Royal composer Paul Mealor has revealed his shock after opera legend Sir Bryn Terfel surprised him with a prestigious award at a sell-out concert.
Prof Mealor, originally from Connah’s Quay, was waiting in the wings at the North Wales International Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral when he was unexpectedly called to the stage.
The spotlight turned on him at the beginning of the second half ahead of a special question and answer session between Sir Bryn and Bishop Gregory Cameron.
Prof Mealor was completely “bowled over” when he was presented with the Wales Care Awards’ Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation Award for Promoting the Arts in Social Care.
He said: “I never expected anything like what happened next. I suddenly found myself being called up to the stage. It took me completely off guard and I feel so very humbled and moved that the Wales Care Awards judges chose to honour me in this way.”
Care Forum Wales chairman Mario Kreft MBE, who founded the Wales Care Awards, paid tribute to Prof Mealor before calling him to the stage for the award to be presented before a packed audience.
Mr Kreft said: “We could think of no more appropriate occasion to present this award, to which Sir Bryn Terfel has given his name, than the night on which Sir Bryn was making his debut appearance at this much loved festival of which Prof Mealor is such an outstanding artistic director.
“Everyone present was beyond thrilled to see Prof Mealor honoured in this way and the presentation just added to the joy factor which was evident all around the room on what turned out to be an absolutely outstanding evening of music and celebration.”
Prof Mealor admitted he is used to being centre stage after a career in which he has become recognised internationally as one of the world’s most performed, recorded, and broadcast living composers.
But he said he was especially touched that so many friends and colleagues had conspired to keep the presentation of the award a secret from him.
He is a long-standing friend of Sir Bryn Terfel with whom he has worked on a number of previous occasions including at the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Prof Mealor wrote the historic Coronation Kyrie sung in Welsh for the historic Royal event and the piece was performed by Sir Bryn alongside the Choir of Westminster Abbey and His Majesty’s Chapel Royal.
He also composed the motet Ubi Caritas, which was performed at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. It went on to top the classical singles charts in the USA, UK, Australia, France and New Zealand.
This year marks his third as Artistic Director of the North Wales International Music Festival.
His tenure has seen a growing collaboration with Pendine Park care organisation, the headline sponsor of this year’s festival via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT).
The trust was set up by Pendine Park’s arts-loving owners Mario and Gill Kreft to support community and arts activities across North Wales.
As part of PACT’s sponsorship, the festival hosts the Pendine Young Musician of the Year competition which offers a £2,000 cash prize, and a silver trophy for the winner.
Prof Mealor hailed Pendine Park as one of the pioneers in using the life-affirming impact of music and the arts to enrich the lives of vulnerable people in need of care.
He has worked hard to integrate accessible community activities into the festival programme and other musical projects he has taken under his wing.
He has also been outspoken on a local and national level about the need for ring-fenced funding to support and protect music education and music therapy provision in a care environment and in wider society.
Presenting Prof Mealor with his award, Sir Bryn Terfel said: “I am so proud to have been here to present this award to Paul.
“He is a true friend and a gentleman who, in addition to his world class composition work, has worked quietly behind the scenes to make music accessible to people of all ages and in all life situations.
“He is especially mindful of those living within a care environment for whom music can be a vital key opening up a world of old memories and new imaginings. This award is richly deserved.”
