers from the past include Joseph Parry, Grace Williams, William Mathias and Alun Hoddinott.
, Cardiff is Wales' national concert hall, with frequent classical concerts including those of its Orchestra in Residence, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã National Orchestra of Wales. The orchestra now also has its own purpose-built smaller venue, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Hoddinott Hall, at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. The Donald Gordon Hall at the , and in Llandudno all provide large-scale, fine performance venues for all kinds of music and music theatre.
Educational establishments provide programmes of events in their performance spaces. These include , 's Powis Hall and Prichard-Jones Hall; and the in Cardiff.
Throughout the summer, Wales is very well served by music festivals, large and small, catering for a very wide range of musical tastes. There's Bryn Terfel's four-day Faenol Festival; the two-week ; the internationally-renowned contemporary music festival; smaller scale events festivals such as and festivals, representing just a cross-section of the many and varied events available.
Wales has become a major destination for competitions, attracting international classical talent scouts looking to sign up the next big star. As well as hosting the long-established Ö÷²¥´óÐã Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Wales has also been home to the for young violinists, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Young Musician of the Year and . So, with all this classical talent coming up through Wales, the future looks very bright!
Words: Viv Goldberg
