St Mary’s Church in Brecon will host a celebratory concert on Sunday, April 26 at 3pm marking major anniversaries for two long-established local music groups: 50 years of Gwent Chamber Orchestra and 60 years of Brecon Singers.

The event brings together two ensembles with closely linked histories, both rooted in Brecon’s musical life and with a shared tradition of choral and orchestral performance in the town and beyond.

Gwent Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1975 by David Gedge, then Organist and Director of Music at Brecon Cathedral, with the aim of enabling the Brecon Cathedral Singers to perform major choral works. Over time, the orchestra developed its own identity and went on to enjoy success performing classical chamber music across Wales and further afield.

In 2014, professional violinist Julia Watkins, a founder member of the orchestra who first joined at the age of 15, returned to Brecon from London to become lead violinist. Her husband, Stephen Broom, a professional viola player who previously performed with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, became conductor. Today, Gwent Chamber Orchestra brings together professional, semi-professional and experienced amateur players, performing regularly in the Brecon and Gwent areas as well as further afield.

Brecon Singers was originally formed in 1966 as the Brecon Cathedral Singers to augment the cathedral choir and, under David Gedge, performed a wide repertoire of classical works both at home and overseas. It is now known as Brecon Singers and has continued to build on that legacy.

The choir has been directed since 2016 by Robert Evans, a former freelance professional singer.

Robert Evans has maintained an open-door policy with no auditions, supported by deputy director and experienced piano accompanist Alan Davies. This approach has helped create a choir known for its enthusiasm and enjoyment of rehearsing and performing together.

The concert programme reflects the shared classical tradition of both groups. Brecon Singers will open the evening with Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, written during the final months of his life in 1791.

Gwent Chamber Orchestra will then perform Haydn’s Symphony No 89, composed in 1787, which moves between calm, flowing passages and more dramatic, passionate sections.

After a short interval, Brecon Singers will return to perform Haydn’s St Nicholas Mass, written in 1772, a work in a pastoral style characterised by gentle, simple melodies and lively choruses.

The concert promises a joyful celebration for both orchestra and choir, as well as music lovers gathering at St Mary’s Church in the centre of Brecon. Tickets are priced at £15 and are available from Brecon Books, via the Brecon Singers website at www.breconsingers.com, or on the door.