We are pleased and proud that Llŷr Williams has agreed to become President of Rhyl Music Club. Llŷr was born in Pentrebychan, near Wrexham, attended Ysgol Morgan Llwyd and read music at The Queen’s College, Oxford before taking up a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and in 2017 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Wales. He is also currently Artist-in-Association at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a patron of the Gower Festival, and Associate Artist at the Cowbridge Festival.
Llŷr is widely admired for his profound musical intelligence, and for the expressive and communicative nature of his interpretations. He has performed with all the major UK orchestras under conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas, Jiří Bělohlávek, Carlo Rizzi, Vasily Petrenko, Jaime Martín, Osmo Vänskä, Joseph Swensen, Grant Llewellyn and Jac Van Steen; he has a particularly longstanding relationship with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with which he has in recent seasons performed concertos ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Bartók and Mathias.
As a recitalist, Llŷr Williams regularly performs at venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall, Perth Concert Hall, the St David’s and Dora Stoutzker Halls in Cardiff, and the Edinburgh and East Neuk Festivals. His long association with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama has included acclaimed multi-recital cycles of Beethoven, Schubert, and Chopin. 2023-24 saw returns to the Festival Cultural de Mayo in Guadalajara for a complete Beethoven Sonata cycle, the Capital Region Classical series in Schenectady, USA, and Salle Bourgie in Montreal, as well as his debut at the ‘Le Piano Symphonique’ festival in Lucerne. Highlights of the 2024-25 season include a return to Wigmore Hall for two recitals, as well as the conclusion of a six-recital exploration of Haydn-Mozart-Schumann at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Llŷr Williams has performed as a chamber musician alongside artists including Bryn Terfel, Natalie Clein, Tim Hugh, Katarina Nazarova and Jamie Barton. In 2023-34, collaborations included projects with Mark Padmore, violist Rosalind Ventris and baritone Andrei Kymach, while 2024-25 sees collaborations with violinists Maria Włoszczowska and Geneva Lewis. His particular interest in song repertoire is reflected in his 20-year association as one of the two official pianists of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.
The discography of Llŷr Williams reflects his long-standing partnership with Signum Records. His latest recording, of works by Schumann, was released in January 2024 to great critical acclaim, and was both BBC Radio 3’s ‘Record of the Week’ and ‘Disque du jour’ on France Musique. His previous albums include the 8-disc box-set ‘A Schubert Journey’ (2020), the 12-volume ‘Beethoven Unbound’ (2018), a ‘Wagner Without Words’ double-CD (2014) and highlights from Liszt’s ‘Années de pèlerinage‘ (2012). He has also recorded William Mathias’ second Piano Concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, as well as works by Welsh composers for the Tŷ Cerdd label. November 2024 sees the release of his next recording for Signum Records, this time featuring Brahms’ early and late works.

The Urdd Eisteddfod is one of Europe’s largest youth Festivals and this competition, not only reflects well on Stephen’s career, but gives national stage to young Welsh singers many of whom go forward to become professional singers.

In addition this will assist in promoting this Club with on stage, Tv and printed programme coverage.

Since first acquiring a Steinway grand, the club has prided itself on being able to offer the top pianists an instrument of the highest quality.The current Bösendorfer Imperial Grand is well able to handle both the exquisite tones of Llŷr Williams and the bravura performances of Andrew Wilde.

Regarded as one of the best concert halls on the North Wales coast, with a fine acoustic, the recently refurbished Town Hall seats over 300 and has a bar and refreshment facilities. It is easily accessible in the centre of town from both the coast road and expressway. There are ample parking spaces around the venue, both on- and off-road, and the hall provides wheelchair access and a lift.