Wales presents musical gift to US at Library of Congress

Wales has presented a musical gift to the United States at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. The gift is a newly commissioned orchestral work titled ‘Symffoni'r Môr Mawr – A Transatlantic Symphony’ by composer Katie Jenkins.

The 15-minute composition, created in both Welsh and English, explores themes of migration, heritage, and community. It tells the story of Welsh people who traveled to America and the cultural traditions they brought with them. The work features contributions from various Welsh and international talents, including Sir Bryn Terfel and GRAMMY Award-winning pianist Chloe Flower.

The score for the symphony will be added to the Library of Congress's permanent music collections. The presentation event included a live preview of the work performed by the U.S. Air Force Strings and vocalists from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.