Llŷr Williams has been receiving plaudits as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician.
In 2005 he made his Proms debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jiri Belohlavek, opened the Queen's Hall series at the Edinburgh Festival and appeared with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields at the Barbican's Mostly Mozart Festival. In 2006 he returns to the Edinburgh International Festival for the fourth time appearing with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra.
At the beginning of 2005 Llŷr was awarded the MIDEM Classique 'Outstanding Young Artist Award in partnership with the International Artist Managers' Association'. Throughout the year he continued to record for BBC Radio 3 and appeared as soloist with the BBC Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, as part of the New Generation Artists scheme. In June he returned as official accompanist to the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and BBC Music Magazine featured him on the cover CD playing works by Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt. His first commercial CD of works by Chopin was due for release in March 2006.
Llŷr continues to perform regularly with Sinfonia Cymru, in autumn 2005 performing two Mozart Concerti (directing from the keyboard) and continuing the complete Beethoven Concerti series, culminating in 2006 with a 10th Anniversary Concert with Bryn Terfel. Future plans include his USA debut in 2007 and recitals in Germany, Luxembourg and France.
Born in 1976 in Pentre Bychan, near Wrexham, Llŷr Williams read music at Queen's College, Oxford, graduating in 1998 with a first class alpha degree. He went on to take up a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music where he won every prize and award. From 2000-2002 he was a 'Shinn' Fellow at the RAM coaching singers and studying conducting and was an active member of the Live Music Now! scheme for several years.
Selected for representation by YCAT (Young Concert Artists Trust) in 2002, Llŷr Williams received a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2004.
Image courtesy Hanya Chlala
Said to be one of the most outstanding pianists of his time.
