Pembrokeshire born composer Alexander Mills is appointed Canon Composer at Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral in Bangor, the first position of its kind in the Church in Wales. Alexander’s works have been widely performed, including at Wigmore Hall, the Barbican and Melbourne Recital Centre, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4. Alex is passionate about music and the Welsh language, and in 2023 was commissioned to compose a new setting of Christ’s Seven Last Words in Welsh which was premiered to great acclaim at Saint Deiniol Cathedral on Good Friday 2023.
Each Canon represents an area of the Cathedral’s common life and witness which the Cathedral and the Diocese of Bangor has identified as important for the life of the Church in our days, and in which further resource and energy will be invested over coming years.
Acknowledging his historic appointment, Father Jarel says, "I am deeply humbled and honoured to be made an Honorary Canon of Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral Bangor. Wales has a very special place in my heart and I am greatly inspired by the Archbishop of Wales’s leadership, and the commitment of the wider Church in Wales, to uphold the dignity of every human being. I look forward to being connected to the Diocese of Bangor in this way and to contributing as Canon Preacher to its ministry and witness to Jesus Christ."
Affirming his commitment to music and the Welsh language, Alex Mills says, "The extraordinary power music has to inspire, move and unite us makes it an incredibly important part of the life of a Cathedral and the community it serves. I feel very honoured to have the opportunity to help nurture and grow this at Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral over the coming years and to be a part of shaping the identity of the Cathedral as it prepares to mark its 1,500 year anniversary."