WALES
INTERNATIONAL
HARP
FESTIVAL

Sioned Webb was brought up in Bala, a town in Meirionethshire and rich in folk culture. She grew up hearing and learning folk tunes at school and from her father. By the time she went to study with William Mathias at Bangor University, she had already won several prizes for highest examination marks throughout the UK with the piano and was ready to pursue a classical career with the instrument. She also realised, however, that she couldn’t deny the chilhood influences and she continued to research and embrace folk music. A national winner on the triple harp, an author and editor of many books of folk tune arrangements and Plygain carols, she has also performed with Sian James and Arfon Gwilym worldwide.

Dynamic Harps is a community based ensemble in Cardiff, Wales. The membership ranges from novice harpists to grade 8 level, with children through to post retirement performing together. This supportive and dedicated group of harp enthusiasts meet weekly to play a diverse range of musical genres; traditional, classical, pop, rock, show tunes, film music, Jazz and more. Songs are requested by the members and arranged by Shelley Fairplay, the director of the group. Some performance highlights have included Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay, National Botanic Garden of Wales and concerts at the Harpes au Max International Harp Festival, France. www.DynamicHarps.co.uk

Sioned’s imaginative approach to the harp has earned her an enviable reputation as an international performer and creator of unique flair and individuality. In April 2018, after 28 distinguished years working with leading composers and conductors, she will relinquish her position as Principal Harp BBCSO. Renowned for commissioning new works, Sioned has performed hundreds of premieres and appeared extensively on radio and television, and has made numerous award-winning CDs. Sioned pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain; is a passionate teacher, researcher and scholar; was the first Welsh board member on the World Harp Congress; is President of the UK Harp Association, Emeritus Senior Fellow in Harp Studies at Trinity Laban, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the RAM.

Huw is a trained operatic tenor with over 15 years' experience. Until recently, he was a full-time member of the chorus of Welsh National Opera, and before that, of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Huw performed as a soloist at many prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, London, Royal Opera House, Muscat, Oman and Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, and won many competitions and awards during his studies. He recently returned to North Wales with his family, to concentrate on teaching voice, having reached a point in his career where he felt the need to distance himself from the hectic schedule of a full-time performer with a touring company.

Lowri-Ann Richards and Dylan Cernyw

“If ever there was an appropriate time to say- ‘I’ll have what she’s drinking’- it would be after watching the mini tornado that is Lowri-Ann Richards perform! – A siren of Cabaret” Broadway Baby, Edinburgh Fringe 2014. As a London Cabaret award nominee in 2015, Lowri-Ann pocesses a stellar and extensive career in performing live. This ensures that the evening’s repertoire of material is exquisitly diverse and ranges from songs by David Bowie to Judy Garland. Kate Bush to the Beatles (she appeared in Give My Regards to Broadstreet alongside both Paul and Ringo very early on in her career) Bessie Smith to Visage (L-A toured and sang with Steve Strange’s Visage in the early New Romantic 80’s and more recently in 2015/16). Combine this with the spectacular playing of internationally renowned harpist Dylan Cernyw, you have a stellar and hugely entertaining act.

Stephen Rees is a musician who has been deeply involved in the traditional music of Wales for many years. He was a member of the Welsh folk groups Ar Log and Crasdant, with whom he recorded and performed throughout North and South America, Europe and the UK. A founder member of the folk music organisations Clera (1996) and trac (1997), he has taught traditional music workshops throughout Wales. Between 2006 and 2011, he was joint musical director of Y Glerorfa (the Welsh Folk Orchestra). He is a music lecturer at Bangor University.

Paul Dooley is one of the leading exponents of the Irish harp in its historical form and style – using a metal-strung harp, playing with the fingernails and damping unwanted string resonance with the fingertips. His repertoire consists primarily of traditional Irish dance music, which for the most part has been learned from traditional players of other instruments. Paul has also spent recent decades working on the Robert ap Huw manuscript, the oldest collection of harp music in existence. He completed his PhD studies at the University of Limerick in 2017 and the title of his thesis is ‘Harp Tuning Practice in Medieval Ireland and Wales’.

Ann was born in mid Wales and was inspired from an early age by her close neighbours Dafydd Roberts the blind harper and Nansi Richards who gave her the first harp lesson. Ann attended a Welsh school in London where she had harp lessons from Anne Ross and Gwendolen Mason. She then studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London with Professor Osian Ellis. Ann became principal harpist with the Icelandic Radio Orchestra and later freelanced with the BBC and London orchestras before joining the RTE Radio Orchestra in Dublin Ireland where she became permanent principal harpist in their Concert Orchestra. Now retired, she delights in teaching.

Professor of Harp at the Russian Music Academy and the Moscow Gnessin`s Special Musical School (Сollege). Eminent Culture Worker of Russia. The Founder and President of the Association of Russian Harp Teachers International and the Founder and the Artistic Director of annual Moscow International Harp Festival. Member of juries of numerous national and international competitions, and many of her students have won prizes at   prestigious international competitions. Ms. Agazarian was a Honorable Guest of the VI USAIHC in Bloomington and became the Professor-in Residence of the International Harp Academy “Harp Masters” in Switzerland. She is a Visiting Professor of the Royal Academy of Music, a Member of the Board of Directors of World Harp Congress, and the Founder and Artistic Director of The Ksenia Erdely International Harp Competition in Russia.

Clíona Doris has extensive experience as solo harpist and chamber musician and has performed throughout Ireland, Britain, Europe and the United States. Her broadcasts include performances on BBC Radio 3, Radio Ulster, RTÉ LyricFM, National Public Radio USA, ClassicFM TV, UTV, BBC Television and RTÉ Television and as soloist at the BBC Proms in the Park from Belfast broadcast as part of the BBC Last Night of the Proms. An active exponent of contemporary music, Clíona has premiered works by many composers. She has released two solo albums, and a recording of Handel’s Harp Concerto with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Clíona is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast and is Doctor of Music from Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. She is now Head of the DIT Conservatory, Dublin.

Sioned’s imaginative approach to the harp has earned her an enviable reputation as an international performer and creator of unique flair and individuality. In April 2018, after 28 distinguished years working with leading composers and conductors, she will relinquish her position as Principal Harp BBCSO. Renowned for commissioning new works, Sioned has performed hundreds of premieres and appeared extensively on radio and television, and has made numerous award-winning CDs. Sioned pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain; is a passionate teacher, researcher and scholar; was the first Welsh board member on the World Harp Congress; is President of the UK Harp Association, Emeritus Senior Fellow in Harp Studies at Trinity Laban, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the RAM.