Two of Wales' most celebrated musical forces—the Nantwen Ensemble and former Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, Alis Huws—are joining forces this August for a special national tour marking the 80th birthday of legendary Welsh composer John Metcalf MBE. The tour will bring Metcalf's most beloved chamber works to audiences across the country, starting on home turf at the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire.
A Composer of National Stature
Born in Swansea in 1946, John Metcalf is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished composers working in Wales today. His prolific output spans opera, orchestral music, choral works and chamber pieces, earning him a reputation for emotional depth and lyrical beauty. Metcalf has been a longstanding friend of the Nantwen Ensemble; his String Quintet Songs without Words—commissioned with support from Tŷ Cerdd—received its premiere at the Nantwen Chamber Music Festival in 2023. This tour reunites the ensemble with that work alongside three other pieces.
The Programme and Performers
The tour features four of Metcalf's compositions: Songs without Words (for string quintet, commissioned by Nantwen and funded by Tŷ Cerdd), Mapping Wales (for string quartet and harp, commissioned by Lampeter Music Club), Paths of Song, and Castell Dolbadarn. Alis Huws, the first person to hold the title of Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, brings her virtuosity to the harp parts, complementing the strings of the Nantwen Ensemble. Together they promise a rich exploration of Metcalf's musical landscapes.
Tour Dates and Venues
The tour launches on Thursday, August 6 at the National Eisteddfod in Y Garreg Las, Pembrokeshire—a fitting opening on Nantwen's home patch as the festival arrives in the county. The following day, Friday August 7 at 6.30pm, the ensemble performs at Peppers in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, with a special addition: Ynys Las featuring David Pepper. On Saturday August 8 at 2pm, they move to All Saints Church in Cellan, Lampeter, presented by Lampeter Music Club (seating limited, tickets required). The tour concludes on Sunday August 9 at 3pm at St Illtud's Church in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, with tickets priced at £15 plus booking fee. St Illtud's is one of the oldest Christian sites in Wales, providing a historic and spiritual backdrop for the finale of this birthday celebration.
A Legacy in Chamber Music
John Metcalf's chamber works are known for their intimate and evocative quality, weaving Welsh landscape and heritage into contemporary classical forms. The collaboration with the Nantwen Ensemble—a group dedicated to championing Welsh composers—and Harpist Alis Huws highlights the ongoing vitality of Wales's classical music tradition. This tour not only honours Metcalf's eight decades but also reinforces the importance of live chamber music in regional venues across the country.
