How Wales gifted a song to America to mark 250 years since its founding

What gift do you give to mark a 250th birthday?

That was the – slightly daunting – question pondered by senior Welsh officials, who wanted to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence by offering the USA a gift that reflected Welsh culture and acknowledged the shared history between our two nations.

With Wales known as the Land of Song, it was decided a specially-written piece of music felt like a good fit, a decision that marked the beginnings of the creation of Symffoni’r Môr Mawr – A Transatlantic Symphony. 

But this gift was not simply packed into a box and sent on its way. Instead, it was carefully crafted and refined during several creative processes, headed up by talent from Wales and beyond, before a scheduled official presentation to the US Library of Congress on 1 September.

This is how Symffoni’r Môr Mawr – A Transatlantic Symphony made the journey from South Wales to Washington DC.

Symffoni’r Môr Mawr – A Transatlantic Symphony is a 15-minute orchestral work

with voices, featuring lyrics in both English and Welsh. Structured in three distinct movements, the work focuses on the concept of moving from bro (community) to byd (world), tracing the journey of early Welsh settlers who left Wales in search of a better life in America from the late 17th century onwards.

The mastermind behind the music is Katie Jenkins, a composer from Pontypridd, a town in South Wales, who is based in New York City, having initially moved to the city to attend the Juilliard School, one of the world’s most prestigious performing arts schools. Katie’s music tends to straddle genres, bringing a more cinematic, popular sound to traditional classical music.

Before starting work on the symphony, Katie carried out extensive research on the experiences of early Welsh settlers in America, travelling to Philadelphia to meet descendants of Welsh Quakers who left Wales fleeing religious persecution as part of the first waves of migration. Her research ultimately led her to the Pigion o Hymnau, one of the earliest Welsh hymn books published in the USA (fittingly, the book was originally printed close to Katie’s adopted home, in upstate New York). Inside, Katie found a selection of Welsh hymns – one of which she used in the Symffoni’r Môr Mawr.

But how did Katie feel about being selected to create a piece of music on behalf of the entire Welsh nation? A feat that also marked the first time an international gift between two countries had taken the format of a song.

‘It was definitely one of the most high-pressure situations I've been in workwise,’ said Katie. ‘But, equally, it was something I had always wanted to do. I've always resorted to music as a way to explain my culture to people, to friends of mine in America. And finally, this was the perfect way to show people where I’ve come from, through music.’

Of course, it takes more than one person to create a symphony, and, once Katie had laid the groundwork, it was time to find the singers and musicians that would ultimately bring the piece to life.

With Wales’ long heritage of choral singing, it felt essential to Katie to have a Welsh choir feature in the piece. In the end, several choirs lent their voices to the symphony, including CF1 x Côr Ifor Bach and Pendyrus Male Voice Choir, the latter of which felt particularly fitting, given the choir is based in the South Wales village of Tylorstown where Katie’s grandparents live.

For the symphony’s solo parts in the third movement, Welsh operatic royalty was recruited in the form of Sir Bryn Terfel, along with renowned soprano Ellen Williams. Hanan Issa, the National Poet of Wales, provided the lyrics for this section, focusing on the experience of early female Welsh migrants, whose stories and struggles are often absent from the history books, and the tradition of Welsh quiltmaking – a skill that travelled with settlers from Wales to America. Acclaimed US pianist Chloe Flower, who became a viral sensation following a Grammys performance with Cardi B in 2019, also features on piano.

The recording of the symphony took place at Hoddinott Hall, a space within the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. This marked the first time the project’s whole musical contingent were all brought together, including the 67-piece BBC National Orchestra of Wales. It was at this point that Katie began to comprehend the true scale of the project.

‘I couldn’t believe all these people were in the same room!’ said Katie. ‘We had some of the best singers, musicians and engineers from across Wales and beyond, all coming together to create this piece of music on behalf of the Welsh nation. It was incredible.’

With the recording complete, the final stop on the symphony’s long journey from Wales to America will be the presentation ceremony to be held in the historic Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The ceremony will feature a – slightly scaled back – performance of the song, with accompaniment in the third movement being provided by the United States Marine Band, the premier band of the United States Marine Corps.

The ceremony will conclude with Katie handing over a signed copy of the recording score, some of her original notes, and an original recording of the symphony made in Cardiff, for preservation within the library.

The recording of the symphony in Hoddinott Hall has also been pressed to both vinyl and CD formats and will be released to the public via Chloe Flower’s independent music label, Popsical Music Group.

So how does Katie feel the large team of artists and technicians have done in putting together the first piece of music to be gifted from one country to another?

‘We couldn't have put any more care into it,’ said Katie. ‘I hope it does the talking for us, in terms of both showing the American public what it means to be Welsh, and shining a spotlight on the deep connections and friendship between our nations.’

Composer (Main Artist) - Katie Jenkins

Conductor - Karen Ní Bhroin

Producer - Nick Patrick 

Recording Engineer - Simon Smith

Sound Supervisor- Paul O’Kelly 

Mixing Engineer - Rupert Coulson 

Mastering Engineer - Alex Gordon 

Orchestra Librarian - Naoimi Roberts

Orchestra - BBC National Orchestra of Wales (orchestra manager Lisa Tregale)

Baritone - Sir Bryn Terfel 

Soprano - Ellen Williams 

Solo Piano - Chloe Flower 

Male Voice Choir - Pendyrus Male Voice Choir ( Music Director - Ieuan Jones) 

SSA Choir - Côr CF1 and Côr Ifor Bach (Music Director Eilir Owen Griffiths) 

Librettist (third movement) - Hanan Issa (National Poet of Wales)

Translator: Rhys Iorwerth 

Music Preparation and Printing - Nathan Jones 

Executive Producers - The Welsh Government, lead by Charlie Thomas and Lowri Jones

Project Manager - Nia Talfryn Walters (Orchard Media)

Recording Venue - BBC Hoddinott Hall, Wales

Album Art Photographer -  Huw Talfryn walters

Album Art Hair & Makeup - Jane Tyler 

Album Art Designer - Michelle Hillman

Album Liner Notes Writer - Lowri Jones