Past Events

In 2021 Hay Music was ten years old

We celebrated Hay Music’s tenth anniversary at our annual Friends and Patrons party on 3 September 2021 with a toast and the cutting of a delicious lemon cake kindly donated by Olwen and Peter Roberts and cut with due ceremony and expertise by Hay Music’s founder John Stark and Gwen.

Prior to this, our August ‘Mini-Festival’ was designed to attract an audience from Hay’s summer visitors, and we did indeed see a number of new faces, as well as ‘regulars’. With its diverse programme of events, the festival aimed to provide something to attract everyone including 6 to 11 year olds.  

From tentative beginnings Hay Music has grown into a flourishing and ambitious music society and has hosted many high profile musicians as well as exceptionally talented young performers in the early stages of their careers. Our philosophy has always been to bring high quality chamber music to Hay whilst keeping ticket prices as low as possible.  During the pandemic we did our best to provide a substitute for live concerts with a programme of online concerts, talks and interactive chats with musicians but we are now returning, cautiously, to live concerts and appreciating more than ever the unique pleasure of sharing the same space with our performers and reflecting the joy they are experiencing in once again making music for live audiences.

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In July 2019 Hay Music marked its One Hundredth Concert with three contrasting events



CoMA London Ensemble

A weekend’s ‘Celebration of Music in Hay’ to mark Hay Music’s One Hundredth Concert began on Saturday evening, 13 July, with a concert at Hay Primary School featuring the CoMA (Contemporary Music for All) London Ensemble and children from the school - the youngest performers to play in a Hay Music concert. The programme comprised a varied group of pieces, all by living composers - Kirsty Devaney, Gregory Rose, Philip Cashian, Piers Hellawell, Simon Speare, Peter McGarr and Dominic Murcott - chosen to illustrate the wide range of styles that have emerged over the years. All the pieces were Welsh premieres! Music director of CoMA London Ensemble since 1999, this was Gregory Rose’s last concert as conductor as he continues with many other projects including composition.

The CoMA London Ensemble

The CoMA London Ensemble

Rachel Podger and Kristian Bezuidenhout

In complete contrast, on Sunday afternoon, 14 July, Rachel Podger (baroque violin) and Kristian Bezuidenhout (harpsichord) gave a recital in a packed St Mary’s Church of music of the 18th century - pieces by J S Bach, C P E Bach and Handel. Their music making was completely enthralling and we were honoured to have these two world renowned musicians play for our one hundredth concert. It was particularly appropriate since Rachel has been most encouraging and supportive of Hay Music since its very beginnings.

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Rachel podger and Kristian Bezuidenhout at St Mary’s Church, Hay

‘Private Passions’: a conversation with John Stark

The final event of this landmark celebration took place on Saturday afternoon, 20 July when a large audience of loyal Hay Music supporters gathered in the elegant music room at Dorstone House for a Hay Music version of ‘Private Passions’, a tribute to Radio 3’s popular Sunday midday programme in which Michael Berkeley talks to well known figures about the part music has played in their personal lives.

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Nick Gethin, cellist with the London Symphony Orchestra for many years, talked to Hay Music’s founder, John Stark, with Michael Hession in his new role of DJ playing music extracts on his fine Hi-Fi system. John described his somewhat haphazard early introduction to classical music and, with many insights and humorous anecdotes, his later musical interests and influences.

Please go to PAST - MORE for a resumé of John and Nick’s conversation and for a list of music from which extracts were played.


Past Events

Key to venues:

B = Richard Booth's Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye

BC = Richard Booth's Bookshop Cinema, Hay-on-Wye

D = Dorstone House, Dorstone

St M = St Mary's Church, Hay-on-Wye

C = The Castle, Hay-on-Wye

HCPS = Hay County Primary School

S = The Swan Hotel, Hay-on-Wye

G = The Globe at Hay

L = Llanigon

T= The Mill, Talgarth

2024

January (St M) György Ligeti centenary. The Ligeti Quartet: Freya Goldmark - violin, Patrick Dawkins - violin, Richard Jones - viola, Val Welbanks - cello. Concert preceded by two introductory events: documentary film All Clouds are Clocks and discussion and screening of 2001 A Space Odyssey

February (St M) Emilie Capulet - piano

March (The Castle) The Mikeleitz-Zucchi Duo: David Zucchi - saxophone, Iñigo Mikeleitz-Berrade, accordion

March (The Globe at Hay) The Mikeleitz-Zucchi Duo: David Zucchi - saxophone, Iñigo Mikeleitz-Berrade, accordion

2023

January (St M) Jayson Gillham - piano

February (St M) The Theorbo Today Project: Toby Carr - theorbo, May Robertson - baroque violin, Lucine Musaelian - bass viol, Michael Keen - harpsichord and recorder, Felicity Hayward - soprano, Janet Oates - soprano and director

March (St M) Thomas Bowes - violin and Verona Maier - piano

April (St M) The Solem Quartet - Amy Tress - violin, William Newell - violin, Stephen Upshaw - viola, Stephanie Tress - cello

May (St M) The National Opera Studio: Ffion Edwards - soprano (indisposed), Philip Clieve - tenor, Felix Gygli - baritone, Shakira Tsindos - mezzo-soprano, Elli Welsh - piano

June (C) Rozenn Le Trionnaire - clarinet and Jérémy Simon - accordion

July (C) The Amarylli Duo - Elizabeth Pallett - lute and Hannah Grove - soprano

July (St M) Rolf Hind - piano

August (C) The Albion Brass Consort - Peter Rudeforth - trumpet, John MacDomnic - trumpet, Jo Withers - French horn, Mark Easener - tuba, Andy Flaxman - trombone

August (C) Michael Poll - guitar

October (C) Trio Kurtág - Juliette Roos - violin, Yume Fujise - viola, Eliza Millett - cello

November (St M) The Sacconi Quartet - Ben Hancox - violin, Hannah Dawson - violin, Robin Ashwell - viola, Cara Berridge - cello with William Howard - piano.

December (St M) The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, Director Graham Ross


2022

April (St M) The Sirinu Ensemble - Sara Stowe - high voice/percussion, Lewis Spring - alto voice/medieval fiddle/citole, Matthew Spring - medieval lute/hurdy-gurdy/percussion, Kira Thomas - recorders/shawm/early wind, Jon Banks - medieval harp. ‘Music for a Medieval Castle’ celebrating the reopening of Hay Castle.

April (St M) Tom Poster - piano. In associaton with St Mary’s Church, Hay-on-Wye

May (St M) Maki Sekiya and Ilya Chetverikov: Music for Two Pianos - a Hay Festival lunchtime recital

May (St M) The Mavron String Quartet - Christiana Mavron - violin, Rachel Briton - violin, Niamh Aston - viola, Beatrice Newman - cello - a Hay Festival lunchtime recital

June (St M) The Tippett Quartet - Thomas Bowes (in place of John Mills) - violin, Jeremy Isaac – violin, Lydia Lowndes-Northcott - viola, Bozidar Vukotic - cello with Emma Abbatte - piano

July (St M) Llŷr Williams - piano.

August (D) Daniel Norman - Tenor and Huw Watkins - piano

August (C) A4 Brass Quartet - Jamie Smith - cornet, Jonathan Bates - tenor horn, Mike Cavenagh - baritone horn, Chris Robertson - euphonium

October (St M) Ruth Wall - harp and composer Graham Fitkin

November (St M) Akkordeon Baroque - Loré Lixenberg - mezzo-soprano and Bartosz Glowacki - accordion

December (C) HEXAD - Betty Makharinsky - soprano, Anna Semple - mezzo-soprano, Jonathan Darbourne - countertenor, Daniel Gethin - countertenor/director, Gopal Kambo - tenor, Christopher Fitzgerald-Lombard - tenor, Simon Grant - baritone, Piers Connor Kennedy - bass


2021

January (Online) Adam Busiakiewicz - Lute/Lecture - ’Queen of Instruments: The Lute within the Old Masters’

January (Online) Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music, in conversation with Mick Peake

March - April (Online) ‘Coping with Change: Two Views of the Professional Classical Music World’. A discussion with Nick Gethin and Paul Keene

March - April (Online) The Flora Brass Quintet: Gregor Spence - Tuba, Bethany Peck - Trombone, Cerys Mair Hughes - Flugel Horn/Cornet, Josie Allen - Cornet/Trumpet, Charley Green - Tenor Horn (including online chat with the musicians). Presented in association with Wye Valley Music

April (Online) ‘Self-accompanied Singing in Classical Music: Reviving a Lost Tradition’: an illustrated talk by Lucy Green, Emerita Professor of Music Education, University College London

April - May (Online) Max Baillie - violin and Robin Michael - cello. Discussion and performance of Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello (including online chat with the musicians). Presented in association with Wye Valley Music, Evesham and District Music Club and Allcomers Music

May - June (Online) Lucy Russell and Alan George of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet in conversation with John Stark

May - June (Online) Darragh Morgan - Violin and Mary Dullea - Piano (including online chat with the musicians). Presented in association with Wye Valley Music

June - July (Online) Amy Norrington - Cello and Piet Kuijken - Piano

June (St M) The Choir of Clare College Cambridge

July (G) ‘A Passage from India’ - Barrie Gavin’s film on composer Brian Elias

July (St M) The Rautio Piano Trio with composer Brian Elias

August (St M/G) Hay Music Mini-Festival 2021: Children’s Percussion Workshop with Chris Brannick; The Oriole Quartet - Henry Chandler - Violin, Tim Lowe - Cello, John Paul Ekins - Piano, Poppy Beddoe - Clarinet with composer Andrew Morris; The Flora Brass Quintet: Gregor Spence - Tuba, Bethany Peck - Trombone, Cerys Mair Hughes - Flugel Horn/Cornet, Josie Allen - Cornet/Trumpet, Charley Green - Tenor Horn; ‘The Bloody Brothers’ - percussion, keyboad, voice - with Chris and Antony Brannick; The Odora Piano Trio - Sophine Hinson - Violin, Harriet Butterworth - Cello and Songeun Choi - Piano

September (H) The Wisteria Saxophone Quartet - Jessica Taylor - Soprano Sax, Meg Glover - Alto Sax, Olivia Madaffari - Tenor Sax, Hannah Garnett Baritone Sax

October (St M) Maki Seiya - Piano

November (St M) The Ligeti Quartet - Christopher Jones - Guest Violin I, Patrick Dawkins - Violin II, Richrard Jones - Viola, Val Welbanks - Cello

December (St M) HEXAD - Anna Semple - mezzo-soprano, Daniel Gethin - countertenor/director, Gopal Kambo - tenor, Jack Granby - tenor, Simon Grant - baritone, Piers Connor Kennedy - bass


2020

January (B) Laura Snowden - Guitar

February (HCPS) ensemblebash - Percussion Quartet - Richard Banjafield, Chris Brannick, Stephen Hiscock, Catherine Ring

March (S) The Solem Quartet: Amy Tress - Violin, William Newell - Violin, Stephen Upshaw - Viola, Stephanie Tress - Cello

July (Online) Tom Service - A virtual ‘Hay Music Cocktail Hour’ - Zoom talk and questions and answers with Tom for Friends and Patrons

September (Online) Ruth Wall - Harp and Graham Fitkin - Composer (including online chat with the musicians)

September - October (Online) Loré Lixenberg - Mezzo-soprano, Bartosz Glowacki - Accordion (including online chat with the musicians)

December - June 2021 (Online) Jayson Gillham - piano. Presented in association with Evesham and District Music Club


2019

January (St M) Patrick Hemmerlé - Piano

February (B) Robin Michael - Cello

March (St M) Milly Forrest - Soprano, Jo Ramadan - Piano

April (BC) Alice Earll - Violin

May (St M) The Crayford, Clemmow, Welsh Piano Trio (in association with St Mary’s Church)

May (St M) William Howard - Piano (a Hay Literary Festival event)

June (BC) Tippett Book Event

June (D) Raphael Wallfisch - Cello, John York - Piano

July (HCPS) CoMA London Ensemble

July (St M) Rachel Podger - Violin, Kristian Bezuidenhout - Harpsichord

July (D) John Stark in ‘Private Passions’

August (D) Ilya Kondratiev - Piano

September (St M) String Trio Plus - Max Baillie - Violin, Ruth Gibson - Viola, Robin Michael - Cello, William conway - Cello

October (St M) National Opera Studio: Ana-Maria Bacanu - Soprano, Ann Taylor - Mezzo-soprano’, John Pierce - Tenor, Jake Muffett - Baritone and Emily Hooker - Piano

November (B) The Eusebius String Quartet: Beatrice Philips - Violin, Venetia Jollands - Violin, Hannah Shaw - Viola, Hannah Sloane - Cello

December (St M) The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge


2018

January (B) The Consone Quartet

February (B) 'Oriental Miscellay' Jane Chapman - Harpsichord, Yu-Wei Hu - Flute

March (HCPS) Sirinu with composer Howard Skempton

April - Festival (St M/S/B/St M) Fitzwilliam String Quartet, Dragonfly String Trio, Anna Tilbrook - Piano

June (B) Zoe Martlew - Cello, Finnegan Downie-Dear - Piano

July (B) Alena Baeva - Violin, Lilli Maijala - Viola, Amy Norrington - Cello

July (B) The Solem Quartet

August (D) Clare Hammond - Piano

September (D) Fidelio Piano Trio

October (St M) Voskresenije Choir of St Petersburg

November (St M) Amyas Duo (Emily Baines and Arngeir Hauksson), Duo Maddalena (Janet Oates and Lucy Green)

December (St M) Elin Manahan Thomas - Soprano, Elizabeth Kenny - Lute and Theorbo


2017

January (B) Rhiannon Llewellyn - Soprano, Laura Snowden - Guitar

February (B) André Pereira - Violin, Josh Salter - Cello

March - Festival (St M/B/St M) Fitzwilliam String Quartet, Dragonfly String Trio, Members of Sinfonia Cymru

April (St M) Chris Brannick - Percussion, Sara Stowe - Soprano

June (St M) The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge

July (St M) The Solem Quartet

August (B) The Camilli String Quartet

September (D) Emma Abbate, Julian Perkins - Piano Duo

October (D) Jayson Gillham - Piano

October (St M) Marsyas Trio

November (St M) The Schubert Ensemble


2016

January (St M) Rachel Podger - Baroque Violin, Chad Kelly - Harpsichord

February (St M) Duo Concertante (Nancy Dahn - Violin, Timothy Steeves - Piano)

April - Festival (St M/B/St M) Fitzwilliam String Quartet, Dragonfly String Trio, Tom Wilkinson - Organ, Members of Sinfonia Cymru

June (D) The Rautio Piano Trio

July (D) Clare Hammond - Piano

August (C) Enigma Duo (Katherine Thomas - Harp, Laurence Kempton - Violin)

September (D) James Gilchrist - Tenor, Anna Tilbrook - Piano

October (St M) Voskesrenije Choir of St Petersburg

November (B) Dragonfly String Trio

December (B) Ligeti String Quartet with Peter Florence


2015

January (B) Maciek/James - Clarinet/Piano Duo

February (B) Newbold/Thomas - Flute/Harp Duo

March (B) Welsh National Opera Chorus Members

April - Festival (St M/B/D) Fitzwilliam String Quartet with Dragonfly and Friends

July (D) Lee/Baek - Violin/Piano Duo

August (C) Scherzo Brass Quintet

August (C) Flourish Wind Quintet

October (St M) St Petersburg Chamber Choir

October (St M) Edgar Speyer Concert - Jeremy Fisher - Piano, John Hymas - Violin, Hannah Grove - Soprano, Olivia Gomez - Mezzo-soprano

November (B) Zoltan String Trio

December (St M) Choir of Clare College Cambridge


2014

February (B) Sterling Trio - Flute, Clarinet and Keyboard

March (B) Fitzwilliam String Quartet

April (B) Dragonfly Ensemble

May (B) Tre Voci - Cello Trio

July (C) Flourish Wind Quintet

August (B) Jones/Maruri - Cello/Guitar Duo

September (B) Kiel Baroque Ensemble

September (D) Jayson Gillham - Piano

November (B) Dragonfly (Crayford, Meszaros,Welsh)

December (B) Tom Guthrie - Baritone, Johan Löfving - Guitar


2013

February (B) Harmonie Musik - Wind Quintet

March (B) Michael Jones - Cello

April (T) Julian Boyce - Baritone

May (St M) Choir of Hereford Cathedral School

June (B) Wingate Ensemble - Flute and Strings

July (D) Tianhong Yang - Piano

September (B) Sian Winstanley - Soprano, Stephen Gordon - Guitar

October (B) Janacek Film with Castalia Quartet

November (D) Jayson Gillham - Piano

December (B) Mavron String Quartet


2012

January (B) Cambrian String Quartet

February (B) Caird Oboe Quartet

March (B) Catherine Hughes - Welsh Folk Songs

April (L) Ivan Ilic - Piano

May (B) Fitzwilliam String Quartet

July (B) SILD - Estonian and Welsh Folk Music

August (B) Downes/Jefferis - Violin/Cello Duo

September (D) Gagliano Piano Quartet

October (B) Castalia String Quartet

November (B) Moray Welsh - Cello

December (B) Music for Viols and Voice


2011

April (B) Sterling Wind and Keyboard Trio

May (B) Aquarelle Guitar Quartet

July (B) Castalia String Quartet

July (B) Thomas/Kempton - Harp/Violin Duo

August (B) Louise Thomson - Harp

September (B) Rory Russell - Guitar

October (B) Alexander/Newbold - Bassoon/Flute duo

November (B) Handel German Songs

December (B) Gagliano String Trio