"The Master of Infinity and Timelessness"

Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich 1998

Born in South Wales, Dafydd Llywelyn received his first piano lessons from his father, a physician and surgeon of Welsh aristocratic background. Educated at Manley Hall College, Llywelyn was introduced to Gregorian Chant, Harmony, Polyphony and German Lieder, and composed his first works, including his mystical, monumental Piano-Séance “Dies Irae Fantasy I to XX”, dedicated to his late mother.  He completed his education in Warwickshire, under David Warwick, David Turnbull and Colin Mann learning the rudiments of conducting and opera, the art of oratorio and further studies in piano and organ. He later continued his composition studies in Germany, working with renowned artists such as Pierre Boulez, Stockausen, Pousseur and Ryzweski.

On completing his education, Llywelyn settled in Berlin working as a freelance composer, conductor and pianist. He made several recording for radio, TV and films and performed with orchestras and big-band jazz. Experimenting in the world of Modem Jazz and Rock, Llywelyn became the founder and first composer of one of the most successful Anglo-American rock groups of the late ‘60s and ‘70s - "Supertramp".

In 1972, following the composition of two of his most monumental works as Jonas Oratorio and “Apocalypse” for organ, Llywelyn, due to his belief in the “superficial preparation and supermarket mentality", decided to withdraw completely from the public eye and prevented any public performances of his music and recordings for 25 years. During this time, Llywelyn studied the symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Shostakovitch, Prokofiev and Scriabin intensively with his mentor KyriIl Kondrashin.

In 1997, internationally renowned Russian pianist, Boris Berezovsky, premiered the 7th movement, Part II of the mystical and “pyro-technical” symphonic piano séance “Time Quake”. His performance was greeted with a standing ovation by the audience of the Munich Herculessaal and saw an end to Llywelyn's isolation. Berezovsky has also premiered other Llywelyn works including the autobiographical Piano Cycle “Fantasia Apoplectica - Off the Devil's Spoon" in the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.