The Castle, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DG. Doors open 6.30pm.

Experience the rare magic of a harp quintet. Former Royal Harpist and Classic FM Rising Star Alis Huws returns to Sinfonia Cymru to lead an ensemble of harp, flute, violin, viola and cello in a programme featuring French and Belgian gems from the golden age of harp music. Alis has paired the beautiful romanticism of these quintets with pieces from Wales and the USA inspired by the natural world, showcasing the exciting ways composers are writing for harp today. A unique opportunity to hear Alis alongside some of the UK's finest musicians under 30.

Tickets: £15 (under 25s - £7.50)

Please note: we are offering a limited number of free tickets to under 25s on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tickets are also available from the Hay Tourist Bureau and at the door if still available.

Programme

‘Discovering Music’ – an illustrated introduction to the pieces by Alis and the Quartet.

Guy Ropartz:  Prelude, Marine et Chansons
Eloise Gynn:   Song for an Ancient Tree
Charles Rochester Young:  The Song of the Lark
Joseph Jongen:  Concert a cinq, Op. 71

Former Official Royal Harpist, Alis Huws is a freelance soloist, orchestral and chamber musician. Named on Classic FM's 30 under 30 Rising Stars list for 2024 she regularly gives recitals across the UK and internationally, having toured to Japan, Europe, the US, Hong Kong and the Middle East.

​At His Majesty King Charles III's Coronation at Westminster Abbey, Alis performed Sir Karl Jenkins' arrangement of Tros y Garreg (Crossing the Stone) for solo harp and strings, as well as being a part of the prestigious Coronation Orchestra, formed specially for the occasion. Other high-profile engagements include the Welsh National Service of Prayer and Reflection for HM Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal Opening of the Senedd 2016 and 2021, The Welsh National Thanksgiving Service for VJ Day and the opening of the Welsh Government’s offices in Berlin. She has performed at a number of prestigious venues including Sony Hall (NYC), 10 Downing Street, Windsor Castle, St James’ Palace and St David’s Hall and has been broadcast on radio and television.  Alis is a keen orchestral musician and enjoys working with orchestras across the UK including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonia Cymru. In 2020-22 she was part of the LPO’s Foyle Future Firsts development scheme.

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The Castle, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DG. Doors open 7.00. Bar.

International recorder player and Red Priest frontman Piers Adams - described in the Washington Post as “the leading recorder virtuoso in the world today” - joins forces with multi-talented keyboardist Lyndy Mayle in this extraordinary ‘electro-baroque fusion’ duo. 

Tickets: £17.50 (under 25s £8)

Please note: we are offering a limited number of free tickets to under 25s on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tickets are also available from the Hay Tourist Bureau and at the door if still available.

Programme

By replacing the familiar sound of the harpsichord with the universe of possibilities offered by the modern-day keyboard, Piers and Lyndy expand upon the dreams of composers of the past, re-imagining music from mediaeval and baroque masters to modern day tango and jazz.   The wizardry of the keyboard - a plethora of instruments in one - is balanced by the natural expressive power of Piers' recorders, creating a perfect blend of ancient and modern in a dazzling and moving performance.  

The programme will include:

Johann Sebastian Bach:  Suite from the Goldberg Variations

Tomaso Albinoni:  Adagio from Concerto in D minor

Georg Philipp Telemann:  Andante and Danse Rustique

Jean-Baptiste Forqueray:  La Boisson

Giovani Antonio Pandolfi Mealli:  La Biancuccia

Ian Clarke:  Hypnosis

Isaac Albeniz:  Asturias

Astor Piazzolla:  Café 1930

Piers Adams is widely regarded as one of the greatest recorder players of our time.  Over his 40-year career he has recorded numerous CDs and given thousands of concerts and broadcasts across the world with his iconic baroque ensemble Red Priest and as soloist in many other contexts, attracting the highest acclaim for his bold and creative musicianship.  He has long held a dream to combine the simplicity of the recorder with the universe of possibilities offered by modern-day synth technology, and this led to the release of his ground-breaking album Bach Side of the Moon in 2018 (which reached no. 5 in the international New Age charts) and - since fortuitously crossing paths with Lyndy - to the formation of Baroque Alchemy.

Lyndy Mayle studied piano and harpsichord at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal College of Music, where she was a multiple prizewinning student.  On graduating, she worked as the music director of several productions at the National Theatre in London and as a recording artist on film and TV soundtracks.  Moving away from the performing world she practised for many years as a music therapist before developing her reputation as a highly respected piano teacher.  Baroque Alchemy marks her return to the concert platform - and to her early music roots - and she brings a wealth of musical experience, passion and spirit to this joyful musical collaboration.

Baroque Alchemy gave its debut concert in the Lewes Baroquefest in July 2022, and since that time has given several sellout performances for festivals, music clubs and theatres throughout the UK.  In 2023 the duo travelled to Germany to give the closing concert at the Blockflöten Festtage, the world's premier recorder festival, to high critical acclaim.  Their London debut took place at the World Heart Beat concert hall in March 2024, at which they launched their groundbreaking album Breaking Free.  Baroque Alchemy's reputation as a truly unique concert experience continues to grow amongst audience and promoters, resulting in a burgeoning schedule for 2025. In a review of one of their recent performances Sussex World wrote: "‘Alchemy’ originally referred to transmuting base metals into gold. No-one could possibly describe Baroque music as ‘base’, but what has been discovered over many years is how adaptable much of this music is to new and effective treatments and instrumentation. But few transmutations have been as genuinely electrifying as this one, a combination of the simple recorder allied to modern-day synth technology, performed by two spectacularly gifted musicians: Piers on a dizzying array of recorders – seemingly snatched at random from their canvas holders – and keyboard player and harpsichordist supremo Lyndy Mayle. What a perfectly matched duo for this innovative and extremely entertaining venture!" 

EVENT 97. In the first of our two afternoon concerts in this year’s Hay Festival, and with memories of their wonderful performance of the two piano arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring in 2022, we welcome back Maki and Ilya with more music for two pianos to entertain and move us.

Tickets: £16 from the Hay Festival Box Office. Having clicked on the link below select the date (Sun 25 May) and choose ‘Music’ from the ‘Choose a genre’ dropdown menu. You will find Event 97 among the other music events there.

Programme

Maurice Ravel:  Daphne and Chloe suite

Jeremy Arden:  Passacaglia (world première)

György Ligeti:  Three pieces for two pianos: Monument, Self-portrait and Movement

Dmitri Shostakovich:  Concertino

Japanese pianist Maki Sekiya was born in Tokyo and is now resident in the UK. At the age of ten, she made her first public appearance on Japanese television, playing her own three movement composition. Shortly afterwards, she became a scholarship pupil at the Purcell School for Young Musicians in the UK. She quickly attracted attention, with an article in The Evening Standard and an appearance on Sky TV. Even before becoming a teenager, Maki Sekiya made public appearances as a soloist and in concerti. A winner of the Senigallia International Piano Competition in Italy, Maki performs regularly in Russia, Eastern Europe, Japan and in the UK. She held a position as the first Musician in Residence at Green Templeton College, Oxford University, from 2017 to 2022. 

Ilya Chetverikov is a concert pianist and piano teacher, based in Oxford. He has an exceptional reputation as a performer as well as a piano teacher. After receiving his education in Moscow in piano performance and teaching, he moved to Oxford UK to continue his performing and teaching career. He is in growing demand as a collaborative pianist across the UK, has toured in many cities and has made world premier recordings in chamber music, performing in venues such as Sheldonian Theatre, SJE Arts, Dorchester Abbey, Oxford Town Hall and others.

EVENT 355. In the second of our two afternoon concerts in this year’s Hay Festival, we welcome James Woodrow, one of the country’s leading classical and electric guitarists whose repertoire ranges from the contemporary back to Bach.

Tickets: £16 from the Hay Festival Box Office. Having clicked on the link below select the date (Sat 31 May) and choose ‘Music’ from the ‘Choose a genre’ dropdown menu. You will find Event 355 among the other music events there.

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach arr. JW:  Violin Sonata No. 1

Gavin Bryars arr. JW:  Epilogue from Wonderlawn

Igor Stravinsky arr. JW:  Elegie

Michal Tippett:  The Blue Guitar

James Woodrow trained at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, and very quickly became established as one of the country’s leading contemporary classical and electric guitarists, beginning with performances of works such as Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint with the Rambert Dance Company, and in Boulez Le Marteau sans Maitre. He is in continuing demand and much sought after by various contemporary music ensembles, such as Lontano and the London Sinfonietta, and is a long-standing member of both the Gavin Bryars Ensemble and Icebreaker. He performs regularly as soloist and ensemble player with the London Chamber Symphony, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchesta, The New London Chamber Choir, Music Projects London, Almeida Opera and the BBC Singers.