It is an amazing fact that the world-renowned composer and performer Béla Bartók gave a concert 100 years ago in Aberystwyth!

Philomusica is celebrating this with a performance of Bartók’s Dance Suite in its 50th anniversary concert this Saturday, 3 December, at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

There will also be a free concert talk at 6.30pm in the Studio at the arts centre, given by Dr Rhian Davies.

On 16 March 1922, the great Hungarian pianist-composer Béla Bartók made his UK public recital début at the Parish Hall in Aberystwyth, playing his own compositions plus a Beethoven Piano Trio with members of the University chamber ensemble. A 100 years on, Rhian Davies considers this remarkable concert, described by the Cambrian News as ‘an epoch-marking occurrence in the career of the music students’ and by Professor Walford Davies as ‘Baffling!’.

Dr Rhian Davies is a historian of Welsh music and an Honorary Fellow of Bangor University.