THE lockdown period has forced many to experiment with new methods of presenting their work, and world-renowned pianist Llyr Williams certainly has taken on the challenge.

Having played in concerts all over the world, Llyr had a long list of upcoming trips to places like France, Germany and Moscow, including a three-week trip to Mexico, before the lockdown brought the world to a halt.

But despite the restrictions, notes from Llyr’s Steinway grand piano from his home in Pentre Bychan in Rhos, near Wrexham, have been heard around the world during this strange time.

"A lot of events have been postponed or cancelled altogether. I was supposed to go to Guadalajara for three weeks to take part in a festival. But instead, it happened over the internet!" said Llyr.

"I recorded the eight concerts that I was supposed to play of Beethoven’s Sonatas from my home. Figures show that 14,000 people have watched, and that's just in Mexico, let alone the rest of the world!"

With his concerts from the festival still available to watch online until July 26, there will be an opportunity to see another side of the pianist in a special programme as part of the Miwsig fy Mywyd series with Llyr, on Saturday, 25 July at 8pm on S4C, as he shares some of the most iconic musical pieces of his life with Tudur Owen.

One of the pieces that Llyr will perform in the program will be the first of Beethoven's Sonatas, a piece that Llyr learned when he was only 10 years old for his grade eight piano exam.

"Mum and dad decided I was getting on well listening to cassettes when I was little, so they bought me a piano when I was 7. It was an upright second-hand piano from a shop in Denbigh," Llyr shares in the programme.

"I remember my first lesson with Mrs. Loti Williams Parry, who lived up the road, and she asked - what did I notice when looking at the piano? I had no idea what she meant! So, after a while, she said, 'some notes are black, some notes are white!'"

But Llyr soon mastered his craft and went on to Oxford University to study Music after his period at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, before conquering the world of classical music performance.

He said: "2003 was my big break. Just before that there was a concert for the Young Classical Artist Trust, which looks after young artists. On the panel was Brian McMaster, who ran the Edinburgh Festival and was also on the judging panel of the Cardiff Singer of the World.

"In 2003, Brian invited me to accompany the Cardiff Singer of the World, and to also make a recital at the Queen's Hall at the festival in Edinburgh. That was the first time for me to have a complete recital on Radio 3."

Bringing the programme to a close will be a performance of the third movement of Piano Concerto No.22 by Mozart.

At the end of the piece there is a cadenza, and in Mozart's time, the cadenza would have been composed and performed on the spot by the pianist. However, we have the privilege of enjoying a pre-prepared cadenza by Llyr, complemented by the Welsh National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Grant Llewellyn.

All the stories and performances will be shared on Miwsig fy Mywyd on Saturday, July 25, on S4C.