THE NEW president of Rhyl Music Club has said it is a “great honour” to have been offered the position.

Llyr Williams has taken over from John Lill, a world-renowned pianist.

Founded in 1947, the club has enjoyed more than half a century of success, having originally met in a restaurant in the town before moving into Rhyl Town Hall, where it has remained.

Rhyl Journal: Llyr Williams in concert.Llyr Williams in concert. (Image: Newsquest)

Llyr has performed with all the major UK orchestras and has a particularly longstanding relationship with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with whom he has performed concertos ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Bartók and Mathias.

As a recitalist, Llŷr Williams regularly performs at venues and festivals across the world, including Mexico, Canada, the US, and Switzerland.

A former BBC New Generation Artist and Borletti-Buitoni Trust award recipient, Llŷr Williams was born in Pentrebychan, near Wrexham, and read music at Queen’s College, Oxford before taking up a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music.

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He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and in 2017 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Wales.

“It's a great honour to be president, taking over from John Lill who has been a very fine pianist and has been president for many years,” Llyr told the Journal.

“I just hope the Rhyl Music Club continues to be a success and continues to stay afloat in these difficult times, and anything I can do to help.

“I’d like to see more young people coming to concerts, but that’s the same problem in every country, not just pertaining to Rhyl.

“Anything we can do to try and make young people come, if we can lower prices, that’s the priority right now.

“I’ve played many recreational pieces in Rhyl over the years, so I hope I’ll be able to appear again at the club before too long in my new role.”