JOSEPH PARRY [1841 - 1903]
Joseph Parry was born at 4 Chapel Row, Georgetown, Merthyr Tydfil. When he was nine years old he began working in a coal mine but later moved to work at the local Cyfarthfa ironworks. In 1854 he emigrated with his family to Danville, Pennsylvania, United States of America, where he worked in the local iron mill. He studied music during his spare time and after succeeding with his compositions at local eisteddfodau, he began entering eisteddfodau in Wales. He won prizes at the National Eisteddfod in Swansea in 1863 and Llandudno in 1864, and became a member of the Gorsedd of the Bards the following year at Aberystwyth, where he took the bardic name 'Pencerdd America'.
Following his success as a young composer, a public subscription fund was established which enabled him to study music at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In 1874, he was appointed the first Professor of music at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, but he resigned in 1880. He moved to Swansea where he established a new private college, before accepting a post at the newly-established University at Cardiff. He died at his home in Penarth on 17 February 1903.
Joseph Parry was an extremely popular and productive composer. He composed six operas, including 'Blodwen' (the first Welsh-language opera) which was performed on stages throughout Wales at the end of the 19th century, and two oratorios. Among his most popular works are the hymn-tune 'Aberystwyth' and the song 'Myfanwy', which continue to be regularly performed by choirs and soloists.