Story of the Coronation to launch Friends of St Mary’s

St Mary’s Church in Brecon is launching its newly-formed Friends of St Mary’s with a talk by Professor Grahame Davies.

More than 400 million people watched the Coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. As well as the dazzling ritual and ceremony, the occasion also featured nearly four hours of music, including 12 new pieces specially commissioned for the occasion.

Professor Grahame Davies, LVO was Deputy Private Secretary to the King and oversaw all the music for the Coronation and for the later Honours of Scotland ceremony. Carrying out much of the work from his home in Brecon, he helped shape the musical event of a lifetime which featured starring roles for Welsh performers and composers, for the newly-commissioned Cross of Wales and - for the first time ever at a Coronation - the use of the Welsh language.

Hear the story of how this unforgettable event was created and two of the pieces for which Grahame wrote the lyrics performed live.

Erin Thomas, the Brecon Choir Festival’s Young Singer Award of 2023, will sing Sarah Class’s Sacred Fire. This was sung at the coronation with a performance by South African soprano Pretty Yende, the first African to perform solo at a Coronation.

Louise Wood, a mezzo soprano from Brecon who is studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, will sing A Song of Thanksgiving, commissioned by King Charles III as a tribute to Queen Camilla for The Honours of Scotland Service on 5th July 2023 at St Giles Cathedral.

Tickets can be bought online via www.stmarysbrecon.org.uk or from the cafe in St Marys, Brecon Pet & Garden Centre and Ardent Gallery.