Events

Recital-Lecture by Elinor Bennett: Edward Jones (1752-1824)

26 March 2024, 2:30pm, Stiwdio 2 Galeri

Tickets: £10, £9 (students / older people / disabled), £5 school students.

This lecture-recital will be in Welsh with powerpoint presentation

Harpist, poet, collector, music arranger, historian, teacher, publisher

The story of  Edward Jones, a farmer’s son  from Landderfel, Gwynedd, who rose to become the  harpist to King George IV  at the end of the 18th century will be told in words and music in this talk.  Edward Jones  (1753-1824) was a renowned harpist, teacher and music collector and worked  passionately to ensure that generations after him would know the traditional tunes of his native country.

Without Edward Jones’ detailed and meticulous work in collecting music and poetry from harpists, poets and singers that he heard during his childhood – and publishing them –  it is very  unlikely that we, today,  would know tunes such as Llwyn Onn, Ar Hyd y Nos, CainGwŷr Harlech  as Jones feared that they would have been forgotten by  the end of the 18th century.

Two hundred years ago, in September 1824, Edward Jones, the “King’s Bard”, died in poverty and loneliness in his lodgings in London. This  lecture-recital remembers one of the greatest benefactors of Welsh music of the 18th century, and celebrates the fact that  children and young people in  Wales today know and sing our traditional tunes. Our national life  would have been very strange without the old traditional tunes and dances.

Coincidentally, this period was also very important in the development of the harp in Europe. Find out why in this lecture!

Festival Concert

27 March 2024, 7:30pm, Theatr Galeri

Tickets: £16, £14 (students / older people / disabled), £6 school students.

From Wales to Colombia – Classical to jazz to Latin American music featuring Alis Huws, Amanda Whiting and Diego Laverde Rojas.

Come and listen to the amazing versatility of the harp in a concert that includes classical, jazz and Latin American music.

Current Official Royal Harpist, Alis Huws is a freelance soloist, orchestral and chamber musician. Alongside her royal role, she regularly gives recitals across the UK and internationally, having toured to Japan, Europe, the US and Hong Kong and performed with the London Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonia Cymru.

From performing at Festivals around the world, to teaching in Conservatoires across the country, Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting has very quickly established herself as an essential part of the UK jazz scene. With her classical training, she has carved out her own unique sound following in the paths forged by Ashby and Coltrane.

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Diego Laverde Rojas has focused on promoting the traditional music from Latin America, with a focus on the region between Colombia and Venezuela, known as ‘The Plains,’ where the harp holds significant cultural importance. As well as performing as a soloist and ensemble member, Diego also delivers workshops across the UK.