Premiere of music written by Prince Albert at festival

MUSIC written to celebrate King Charles’ 75th birthday will be performed publicly in Wales for the first time at a leading festival.

- STAFF REPORTER

A selection of seven songs written by one of the King’s ancestors, Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, have been orchestrated and arranged by royal composer Paul Mealor, the artistic director of the North Wales International Music Festival.

They will be given their Welsh premiere at a concert at St Asaph Cathedral featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and renowned tenor Gwilym Bowen at 7pm on Friday, September 19.

The performance will be recorded live for both BBC Radio 3 and Radio Cymru.

The festival, which is on from September 11 to 20, has been made possible thanks to the backing of headline sponsors the Pendine Park care organisation via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, which supports community and arts activities.

Support is also being provided by main grant funders the Arts Council of Wales, Arts & Business Cymru, Ty Cerdd and Salisburys Chartered Accountants.

Prof Mealor has composed music for some of the most important state and royal occasions of the last decade, including the Kyrie, which was the first time that the Welsh language featured at a coronation and was sung beautifully by Sir Bryn Terfel at the King’s coronation in 2023.