NANTWEN ENSEMBLE

This August, the Nantwen Ensemble is honoured to take part in a very special celebration. Acclaimed Welsh composer John Metcalf turns 80, and we are marking this milestone with a short tour across Wales — from the National Eisteddfod on the Pembrokeshire coast, to Fishguard, Lampeter and Llantwit Major. Joining us throughout the tour is harpist Alis Huws, former Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, in a programme of John's most loved chamber works.

John Metcalf at 80 — A Tour of Wales

The programme for the tour features four works by John Metcalf MBE:

  • Songs without Words — String Quintet (commissioned by Nantwen, funded by Tŷ Cerdd)

  • Mapping Wales — for String Quartet and Harp (commissioned by Lampeter Music Club)

  • Paths of Song

  • Castell Dolbadarn

  • Ynys Las (Pepper’s Concert only)

John Metcalf MBE was born in Swansea in 1946 and is one of the most distinguished composers working in Wales today. His large body of work spans opera, orchestral music, choral music and chamber music, and he has been a long and generous friend to Nantwen — his String Quintet Songs without Words, commissioned with support from Tŷ Cerdd, received its premiere at the Nantwen Chamber Music Festival in 2023. We are delighted to celebrate his 80th birthday year in the best way we know how: with live music, in beautiful places, with friends.

Thursday 6 August 2026 National Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, Pembrokeshire

The Nantwen Ensemble performs at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las — Wales' great annual celebration of language, music and culture — held this year on our home patch of north Pembrokeshire. A fitting place to mark John Metcalf's 80th birthday year, as Wales' biggest cultural festival gathers on our doorstep.

Find out more

Friday 7 August 2026, 8pm Pepper's, Fishguard

With harpist Alis Huws

With pianist David Pepper

An evening concert at Pepper's — our local and much-loved venue in Fishguard — where the Ensemble brings the John Metcalf birthday programme to a Pembrokeshire audience in their most relaxed and engaging style.

Find out more

Saturday 8 August 2026, 2pm All Saints Church, Cellan, Lampeter

With harpist Alis Huws

The Nantwen Ensemble performs for Lampeter Music Club at All Saints Church in the village of Cellan, just outside Lampeter. Lampeter Music Club has a long association with John Metcalf — the club commissioned his Mapping Wales for String Quartet and Harp to mark the millennium — making this a particularly meaningful concert in a genuinely beautiful setting. Tea in the village hall follows.

Seating is limited and tickets are required for this event.

Find out more

Sunday 9 August 2026, 3pm St Illtud's Church, Llantwit Major

With harpist Alis Huws,

The tour concludes at the beautiful medieval church of St Illtud's in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan — one of the oldest Christian sites in Wales and a spectacular setting for chamber music. An interval with refreshments from the licensed bar is included.

Tickets: £15 (+ booking fee)

Find out more
Group of five musicians holding string instruments, standing against a textured stone wall and smiling at the camera.

A group of professional musicians Enabling community performance & the creation & performance of Welsh Chamber Music.

The Nantwen ensemble can deliver Nantwen’s relaxed and engaging concerts anywhere. If you would like to discuss having a performance (often with the inclusion of music by a Welsh composer) by this exceptional, yet down to earth group of musicians then please do get in touch on the form below.

Daniel is a member of the NightOut Scheme from the Arts Council of Wales, which can support events from community promoters in Wales.

Group of seven musicians standing outdoors with instruments, smiling for the camera, in front of a rustic stone and wood wall.

  • Nantwen Music was created by Cellist Daniel Davies and his wife Jemma as a wholesome place to experience, perform and learn about classical chamber music. The setting is small, beautiful, ecologically sensitive and an inspiring place to make music.

    The Nantwen Ensemble takes our performances out of Nantwen and presents them to audiences across the UK and beyond

  • New:

    Following a substantial award from the Dementia Trust. The Nantwen Ensemble commissioned composer David John Roche to compose a work inspired by and highlighting Dementia. The resulting work will be performed in community and concert venues across the UK from the end of 2025 onwards. More information can be found by clicking here.

    Previous

    String Quintet (2 cellos) commission from composer John Metcalf with premiere performance at Nantwen’s Chamber Music Festival in June 2023. This was funded by Ty Cerdd.

Four musicians with violins and a cello in a bright room with large windows, smiling and interacting.
A man in a blue shirt and dark pants playing a cello for a small audience seated on wooden chairs in a room with white textured walls and wooden beams.

Book the Nantwen Ensemble

We are delighted that you are considering booking the Nantwen Ensemble. We can facilitate concerts of all shapes and sizes. Every concert is delivered with our signature informal and engaging style. Please get in touch with the form below and Daniel will be in touch asap.

Recent Performances

Ewenny Priory Church, Ewenny

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales

John Metcalf’s String Quintet.

Boccherini’s String Quintet in F minor

Pepper’s, Fishguard

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales

John Metcalf’s String Quintet.

Boccherini’s String Quintet in F minor

Aberystwyth Arts Centre

John Metcalf’s String Quintet.

Boccherini’s String Quintet in F minor

Tregaron

Supported by Cynal y Cardi

Schubert - Death and the Maiden

Caroline Shaw - Plan and Elevation

Trad arr D Davies - Ble Rwyt Ti’n Myned

Danish String Quartet - from Last Leaf

Pepper’s, Fishguard

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales

Plan + Elevation by Caroline Shaw

Schubert String Quintet 1st Movement

Moylgrove

Supported by the Arts Council of Wales

Cello Duo

Music from the 1600’s to the 21st Century

Lampeter Music Club

Plan + Elevation by Caroline Shaw

Verses by Olafur Arnalds

John Metcalf’s String Quintet ‘Songs without words’

Schubert String Quintet

Cwmdu Music, Cwmdu

Plan + Elevation by Caroline Shaw

Verses by Olafur Arnalds

John Metcalf’s String Quintet ‘Songs without words’

Schubert String Quintet

Three musicians standing indoors with large windows showing green trees outside, holding string instruments and smiling.
Tonau Ensemble, Nantwen Chamber Music
Two women standing inside a room with large windows, holding musical instruments - a violin and a viola, during a performance or rehearsal.
Laura Sinnerton Viola
Five musicians holding string instruments, standing against a textured stone wall, smiling.
Tonau Ensemble
Aleksei Kiseliov Cello
Two women are playing violins at a music performance, with music stands and sheet music in front of them, indoors with a plain wall background.
A group of five musicians standing in a bright room with large windows, holding string instruments, smiling and taking a bow after a performance.
Patricia Ramirez Reinoso Viola
Lisa Obert Violin
Two musicians playing string instruments during a performance or rehearsal, with large windows and greenery outside.
A man playing the cello while sitting on a chair next to a music stand, and another man sitting on the floor planting flower pots.
Nicola Thomas Cello
Young man playing a clarinet indoors, seated on a wooden chair with music stand nearby.
A man with gray, curly hair and a beard playing a cello while looking at a music stand.
William Chadwick Violin
Daniel Davies Cello
Four musicians practicing with string instruments, including violins and a cello, in a room with large windows and greenery outside.
Two young men playing string and woodwind instruments during a live performance in a cozy, well-lit room.
A woman in a red dress playing the violin in a room with white walls and a wooden beam ceiling.
A young woman with glasses, long dark hair, and a red dress playing a violin, smiling, with music sheets and another musician in the background.