Lewis Merthyr Band
"A damn fine band" - HRH Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII)
Founded in or before 1855, Lewis Merthyr Band is the oldest brass band in South Wales' Rhondda Valleys. Originally known as the Cymmer Military and Cymmer (Porth) Colliery Band, Lewis Merthyr adopted its present title in 1949
The band has been highly successful in competition throughout its history, becoming Champion Band of Wales, Welsh League Champions, Miner's Welfare Entertainments (CISWO) Champions and more
Lewis Merthyr has represented Wales in the Championship section of the National Championships of Great Britain on eight occasions at the Royal Albert Hall, London; at the European Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark; and at the 2022 World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The band also accomplished the unique achievement of winning the Second and Third Section UK titles of the National Championships of Great Britain, in consecutive years. Lewis Merthyr is currently ranked in the First Section and were the 2015 Runner-Up WWBBA Champions; 2016 Runner-Up SEWBBA Champions & Runner-Up Welsh League Champions in both 2015 & 2016. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the band and saw Lewis Merthyr become the WWBBA and - for the first time in 21 years - Welsh League First Section Champions
The band has been equally successful on the concert stage, performing at a wide variety of locations across Wales and beyond, including the Royal Albert Hall, London; Llangollen Pavilion; St David's Hall, Cardiff & the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Lewis Merthyr has also performed for Royalty on a number of occasions, parading through the streets for the visit of His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary to Rhondda in 1912, and for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932. On June 2nd, 2022, the band also featured in an incredible performance for the Beacon Lighting ceremony on the Thames Bank, London, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In September 2023, an ensemble from the band also performed for the First Minister of Wales, First Lady of Iraq and other distinguished guests in an event which also featured a speech from the former Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Tony Blair
Throughout its history, the band has performed with numerous leading artists, including "Signor Foli" (Allan James Foley) in the late 1800's, and with Sir Geraint Evans, Glyn Houston and most recently Sir Bryn Terfel. In recent years, the band has also featured in a series of concerts under the baton of renowned orchestral conductor Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, which included a St David's Day Gala Concert at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea; a performance in the Speech Room at Harrow School, London; and two performances at Wales' national classical music festival, the Welsh Proms, in July 2018 & 2019, at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, Cardiff. In 2023, the band performed at the prestigious Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester Cathedral, and was the core ensemble of the inaugural Oriana Festival, a showcase of the finest Welsh classical contemporary music, where Lewis Merthyr performed together with former Royal Harpist Claire Jones, composer | percussionist Chris Marshall and Big Hearts International Nigeria, also giving the premiere performance of six new works for brass by Grace Williams, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter, Gareth Trott & Gareth Wood and a recital of the works for brass by Mervyn Burtch
The band opened 2024 with performance to a capacity audience for the launch of the Miners Strikes 40th anniversary project "Voices from Underground", appearing alongside Beth Winter MP, Sian James MP and Cwmbach Male Choir. In April 2024, Lewis Merthyr then collaborated with Avant Cymru theatre company on Atgofion Aberfan, and throughout 2024 | 25 will pursue its latest artistic project "The Lord of the Rings" which will include performances at Brecon Medieval Festival and Brecon Cathedral, the 2024 Oriana Festival, and Bristol Cathedral
Lewis Merthyr has featured in a wide range of radio & television broadcasts, dating back to a recently rediscovered BBC Radio broadcast from 1927, and Pathé newsreel footage of the band marching before King Edward VIII in 1932. More recently, the band was featured in the 2015 BBC television programme "The Taff: The River That Made Wales" which continues to be repeatedly screened on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Wales. Lewis Merthyr also recently recorded a special television feature with the renowned international baritone soloist Sir Bryn Terfel, which was screened nationwide on Christmas Day 2017 and repeated for the opening night of the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2018. The band featured again on nationwide television, performing live in the National Eisteddfod, on stage at the Donald Gordon Theatre in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre the following day
Lewis Merthyr Band has featured in a wide range of major events, performing on numerous occasions at the Principality Stadium, playing to 52, 981 people plus international television audience for the Wales vs Italy warm up match for the 2015 Rugby World Cup; to record Pro14 crowds of 68,262 and 62,338 for Judgement Day 2016 & 2018; and for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 World Golden Oldies International Rugby Festival, which featured 120 participating teams representing 25 different nations from across the globe
Lewis Merthyr was also the core of Wales' first all-female band for each of Wales' 2017 Women's Rugby Six Nations Championship home matches, and again for the 2018 Women's Suffrage Centennial "Processions" event at Cardiff Castle in July 2018. The band also performed for the televised Women's Rugby Six Nations international matches at Cardiff Arms Park for the full 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons
Lewis Merthyr featured in National Theatre Wales' 2016 “City of the Unexpected” Roald Dahl 100 celebrations, performing across Cardiff city centre to tens of thousands of people, and which was again the focus of national television broadcasts. In April 2018, the band also supported the 11.2 metre "Man Engine" events at Cyfartha Castle and Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. In June 2018 the band's symphonic brass ensemble performed for the launch of the Music Education report for Wales at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, additional contributors to which included Sir Karl Jenkins, Nicola Benedetti CBE, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Claire Jones
In October 2019, the band then travelled to Belgium to perform alongside groups from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and South Korea at the Internationale Taptoe Belgie, held at the 5000 seat capacity Versluys Dome, Ostend. In July 2022, the band returned to Europe to perform in the prestigious World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. In April 2025 the band then visited our twin town of Ravensburg, Germany to perform the premiere performance of three new works with and by composer | percussion soloist Chris Marshall in the beautiful surroundings of the Konzerthaus Ravensburg
Lewis Merthyr Band has a long history of performing and broadcasting new works, and has held a close association with numerous prominent composers, notably Mervyn Burtch and John Golland. The band gave the premiere broadcasts of Dr. Peter Graham's "Dimensions" and Goff Richards' "Oceans" on BBC Radio in the 1980s, and in 2018 gave the premiere performances of Helen Woods' "Man Engine Anthem" and Dr. Christopher Wood's "Aberfan", also undertaking the premiere recording of the latter on the band's most recent commercial recording "Brass & Voices of Wales" with the massed choirs of Bridgend & Pendyrus, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes. The band's latest albums, a recording of the brass works of Mervyn Burtch and a Christmas album, will be released in 2024
Through the latter half of 2020, with the support of the Arts Council of Wales, the band created the project "New Directions", a partnership with a selection of leading composers and performers from across Wales and wider, which saw newly commissioned works from Steve Bingham, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter and Andrew Powell. Through 2022-23, with the additional support of ACW, the Moondance Foundation and Ty Cerdd, the band commissioned and premiered four major new works for band from Chris Marshall (Fulling Mill Lea), Gareth Trott (Eastern Horizons and Aberfan Requiem) and Gareth Wood (Under Milk Wood Suite: Rum & Laverbread)
Lewis-Merthyr remain thoroughly committed to supporting our local community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, through the presentation of concert performances across the county borough and wider, supporting local events & functions, and providing tuition for local young brass & percussion musicians through our Youth Band programme. The band looks forward to continuing to represent Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wales at the highest level throughout all our performances across the nation and beyond
Registered Charity No. 1000499
www.lewismerthyrband.com
The band has been highly successful in competition throughout its history, becoming Champion Band of Wales, Welsh League Champions, Miner's Welfare Entertainments (CISWO) Champions and more
Lewis Merthyr has represented Wales in the Championship section of the National Championships of Great Britain on eight occasions at the Royal Albert Hall, London; at the European Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark; and at the 2022 World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The band also accomplished the unique achievement of winning the Second and Third Section UK titles of the National Championships of Great Britain, in consecutive years. Lewis Merthyr is currently ranked in the First Section and were the 2015 Runner-Up WWBBA Champions; 2016 Runner-Up SEWBBA Champions & Runner-Up Welsh League Champions in both 2015 & 2016. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the band and saw Lewis Merthyr become the WWBBA and - for the first time in 21 years - Welsh League First Section Champions
The band has been equally successful on the concert stage, performing at a wide variety of locations across Wales and beyond, including the Royal Albert Hall, London; Llangollen Pavilion; St David's Hall, Cardiff & the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Lewis Merthyr has also performed for Royalty on a number of occasions, parading through the streets for the visit of His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary to Rhondda in 1912, and for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932. On June 2nd, 2022, the band also featured in an incredible performance for the Beacon Lighting ceremony on the Thames Bank, London, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In September 2023, an ensemble from the band also performed for the First Minister of Wales, First Lady of Iraq and other distinguished guests in an event which also featured a speech from the former Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Tony Blair
Throughout its history, the band has performed with numerous leading artists, including "Signor Foli" (Allan James Foley) in the late 1800's, and with Sir Geraint Evans, Glyn Houston and most recently Sir Bryn Terfel. In recent years, the band has also featured in a series of concerts under the baton of renowned orchestral conductor Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, which included a St David's Day Gala Concert at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea; a performance in the Speech Room at Harrow School, London; and two performances at Wales' national classical music festival, the Welsh Proms, in July 2018 & 2019, at the national concert hall of Wales, St David's Hall, Cardiff. In 2023, the band performed at the prestigious Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester Cathedral, and was the core ensemble of the inaugural Oriana Festival, a showcase of the finest Welsh classical contemporary music, where Lewis Merthyr performed together with former Royal Harpist Claire Jones, composer | percussionist Chris Marshall and Big Hearts International Nigeria, also giving the premiere performance of six new works for brass by Grace Williams, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter, Gareth Trott & Gareth Wood and a recital of the works for brass by Mervyn Burtch
The band opened 2024 with performance to a capacity audience for the launch of the Miners Strikes 40th anniversary project "Voices from Underground", appearing alongside Beth Winter MP, Sian James MP and Cwmbach Male Choir. In April 2024, Lewis Merthyr then collaborated with Avant Cymru theatre company on Atgofion Aberfan, and throughout 2024 | 25 will pursue its latest artistic project "The Lord of the Rings" which will include performances at Brecon Medieval Festival and Brecon Cathedral, the 2024 Oriana Festival, and Bristol Cathedral
Lewis Merthyr has featured in a wide range of radio & television broadcasts, dating back to a recently rediscovered BBC Radio broadcast from 1927, and Pathé newsreel footage of the band marching before King Edward VIII in 1932. More recently, the band was featured in the 2015 BBC television programme "The Taff: The River That Made Wales" which continues to be repeatedly screened on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Wales. Lewis Merthyr also recently recorded a special television feature with the renowned international baritone soloist Sir Bryn Terfel, which was screened nationwide on Christmas Day 2017 and repeated for the opening night of the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2018. The band featured again on nationwide television, performing live in the National Eisteddfod, on stage at the Donald Gordon Theatre in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre the following day
Lewis Merthyr Band has featured in a wide range of major events, performing on numerous occasions at the Principality Stadium, playing to 52, 981 people plus international television audience for the Wales vs Italy warm up match for the 2015 Rugby World Cup; to record Pro14 crowds of 68,262 and 62,338 for Judgement Day 2016 & 2018; and for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 World Golden Oldies International Rugby Festival, which featured 120 participating teams representing 25 different nations from across the globe
Lewis Merthyr was also the core of Wales' first all-female band for each of Wales' 2017 Women's Rugby Six Nations Championship home matches, and again for the 2018 Women's Suffrage Centennial "Processions" event at Cardiff Castle in July 2018. The band also performed for the televised Women's Rugby Six Nations international matches at Cardiff Arms Park for the full 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons
Lewis Merthyr featured in National Theatre Wales' 2016 “City of the Unexpected” Roald Dahl 100 celebrations, performing across Cardiff city centre to tens of thousands of people, and which was again the focus of national television broadcasts. In April 2018, the band also supported the 11.2 metre "Man Engine" events at Cyfartha Castle and Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. In June 2018 the band's symphonic brass ensemble performed for the launch of the Music Education report for Wales at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, additional contributors to which included Sir Karl Jenkins, Nicola Benedetti CBE, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Claire Jones
In October 2019, the band then travelled to Belgium to perform alongside groups from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and South Korea at the Internationale Taptoe Belgie, held at the 5000 seat capacity Versluys Dome, Ostend. In July 2022, the band returned to Europe to perform in the prestigious World Music Contest in Kerkrade, Netherlands. In April 2025 the band then visited our twin town of Ravensburg, Germany to perform the premiere performance of three new works with and by composer | percussion soloist Chris Marshall in the beautiful surroundings of the Konzerthaus Ravensburg
Lewis Merthyr Band has a long history of performing and broadcasting new works, and has held a close association with numerous prominent composers, notably Mervyn Burtch and John Golland. The band gave the premiere broadcasts of Dr. Peter Graham's "Dimensions" and Goff Richards' "Oceans" on BBC Radio in the 1980s, and in 2018 gave the premiere performances of Helen Woods' "Man Engine Anthem" and Dr. Christopher Wood's "Aberfan", also undertaking the premiere recording of the latter on the band's most recent commercial recording "Brass & Voices of Wales" with the massed choirs of Bridgend & Pendyrus, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes. The band's latest albums, a recording of the brass works of Mervyn Burtch and a Christmas album, will be released in 2024
Through the latter half of 2020, with the support of the Arts Council of Wales, the band created the project "New Directions", a partnership with a selection of leading composers and performers from across Wales and wider, which saw newly commissioned works from Steve Bingham, Chris Marshall, Christopher Painter and Andrew Powell. Through 2022-23, with the additional support of ACW, the Moondance Foundation and Ty Cerdd, the band commissioned and premiered four major new works for band from Chris Marshall (Fulling Mill Lea), Gareth Trott (Eastern Horizons and Aberfan Requiem) and Gareth Wood (Under Milk Wood Suite: Rum & Laverbread)
Lewis-Merthyr remain thoroughly committed to supporting our local community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, through the presentation of concert performances across the county borough and wider, supporting local events & functions, and providing tuition for local young brass & percussion musicians through our Youth Band programme. The band looks forward to continuing to represent Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wales at the highest level throughout all our performances across the nation and beyond
Registered Charity No. 1000499
www.lewismerthyrband.com
Lewis Merthyr Band is indebted to the following organisations for their current support
- The Arts Council of Wales
- The Moondance Foundation
- National Lottery
- Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
- Ty Cerdd
- Welsh Government
- The Arts Council of Wales
- The Moondance Foundation
- National Lottery
- Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
- Ty Cerdd
- Welsh Government
Brass & Voices of Wales CD Recording
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The band's most recent recording "Brass & Voices of Wales", featuring Lewis Merthyr Band and the Massed Male Choirs of Bridgend & Pendyrus conducted by Welsh Proms Artistic Director Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, is available on CD or for instant download
The disc features much of Wales’ most beloved music, together with the premiere recording of a new work by Dr. Christopher Wood, entitled and dedicated to the memory of "Aberfan"; Gareth Wood’s scintillating creative arrangement of "Sosban Fach"; the Miner’s hymn “Gresford”; music from the iconic Hollywood movie “Zulu” and much more! For full information and to purchase a disc by mail order, visit www.lewismerthyrband.com/cd or to download the album direct today, visit our Bandcamp site at lewismerthyrband.bandcamp.com |
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BBC Feature: The River TaffThe band was featured in Episode 2 of the BAFTA nominated BBC television production "The Taff: The River That Made Wales" with presenter Will Millard. The programme has been broadcast on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Wales on numerous repeated occasions. The excerpt here is the central feature focusing on Lewis-Merthyr Band and Trustee Ivor England, a former miner at the Lewis-Merthyr Colliery
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Christmas Day Broadcast: Cwm Rhondda with Sir Bryn TerfelLewis-Merthyr Band here perform Arwel Hughes' setting of Cwm Rhondda, which was specially transcribed for the band and Sir Bryn Terfel by Christopher Painter and broadcast nationwide on Christmas Day 2017 and Christmas Eve 2018
For further archive videos of the band in performance, visit the video section of the website here |
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Personnel
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Musical Director
Craig Roberts Cornets Louise Russell Gareth Hanson Nick Parker Byron Tucker Morgan Rees Samantha Bridger Fred Nicholas David Griffiths Geraint Warlow Isaac Scott Amie Roberts Horns Robert Smith Rhiannon Griffiths Bethan Wilkes Caroline Tucker Baritones Richard Killen Claire Williams Trombones Mark Wilkes Peter Webster Lloyd Roderick Euphoniums Gareth Davies POSITION VACANT Tubas Paul Stephens Elizabeth Stephens Ian Davies Tony Magee Percussion Kevin Smith Kat Ski Stephen "Fly" Harris POSITION VACANT
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If you are interested in membership, please contact us via the contact page of the site here, or through our various social media channels, accessed via the icons above
Rehearsals are held on Monday & Wednesday evenings from 8:00-9:45pm at the Bandroom, 5 Office Street, Cymmer, Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF39 9AL Guest players are always welcome at rehearsals. Seat share options are also available All membership enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest confidence Lewis-Merthyr also operate a Youth Band, further information on which can be found here Musical DirectorLewis-Merthyr Band Musical Director Craig Roberts is one of the most well known and widely respected brass band conductors in Wales
He has performed in some of the finest concert halls in the UK and overseas, touring across five continents of the globe and working with some of the world's finest artists Craig has been successful in competition at the highest level, winning the Welsh League Championship on three occasions; the North Wales Championships twice; and all contests in the Welsh League Championships series. In 2004 he was named Conductor of the Year by SEWBBA and WWBBA for his achievements Further detailed information on Craig and his activities can be found in the Musical Director section of the website here Management CommitteeChair: Peter Webster
Secretary: Samantha Bridger Treasurer: Gareth Hanson Logistics & Equipment Manager: David Griffiths Librarian: Geraint Warlow Committee Member: Byron Tucker |
