Wrexham pianist “honoured to perform” with BBC National Orchestra of Wales later this month

A pianist from Wrexham will make his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the end of the month.

Luke Jones, who has been playing the piano since the age of five, has performed in venues in the UK and across Europe and in 2018 he won the Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition

He was also a recipient of the 16-19 Blue Ribbon Instrumental Award at the National Eisteddfod. He returns to North Wales to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

On Sunday 31st March Luke will make his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in a Family Concert at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

Speaking about the upcoming performance, Luke said he feels “honoured to be involved in the concert.”

“I’m very much looking forward to performing with the BBC NOW for the Family Concert,” continued Luke.

“The orchestra is one of the best in the UK and I feel very honoured to be involved in the concert and offering music that will hopefully inspire and encourage not only regular listeners of classical music but also those who may be first time listeners.”

He continued “Rhapsody in Blue is a fun, catchy and lively work. It’s got a bit of everything in it, moments of drama, virtuosity and shows that Gershwin was a highly skilled composer with an original voice and could communicate his style and experience of the world around him through music.”

Presented by Elin Llwyd (S4C TAG and S4C Pobol y Cwm) and conducted by Grant Llewellyn, families can discover the sounds of the orchestra through music from the big screen and popular classics.

Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn, a special school from Denbigh, will also perform with BBC NOW. Following workshops in the school led by musician Andy Pidcock, pupils will perform a ‘mashup’ performance of All Together Now by The Farm and Pachelbel’s Canon, accompanied by the orchestra.

The concert forms part of a BBC NOW tour to mid and north Wales, which sees the orchestra also visiting Aberystwyth and Bangor in a programme featuring Tchaikovsky, Borodin and Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto performed by Thibaut Garcia. Narrated and led by BBC NOW musicians, families can also enjoy A Musical Journey through Europe – two workshops taking place as part of the tour at Pontio, Bangor.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales Family Concert takes place at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Sunday 31 March at 3pm. For tickets and more information, visit bbc.co.uk/bbcnow or contact the BBC NOW Audience Line on 0800 052 1812.

The concert will be recorded for broadcast later on BBC Radio Cymru.