RSO Music Director 2000 ~ 2011 Huw Gareth Williams

On 9^th July 2011 Huw Gareth Williams conducted his last concert with RSO at All Saints Church, Porthcawl before leaving for Turin. The following open letter appeared in the concert’s programme.  

HUW GARETH WILLIAMS & RSO  

It was eleven years ago and it was just around the corner. Porthcawl was where I first walked out to conduct the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra in public, wearing a dress shirt borrowed from a well-prepared percussionist (who always carried a spare) since I had forgotten my shirt-studs. Perhaps I should have realised then that this was a sign of things to come, because the RSO have proven time and again to be an amazingly resourceful group of friends to make music with. They have taken everything I’ve put their way in their stride, whether it be modern composers, challenging items from the standard repertoire, unusual instruments, or exhaustingly long symphonies.  

A thousand memories compete for these short paragraphs, all of which I will take with me and treasure as I take my leave. I think of wonderful performances, I think of many amazing soloists with whom we have been honoured to share the platform, of rehearsals when half of us couldn’t play for laughing, of wonderfully warm and enduring friendships, and I think of dear friends sadly no longer with us, and still so sorely missed.  

If the coming years will steal any of these memories away, the very last they will take will be those of the skill, commitment and passionate enthusiasm of the members of the RSO, who come out on Thursday evenings, week-in, week-out, in sun and rain, in wind and in snow, in cars packed with violins and violas, flutes and clarinets, horns and trumpets, bassoons and oboes, cellos and double basses, tubas and trombones, harps, kettle drums and a battery of percussion instruments, for no other reason (- and what reason could be better?) than the sheer love of making music.  

And the years will find it hard to erase the memories of you too, the audiences, our partners in our music-making over the last eleven years. I’m sorry to have spent so much time with my back to you, but I have caught many a glimpse, between bows, of your enthusiasm, encouragement and appreciation for all of our best efforts. I shall miss you all – orchestra and audience – greatly, but I am delighted to leave the Rhondda Symphony Orchetra in such fine form, and in such capable hands as those of my successor.  

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been my privilege to make music with you all!

Huw Gareth Williams, Summer 2011