August 07, 2026 - 332 views
An internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble will return to North Wales for a special concert just days after performing at the BBC Proms.
The Gesualdo Six, one of Britain’s leading a cappella groups, will perform at St Asaph Cathedral on Friday 11 September as part of the North Wales International Music Festival.
The concert will feature music from their latest album, Wishing Tree, with a programme spanning five centuries of music, from the 16th century through to the present day.
The evening will conclude with a newly commissioned arrangement of the Welsh folk song Ar Lan y Môr.
Directed by composer Owain Park, The Gesualdo Six was formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in the chapel of Trinity College.
The group, made up of a bass, baritone, two tenors and two counter tenors, is renowned for its rich harmonies and innovative approach to choral music.
The ensemble has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall and the Sydney Opera House, and made their BBC Proms debut in 2023. They will return to the Proms shortly before their North Wales appearance.
Over the past 12 years, highlights have included international tours to Colombia, Japan, China, Singapore and Australia, with further performances planned in the United States later this year.
The group last performed at the North Wales International Music Festival seven years ago and says it is delighted to be returning to St Asaph Cathedral.
Owain Park said the venue’s acoustics made it a special place to perform.
“It was lovely singing in the cathedral with its wonderful acoustics,” he said.
“We’re really looking forward to coming back and sharing this programme with the audience in North Wales.”
The North Wales International Music Festival is supported by the Arts Council of Wales and the Colwinston Charitable Trust, alongside partners including headline sponsors Pendine Park through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT), Scops Arts Trust, Tŷ Cerdd, St Asaph City Council and Salisburys Chartered Accountants.
The festival’s Artistic Director, Professor Paul Mealor, said The Gesualdo Six were known for creating imaginative performances that bring together historic and contemporary music.
“The ensemble are known for their innovative programming blending medieval, Renaissance and contemporary choral music and have been praised for their beautiful blend and imaginative concerts,” he said.
The theme of this year’s festival is “Macrocosm: Music and Conservation”, exploring the relationship between music, people and the natural world.
Professor Mealor said the programme would examine how the arts can help encourage awareness and protection of the environment.
“We will examine the ‘macrocosm’, which is the interconnectedness of all things, and how humans are both the problem and the solution,” he said.
“Scientists from all over the world have extensively documented the role that music and the arts can play in supporting and encouraging the preservation of our natural environments.”
Other highlights of this year’s festival include the Pendine Young Musician of Wales Grand Final on Wednesday 16 September, where talented young musicians from across Wales will compete for a £4,000 prize and the Pendine Trophy.
The competition will be adjudicated by Professor Helena Gaunt, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, alongside Iwan Llewelyn-Jones and Alun Jones, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru.
The following evening, the NEW Sinfonia, conducted by Robert Guy, will celebrate the 90th anniversary of Prokofiev’s much-loved work Peter and the Wolf, featuring narrator Zeb Soanes and BSL interpretation.
The performance will also include three new commissions celebrating endangered species found in North Wales – the red squirrel, pine marten and Snowdon leaf beetle.
The festival will also showcase young musicians from Denbighshire Music Cooperative, performances from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales with harpist Alis Huws, and a closing choral concert bringing together Anglesey-based Encôr and Cardiff choir Hen Nodiant.
Tickets and full programme details are available from the North Wales International Music Festival website. Tickets can also be purchased from Cathedral Frames in St Asaph and Theatr Clwyd.
Photo: Andrew Wilkinson
