Local musicians are preparing for the second live-streamed performance of the 2021 Penarth Chamber Music Festival, which will take place at 6pm this evening (25 June).

The performance will be broadcast from Penarth Pier Pavilion as part of Wales' first live music festival since lockdown was imposed.

Thirty people, including audience members and musicians, will be present for the world premiere of a song composed especially for the occasion - 'Pier Music' by Dr Robert Fokkens.

South African-born Robert lives in Penarth and is a senior lecturer in composition at Cardiff University. His song will be performed by husband and wife classical duo David Adams and Alice Neary.

David is leader of the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera and Alice is principal cellist of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

The couple established Penarth Chamber Music Festival in 2015, which until last year was performed in the Pier Pavilion every summer.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 festival was live-streamed from the couple's coach house. Produced by Penarth Sounds' Andrew Smillie, the show was a resounding lockdown success.

But the couple told Nub News it was no substitute for playing to a live audience.

In the context of ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions and a turbulent period in the Pier Pavilion's history, David and Alice had begun to prepare for another coach house performance.

But the Vale of Glamorgan Council, who recently retained operation of the facility, decided the live concert should go ahead.

"It was incredibly last minute," says Alice. "We didn't know for definite until last Wednesday so it's been a bit of a whirlwind week.

"The Vale of Glamorgan Council have been fantastic. Putting it on has been a bit of a step to take so we're incredibly grateful that they have."

"It's been brilliant and we're really looking forward to later on," continued David.

The performance will be live-streamed to a global audience via Penarth Chamber Music Festival's YouTube page.

This is the second day of the festival. Further performances will be live-streamed from Royal Welsh Concert of Music and Drama in Cardiff tomorrow before the musicians return to the Pavilion on Sunday.

Tickets to one of the Sunday performances are still available.