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Recent Projects - 2011

CCVOGYO in Cardiff BBC Hoddinott Hall 2011

December 2011: Alun was the principal percussionist in Mahler's Symphony No 6 performed by Cardiff & The Vale of Glamorgan Youth Orchestra at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff under the direction of Eric Phillips.

Note: Cardiff & The Vale of Glamorgan Youth Orchestra were one of the 5 finalists for the Gramophone Music In The Community Award 2011 in association with The Times and Making Music.

December 2011: Alun was invited to play with the National Youth Symphonic Brass Wales under the direction of Adrian Partington in BBC Cymru Wales' Annual Carol Concert with music from the BBC National Chorus of Wales, school choirs and readings by Radio Wales presenters. This concert was recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio Wales on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

November 2011: This month saw Alun supporting the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra. The concert celebrated the life and work of John Alldis, who conducted and inspired members of Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra from 1971 to 2004. The programme, conducted by Robin Browning, included Malcolm Williamson's Santiago de Espada; Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 3 featuring BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008 finalist Erdem Misirlioglu; and concluded with Brahms' 4th Symphony.

October 2011: Alun has been out and about playing with local music groups this month. Highlights were performing Haydn's Creation with the London Youth Opera and performing Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky and Rachmaninov's The Bells with the Canterbury Choral Society in Canterbury Cathedral.

October 2011: Alun made his debut performance with the RCM Symphony Orchestra to perform Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. The Orchestra was joined by the RCM Chorus for the concert and the conductor was Paul Daniel, one of the UK's finest opera conductors.

September 2011: Alun is awarded the Associate level Diploma, with Distinction, by Trinity College London (ATCL).

He chose the following pieces for his performance:

◊ Flying by Lin Chin Cheng

◊ Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel, arr. James Ancona. This is a duet for marimba and vibraphone which he performed with Carina Evans

◊ Suite Concertante for Timpani by David Hext

◊ Hombre d'Aout by Eric Sammut

◊ Dance for Five Drums by Jan Bradley

NYOW in Cardiff St David's Hall 2011

August 2011: Residential course and tour with National Youth Orchestra of Wales. The course, based at the University of Wales in Lampeter gave Alun the opportunity of working with Chris Stock, Principal Percussionist with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, as well as with internationally renowned conductor Takuo Yuasa. The demanding programme, which included Hilary Tann's From the Feather to the Mountain and Prokofiev's 5th Symphony, was taken on tour to Trinity St David, Lampeter; William Aston Hall, Wrexham; The Sage, Gateshead; Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester finishing at St David's Hall, Cardiff.

July 2011: Alun performed with the Cardiff & The Vale of Glamorgan Youth Orchestra Concert in Llandaff Cathedral under the baton of Eric W.Phillips. The programme included Verdi's Overture from La Forza Del Destino; Mussorgsky's A Night on a Bare Mountain; and Saint Saens' Symphony No 3 in C Minor "Organ Symphony" featuring Huw Tregelles Williams playing the newly installed Nicholson Organ.

Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur

July 2011: Wells Cathderal School's Brass and Percussion tour to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tour involved a concert and masterclass with Bentley's Music Academy; a reception at The British High Commission and ended with a joint concert with The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's Encounter Ensemble in the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas at the famous Petronas Twin Towers.

July 2011: Wells Cathedral School's Ferio Percussion Ensemble performed in the Royal College of Music's first ever Festival of Percussion. The Ensemble chose to play the Scherzo from Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony arr. by Gordon Peters and Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel, arr. by James Ancona. This was an action packed day with master classes by Adrian Bending, Dave Adams, Anthony Kerr, Kevin Nutty, Daniella Ganeva, Peter Erskine and Matt Perry. The BBC Symphony Orchestra's timpani and percussion sections gave their own spin of the great orchestral repertoire. The College's own drumline. the Redhocks, performed as well as the RCM Big Band. This was an immense day and make a note in your diary - the RCM have confirmed that the Festival of Percussion will run again in 2012 on 8th July.

Wells Cathedral

July 2011: Alun made his final appearance with the Wells Cathedral School's Symphony Orchestra on 8th July 2011. The concert, the last in the 2010/11 Prestige Concert season, had one of the boldest programmes the Symphony Orchestra has ever performed. The concert opened with Roussel's colourful ballet music from Bacchus et Ariane, followed by Danish composer Grondahl's celebrated Trombone Concerto with soloist Michael Buchanan. The modern theme continued in the second half with Livre Pour Orchestre composed in 1968 by Polish composer Lukoslawski, and closed with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, originally commissioned by Diaghilev for his Ballets Russes.The Conductor was Christopher Adey.

July 2011: Brass Gala Chamber Music Concert at St Thomas' Church, Wells where Alun played the marimba in the duet Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel, arr. by Safri Duo accompanied by Carina Evans on vibes.

June 2011: New Music Concert at Wells Cathedral School featuring music composed between 1971 and 2011. Alun played vibes in Tom Goff's 'As the Water' and snare drum and "spoons" in Howard Skempton's 'Gemini Dances'.

May 2011: Percussion Department Concert at Wells Cathedral School. This was Alun's last appearance at this annual concert as a member of the school's "Ferio" and "Collegium" percussion ensembles and he chose Lin Chin Cheng's beautiful melodic marimba solo 'Flying' for his finale.

The ensemble programme for the evening included:

April 2011: Performed Shostakovich's Festive Overture op.96 and Symphony No. 6 op.54 with Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Youth Orchestra in The Church of St Andrew & St Teilo, Cardiff. The conductor was Eric W.Phillips.

Hong Kong Academy For The Performing Arts

April 2011: Brass and Percussion tour to Hong Hong as Ambassadors of Wells Cathedral School. The tour involved concerts and masterclasses at Wah Yan College, Kowloon and West Island School and a workshop with Alan Cumberland. The highlight of the tour was the Virtuosi concert at The Hong Kong Academy For The Performing Arts where Alun performed Lin Chin Cheng's 'Flying' and Ravel's 'Alborada del Gracioso' to a packed and appreciative audience.

The programme for the demanding tour included:

◊ Flying by Lin Chin Cheng - marimba solo

◊ Hombre d'Aout by Eric Sammut - marimba solo

◊ Virginia Tate by Paul Smadbeck - marimba solo

◊ Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel, arr. Safri Duo - marimba duet with Carina Evans

◊ Divertimento by Ney Rosauro for marimba and vibes with Carina Evans on vibes

◊ They Can't Take That Away From Me by George and Ira Gershwin arr. Astrand with Carina Evans on vibes

◊ Pramantha by Arthur Lipner - playing vibes with Carina Evans on marimba

◊ Rag Burlesque by Kenneth Gange - Brass and Percussion ensemble

◊ Mission Impossible by Lalo Shifrin - Brass and Percussion ensemble

◊ Hiplips2 by Lespe Pearson - kit supporting Brass quintet

◊ Little Brown Jug by Joseph Winner arr. Glen Miller - kit supporting Brass quintet

◊ Fascinating Rhythm by George Gershwin - kit supporting Brass quintet

◊ I've Got Rhythm by George Gershwin - kit supporting Brass quintet

April 2011: Wells Cathedral Brass and Percussion Festival. Highlights included:

Llandaff Cathderal

February 2011: Performed Vaughan Williams' 'A London Symphony' and Dvorak's 'Carnival Overture' with Wells Cathedral School Symphony Orchestra in Llandaff Cathedral and Wells Cathedral under the baton of Christopher Adey.