St Peter’s lunchtime organ recitals are back!

St Peter’s Church in Carmarthen will once again host a series of lunchtime organ recitals during August, showcasing an impressive line up of talent.

The ancient church is the perfect setting for the series of four Wednesday recitals which provide a truly wonderful way to spend an hour filled with music by Bach, Boyce, Handel, Franck, Rheinberger, and others, all performed on the town’s historic instrument.

The series which is entitled Organ@1 opens on August 7th with the world-renowned composer, accompanist, and teacher, Meirion Wynn Jones. Meirion was for many years a staff accompanist at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen and at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. He now pursues a freelance career as a composer, organist, and teacher with his choral and vocal works recorded and broadcast on BBC radio and S4C.

In 2011 Meirion was awarded the Musician’s Medal (Tlws y Cerddor) for composition at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Meirion’s recently commissioned works include Diptych for the Gregynog Festival, and Episcopal March: Sacerdos et Pontifex for the Enthronement of the Right Revd Dorrien Davies as 130th Lord Bishop of St Davids earlier this year. Meirion’s works are published in Wales by Curiad, SAIN and Tŷ Cerdd, in England by Novello and the RSCM, and in the USA by GIA Publications, Inc.

Fellow performers Daniel Smith, John Walton and Dr William Reynolds will also be playing during August.

An enthusiastic composer, Daniel Smith’s Four Variations on Noël Nouvelet were performed at York Minster last year, and his choral arrangement of Lully Lullah received its first performance last Christmas by the Hayfield Singers, conducted by Simon Mercer.

This work will be performed once again in December 2024 by Cor ABC in Llanbadarn Fawr. This year has also seen the writing of The Westbrook Fugue, a Bach-inspired piece dedicated to the memory of a congregation member at Llanrhystud Church.

John Walton’s musical journey includes posts at St Oswalds, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan Parish Church, and Standish Parish Church. On retirement he moved to live in New Quay in 2019, where he is a member of Tabernacle Chapel, famous for its rôle in the great Revival of 1904-05. John gives regular weekly lunchtime recitals (Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am) on the chapel organ throughout the year. He is a Fellow of the London College of Music, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.

Organ@1 concludes with a recital on August 28th by Dr William Reynolds who is Organist & Director of Music at St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Swansea; visiting music tutor at Swansea University; and Organ Curator of the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Previous church music appointments have included Organist at Christ College, Brecon, Sub-Organist at Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral, and Organ Scholar at Bangor Cathedral.

Dr Reynolds was Regional Manager (Wales) for the Royal School of Church Music, 2020-2023 and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. In 2012 he was presented with The Archbishop of Wales’ Award for Church Music, and in 2023 was made an Honorary Member of the Royal School of Church Music (HonRSCM).

Timetable of recitals
Wednesday August 7th Meirion Wynn Jones
Wednesday August 14th Daniel Smith
Wednesday August 21st John Walton
Wednesday August 28th William Reynolds
All performances are at 1pm. Tickets are £5 which includes refreshments. Everyone is welcome.