The Lewis Merthyr Band has offered a warm Welsh welcome this week to Associate Professor Artem Ananiev of the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow.

Prof Ananiev was visiting Wales in connection with a project marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the city of Donetsk — formerly Hughesovka (literally translated 'Hughes Town') — in the then Imperial Russia, by Merthyr Tydfil industrialist John Hughes in 1869.

Transcription

The project included a workshop on a transcription for brass of Prof Ananiev's score to Russian film pioneer Dziga Vertov's 'Enthusiasm: The Symphony of Donbass', which was filmed in 1930's Hughesovka.

Other events included the premiere of the Russian language film 'Donbass Borderland' at Chapter Arts, Cardiff and a visit by the project team to the Hughesovka depository at the Glamorgan Archives.

Prof Ananiev's visit also included a visit to the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery, now Rhondda Heritage Park, before a hugely enjoyable evening with the Lewis Merthyr Band experimenting and exploring the sounds, colours and technical capabilities of the modern brass band.

Prof Ananiev was visiting Wales in connection with a project marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the city of Donetsk — formerly Hughesovka — in the then Imperial Russia, by Merthyr Tydfil industrialist John Hughes in 18694BR

Look forward

Lewis Merthyr MD, Craig Roberts told 4BR: "We were delighted to welcome Prof Ananiev to the Rhondda.

We look forward to welcoming him back to Wales once again, and to performing some of the wonderful music he brought with him."