Ensemble Cymru

Ensemble Cymru was formed in 1993 by its current Artistic Director, Peryn Clement-Evans. It is resident ensemble at Gŵ¬yl Cilcain (Music and Arts Festival) and at the University of Wales, Bangor. The Ensemble is a company and charity governed by 7 Trustees Since its establishment in 2001 Ensemble Cymru has brought professional performances of live music to 7500 children in Wales and over £100,000 of investment to music in North Wales.

Ensemble Cymru was created to promote music by composers of Wales; to bring music of the highest artistic standards to communities in Wales and to promote the music of Wales outside Wales. It aims to bring the same high level of intimacy which it strives for in its chamber music performances to its performances as an unconducted orchestra.

The Ensemble performs as a group of between 2 and 25 musicians. Its 10 core musicians include flautist and Flute professor at the Birmingham Conservatoire, Jonathan Rimmer; pianist and Llangollen International Eisteddfod winner, Harvey Davies; former Halle Orchestra co-principal cellist, Heather Bills; oboist and Countess of Munster award winner, Huw Clement-Evans; violinist, David Routledge who is also a member of leading Manchester group Psappha; Laurence Davies co-principal horn of the Philharmonia, London and Richard Lewis, Double Bass player with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Peryn Clement-Evans – Clarinet & Artistic Director

Peryn was a student at the Royal Northern College of Music and subsequently at Rotterdam’s Conservatorium with the Belgian international soloist, Walter Boeykens. He was also awarded scholarships to attend the American Conservatoire in Fontainbleau, France. Between 1993 and 1999, Peryn was a Llangollen International Eisteddfod Young Instrumentalist of the Year winner, and was short-listed for positions of principal clarinet with Scottish Opera and clarinettist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of his work with the pianist Harvey Davies, to promote the work of Welsh composers in Britain, Peryn has premièred a number of works by Hoddinott, Jeffrey Lewis, Painter, and Metcalf. He was the guest adjudicator at the Patagonia Eisteddfod in October 1999. Peryn was principal clarinet with London City Opera on their three-month tour of U.S.A. in 2001. He is the clarinet tutor of University of Wales, Bangor and lives in Bangor

Huw Clement-Evans - Oboe

Huw lives in London as a freelance oboist. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Robin Canter. After completing his graduate and performance diplomas Huw won two major scholarship awards from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for two postgraduate years. At the GSMD he studied with Roy Carter of the LSO, Richard Simpson of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and with the soloist Nicholas Daniel. Since leaving college Huw has enjoyed a varied musical life. He has played with the UK's leading orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has performed concertos with various orchestras including the Bellini Oboe Concerto with the BBC Concert Orchestra live on Radio 2.

Llinos Elin Owen - Bassoon

Llinos was raied in Pwllheli where she received her secondary education until moving to Manchester to attend the sixth form at Chetham’s School of Music. In 2003, she graduated in Music from St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where she played the bassoon as a soloist, a member of several chamber groups and the university orchestras. Llinos has just graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London following a year of study on a scholarship from the Winifred Disney Fund. As well as the bassoon, Llinos plays the piano, and rugby.

Congratulations!

Ensemble Cymru have this year been shortlisted for the UK’s most prestigious award for live classical music, the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Music Award in the Chamber Music category, for its work in 2005.

The shortlist was announced at a special reception at London’s Barbican Hall on Wednesday April 5. The winners will be announced on May 9.

The annual RPS Music Awards – which honour a broad sweep of musicians, composers, writers, broadcasters and inspirational arts organisations – are now regarded as the UK’s most prestigious recognition of achievement for live classical music. Winners are decided by independent panels comprising some of the music industry’s most distinguished practitioners.

The Ensemble can be heard in its recital series across North Wales and in Cardiff starting in May. Classical music fans can register their email addresses on www.ensemblecymru.co.uk for full details.