A new work for horn and piano by Charlotte Bray entitled April 21^st premieres at the Presteigne Festival in Wales on 25 August. The performance is given by Alexei Watkins (horn) and Ivana Gavríc (piano). April 21^st was commissioned by Alexei, together with the British Horn Society and Revd John Wates, to celebrate his father Richard Watkins’ 60^th birthday.

Commenting on the composition, Charlotte says: ​“The opening is calm and spacious. Both instruments hold an expansive, focused presence. To contrast, a lively, spirited section follows, the piano and horn musically dancing around one another. Through-composed, the final section is slow, reflective and hopeful, with a dreamy, eternal quality. I focused on the beauty and lyricism of the sound of the sustained horn, accompanied by a delicate, pulsating and harmonically slow-moving piano part.”