Composers’ forum …
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 | Music | No Comments
Owain has just joined the Composers’ forum … great for getting in touch with other composers from around the world. Check it out!
Epic Action Music by Owain on You Tube
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Film Music, Library Music, Music, Orchestral Works, TV Music | No Comments
Some of Owain’s epic action music for Boosey & Hawkes Library Music can be heard on You Tube.
Race against time …
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Media Music, Music, TV Music | No Comments
Owain recently wrote the music for S4/C’s programme ‘Ras yn erbyn Amser’ (Race against time).
Synopsis: Following TV presenter Lowri Morgan as she prepares to take part in the Jungle Marathon - the world’s toughest marathon challenge. The race takes place in the Amazon jungle and the contestants must race over 222km in seven days carrying all the equipment they need on their own backs. In this programme we’ll follow Lowri’s intense training including a session with the Royal Marines.
‘Top Gear’ and ‘Time Watch’ BBC2
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Library Music, Media Music, Music, TV Music | No Comments
Recently, some of Owain’s Library Music has been used on BBC2’s Top Gear and Time Watch programmes.
The tracks were from his album with Boosey & Hawkes entitled ‘ECK - Spiritual’.
Prospero - Fantasy Opera
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Music, Music in Education, Opera | No Comments
Prospero is an exciting new opera based on the artist Rex Whistler’s designs for the 1935 RSC production of The Tempest, by award winning artists; composer Owain Llwyd, poet Peredur Davies and Claire Jones, Royal Harpist. Directed by Annabel Chalk, the opera will be performed by professional musicians, pupils from Ysgol Bryn Elian and pupils from eleven local primary schools, including Ysgol Tan Y Marian, Ysgol Hen Golwyn, Ysgol Cynfran, Ysgol Llanddulas and Ysgol Rowen.
Ysgol Bryn Elian and the primary schools are involved in the National Trust’s “school arts partnership”, an initiative sponsored by Sky which offers the opportunity for schools to work on arts projects at a trust property.
The Opera was performed at three venues;
Plas Newydd, Venue Cymru, and Theatre Harlech.
Produced in association with Arts Council of Wales and Sky.
Composer commissioned to write music for University
Friday, February 20th, 2009 | Concert works, Music, Univeristy | No Comments
An award winning composer has written four brass band fanfares, inspired by Welsh hero Owain Glyndŵr, to mark the inauguration of Glyndŵr University.
Owain Llwyd, who was born in Glyndyfrdwy, near Corwen, was commissioned to write the Glyndŵr Fanfares ahead of the University’s event in Wrexham on Saturday 28 February.
The pieces – named Awakening, Progression, Unity and Vision - reflect upon Owain Glyndŵr’s dream for Wales as a nation, governing itself with its own institutions and universities.
Mr Llwyd was awarded a prestigious White Order of the Gorsedd of Bards in 2004 for his services to music in Wales. He has written for the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and his music for TV has appeared on ITV, Channel 4, S4C, the BBC and Sky.
Owain said he was proud to be involved in the first chapter of the life of Glyndŵr University.
“I am deeply honoured and excited to have been commissioned by Glyndŵr University to write new music for this historic event,” he said. “It isn’t every day that a new university comes into being, let alone one that bears the name of Wales’ greatest hero, Owain Glyndŵr. I share his first name and I grew up on his lands in Glyndyfrdwy, and that’s been a constant source of inspiration to me.”
As well as the fanfares, Owain has composed Gobaith Glyndŵr/The Hope of Glyndŵr to commemorate the inauguration of Glyndŵr University.
The work has been written specifically for world-renowned Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams, organist Mervyn Cousins, the St Asaph Cathedral Choir conducted by Alan McGuinness, and Wrexham Brass Glyndŵr. It contains bilingual words written by Bangor University’s poet and scholar Peredur Glyn.
Professor Kate Sullivan, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Glyndŵr University, developed the programme of music for the event along with Professor Peter Toyne, who sits on Glyndŵr University’s Board of Governors.
“The music will be fitting of the occasion,” she said. “We’re privileged that we will be joined by so many well established figures from the world of music to help us celebrate this special day.”
The formal granting of University title was made by Her Majesty’s Privy Council on the 3 July 2008 and announced by the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, during a ceremony held in the same month.
The Inauguration of the University and the installation of the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor is the start of a year of celebration for the university.
More than 500 dignitaries associated with the university over the years are expected to attend the event, which will commence with a ceremony in St Mary’s Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and culminate in the inauguration and installation ceremonies in the Parish Church of St Giles.
An academic procession taking place on the day of the event, Saturday 28 February, will cause a brief interruption to the flow of traffic at the junction of Mold Road where Grosvenor Road, Bradley Road and Regent Street meet. This will be from 11.20am-11.30am and then again from 1.15pm-1.30pm. Traffic will flow as normal outside of these times.
Celtic Media Festival Nominations 2009
Sunday, January 25th, 2009 | Film Music, Media Music, Music, Music in Education, Opera | No Comments
Two productions with music by Owain have been shortlisted for awards in this year’s ‘Celtic Media Festival’ to be held in Caernarfon, Wales in March 2009.
The first is under the ‘Arts’ category for BBC’s ‘Before Your Eyes: Cofi Opera’, a documentary following the story of an ambitious project to create a community opera on the Ysgubor Goch estate in Caernarfon. Owain wrote the music for the opera with the children as part of a music in education project run by Cofis Bach. Producer: Marc Edwards.
The second nomination is under the ‘Short Drama’ category for Rhys Edwards’ film ‘The Project’.
Synopsis: Dylan has an idea to try and convince American Tourists that they have stumbled into a musical. In preparing for this, he recruits Bob, a genius farmer who has ‘Shepherd’s Tourettes’ , and Ianto the Swear, a foul mouthed musician. After deciding on the setting and subject of the musical, Dylan rounds up the Americans to Castell Dolbadarn for a fitting finale.
The Festival is an annual three-day celebration of broadcasting, film talent and excellence from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.
Carlamu - BBC Radio Show
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 | Media Music, Music | No Comments
Owain has just completed incidental music and titles for BBC Radio Cymru. The show is all about horses and is presented by Brychan Llyr.
More details to follow …
Composers of Wales / ‘Art Song’ Workshops
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 | Music, Music in Education | No Comments
In conjunction with ‘Composers of Wales’ and The Arts Council of Wales, during February and March Owain will be visiting 3 Welsh medium secondary schools in North Wales on a Music in Education project.
The aim of the project is for the A-Level Music Students to compose an ‘Art Song’. This will then be performed and recorded by a professional singer and pianist.
Slovak National Symphony Orchestra
Monday, November 3rd, 2008 | Film Music, Library Music, Music, Orchestral Works | No Comments
Owain has just returned from Bratislava where he recorded 15 cues of ‘epic action trailer music’ for Boosey & Hawkes with the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra was conducted by BATFA winning composer Bill Connor.
