A Child's Christmas in Wales will be performed by the Ligeti Quartet in Dorchester

A Child’s Christmas In Wales and other pieces will be performed by The Ligeti Quartet and narrated by Mark Tattersall.

Join Dorchester Arts on Sunday for a festive musical treat, featuring one of the UK’s best-loved Christmas stories. Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales has been adapted for string quartet and narrator by composers Adam and Charlotte Caird. The music adds a whole new dimension to this classic evocation of Christmas and childhood.

Mark, who is also artistic director of Dorchester Arts, said: “This story has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother was Welsh and Christmas was never complete without the family gathering to listen to our old vinyl record of Dylan himself narrating this funny, gentle and brilliantly poetic story.

"The new musical arrangement is wonderful – the mixture of sound effects and string melodies really brings the story to life."

The first part of the concert features two fascinating pieces of music from this brilliant Quartet. In the extraordinary Sunjata’s Time, Malian composer Fodé

Lassana Diabaté magically blends the rich musical heritage of West Africa with the sounds of the western string quartet. Stef Conner’s Singing Strings is a four-way conversation between voices and instruments.

A Child's Christmas in Wales by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas is an anecdotal reminiscence of a Christmas from the viewpoint of a young boy, portraying a nostalgic and simpler time. It is one of Thomas's most popular works.

The Ligeti Quartet have been at the forefront of modern and contemporary music since their formation in 2010. They have established a reputation as one of the UK’s leading ensembles, breaking new ground through innovative programming and championing of today’s most exciting composers and artists.

*A Child’s Christmas In Wales and other pieces by the Ligeti Quartet, Dorchester Corn Exchange, Sunday December 17 at 3pm. Call the box office for tickets.