A Concert is to take place in memory of Colwyn Sillman.

Colwyn Sillman who died in Monmouth in January this year aged 81, was a key figure in the musical life of the Monmouth area for many decades. He was Head of Music at Monmouth School for Girls for 12 years from 1971 to 1983, during which time he arranged and conducted a host of adventurous choral, operatic and orchestral concerts.

He then worked abroad in Vienna and Paris for several years before returning to live in Monmouth. Colwyn became the Musical Director of the Monmouth Operatic Society for 10 years and founded a local orchestra, the Llandenny Strings, which he conducted continuously for over 25 years until 2019.

As the orchestra grew in size it moved from its original rehearsal venue at Llandenny Village Hall to Dingestow Village Hall, where it continues to meet weekly and to attract orchestral players from a wide area, including The Forest of Dean, Newport, Usk, Abergavenny and Crickhowell, as well as Monmouth.

On Saturday 4 December at 2.30pm the Llandenny Strings will give a concert in Mitchel Troy Village Church in Colwyn’s memory. The varied programme will consist of works by Bach, Grieg, Purcell, Vaughan Williams, Shostakovich, Elgar and Strauss. Refreshments will be provided after the concert. Entry to the concert will be free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of Dementia Research UK.