Two poets and a harpist – all locally based – captivated a 70-strong audience at an afternoon concert on Sunday, July 12, reflecting the life and landscape of the Usk Valley.

Brecon poet Chris Meredith and Paul Henry from Crickhowell read selected extracts from their own English-language writings at the ‘Usk Voices – Poems and Harp’ concert at Llansantffraed Church near Talybont-on-Usk. Between readings, the church’s fine acoustics showcased music played by talented Brecon-based harpist Martha Powell. The concert reflected the Church Committee’s policy of holding literary events linked to Llansantffraed’s association with Breconshire’s 17th-century poet Henry Vaughan.

Chris Meredith, renowned as an award-winning novelist as well as a poet, read mainly from his published collections Still and Air Histories, with his chosen poems often focusing on the local landscape. These included his popular On Allt yr Esgair – the hill between Llangors Lake and Llansantffraed on which he frequently walks.

Paul Henry, well-known as both a songwriter and a poet, read mainly from his collections Boy Running and As if to Sing (winner of the Wales Book of the Year Poetry Award in 2023). His readings gave voice to wonderful local characters from the Usk Valley’s past and present, from village friends to the ghosts of a Victorian workhouse. The appeal of both poets’ presentations was enhanced by the engaging way they set the scene before each poem reading.

The readings were interwoven with traditional and contemporary harp music played by Martha Powell, which reflected the concert’s themes and the mood of the poems. The audience particularly appreciated her arrangement of Moon River (representing the River Usk) and her own composition The Staghorns (mythical mountains akin to the Bannau Brycheiniog).

The concert was organised by the Brecknock Society and the Llansantffraed Church Committee. Giving a vote of thanks after the concert, Elizabeth Siberry, chair of the Brecknock Society, thanked the performers and audience for their contributions to Llansantffraed’s ongoing heritage, as well as Mervyn Bramley and the team who organised the concert, including the excellent interval refreshments.

Importantly, the concert had broadened the church’s use by the wider community and also helped raise funds for its upkeep.

The next concert at Llansantffraed Church will take place on Sunday, December 13, at 3pm. The Gwent Chamber Orchestra will present Music for a Winter’s Afternoon as we look towards Christmas. Further details of the programme will be announced locally and on the church’s website – www.breconandepyntma.org.uk. Tickets will be available to purchase beforehand and also at the door on the day.