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Come a join our celebration of the harp this October!

Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of the harp and friendship. Whether you’re near or far, there’s a place for you in this harp-filled adventure!

The Harp Project ’23 has already been an overwhelming success, tickets for the ‘In Person’ recording retreat sold out almost overnight earlier in 2023 year, with 50 people booked to travel across the globe and come together for music making, meeting friends and creating an album together. Online submissions for the 2 of the album tracks are due in on the 31st October 2023, email info@harpwales.com if you would like to be part of the recording, all ages and abilities welcome. 

You can still be part of this! Come along to celebrate of the joy of harp and friendship at the Friday night ‘Welcome to Wales’ Concert where we will be delighted by Welsh music at its finest with Harriet Earis (Celtic Harp) and Gareth Swindall-Parry (Triple Harp) and/or the Saturday night captivating concert with Sioned Williams (Pedal Harp) presenting  ‘A celebratory 70th year spiral of musical treats interspersed with anecdotes from a harping career of over 50 years’.

 

Friday Night: Welcome to Wales Concert…

When: 7pm-8pm Welcome to Wales Concert

Where: Ball Room @ Court Coleman Manor, Bridgend  (full details will be sent upon booking, please contact info@harpwales.com for inquiries)

Featuring: Harriet Earis (Celtic Harp) and Gareth Swindall-Parry (Triple Harp)

Tickets: All £8.50 (Under 18’s FREE)

Saturday Night: Sioned Williams Presents…

7pm-8pm Sioned Williams Concert

Where: Ball Room @ Court Coleman Manor, Bridgend (full details will be sent upon booking, please contact info@harpwales.com for inquiries)

Tickets: All £8.50 (Under 18’s FREE)

Sioned William presents ‘A celebratory 70th year spiral of musical treats interspersed with anecdotes from a harping career of over 50 years’.

Performers Biographies:

Sioned Williams:
Titles and qualifications:

Hon.FTCL; FRAM; FWCMD; FISM; Dip.RAM; LRAM; LWCMD.

First Welsh member of Committee of World Harp Congress (1999-2001)

Former Principal Harpist BBC Symphony Orchestra (1990-2017)

Former President United Kingdom Harp Association (2008- 2022) 

Emeritus Senior Fellow in Harp Studies, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Honorary Research Fellow Royal Academy of Music 

Former Principal Harpist of the BBCSO, Hon. Member and Former President of the UKHA for 14 years, first Welsh board member of the World Harp Congress, Sioned is renowned for creative programming, commissioning and premiering new works. She has appeared countless times on radio and television, and has a varied catalogue of award-winning CDs. A dedicated teacher and lecturer who pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain, Sioned is a passionate researcher and scholar whose lively presentations on a wide range of subjects have received many accolades. Sioned is Honorary Research Fellow, RAM, London.

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Harriet Earis:

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Gareth Swindall-Parry

Gareth is an award-winning Welsh Triple Harpist currently based around Herefordshire and South Wales. A passionate ambassador of the Welsh and Welsh-Romany music, Gareth performs and teaches – celebrating the unique sound of the Welsh Triple Harp, and the unbroken aural musical traditions that have been passed down from teacher to student for generations. Since 2016, he has performed at numerous folk festivals and events, as well as performed on TV such as for BBC’s ‘Bargain Hunt’. He also builds on the tradition with new compositions in the traditional style, that shows the full potential of the three shimmering rows of the Welsh Triple Harp.

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Want to know more about what we are up to for The Harp Project ’23 Recording Retreat? Check out the original details below! 

 

 

(Please watch the video below for an overview of ‘The Harp Project ’23)

 

THIS IS THE YEAR that The Dynamic Harps Virtual/In Person Ensemble will be

creating an album and YOU can be part of this!

Join this unique experience to play your harp on the Dynamic Harps Album.

Rehearse and record with us during the year online or in person, by the end of the year celebrate with us and hold a professionally recorded CD in your hand with your name on!

 

Accommodation at the main hotel is fully booked but I am delighted to be able to open up 12 more spaces as they have a beautiful ’sister’ hotel called ‘The Great House’ (Website here: https://www.great-house-laleston.co.uk/wedding-venue-bridgend/book-a-showround only 5 minutes drive away . We will work out a way to shuttle everyone to Court Coleman Manor and your harp can of course stay at the Manor for the full weekend. All meals except breakfast will be at Court Coleman Manor. If you would like to make a booking on this basis I would be delighted to welcome you to the project, the sign up page is here: Please book as soon as you can, I would be so sad for you to miss out! Thank you and with all best wishes, Shelley 

 

 What?

 

9 track Dynamic Harps album recording in 2023 and YOU are invited to be part of this!

 

When?

 

The 9 track album will be rehearsed during the first nine months 2023, recorded in October and released in December alongside an ensemble music book compendium, with every performer and supporter of the project named.

 

Who?

 

There are opportunities to join online or in person. Music is written carefully in order to be accessible to all ages and abilities.

 

How?

 

Rehearsals

 

Pre-Recorded Lessons: Once a month a new ensemble pre-recorded lesson will be released, including a teaching video for each individual part, a professionally videoed play along for each part and with all parts playing as an ensemble.

 

Live Rehearsals Online: On the 1st Tuesday of each month we will have a live session to rehearse together the pieces and for students to ask any questions and glitch fix. The replay will be posted following each session.

 

Live Rehearsals In-Person: For harpists based close enough to Cardiff, the ensemble will rehearse the CD pieces during their face to face meet up sessions over the year. If you are interested in joining the face to face ensemble please email me on info@harpwales.com.

 

Recording

 

CD Recording In-Person: All harpists from our Dynamic Harps global family are invited to join us in person for The Harp Project ’23 recording retreat on the 13^th-16^th October 2023 at a beautiful manor near Cardiff, South Wales, UK (accommodation and food on site). We will rehearse and record the CD during this week, alongside enjoying concerts, workshops and a celebration dinner together.

CD Recording Online: The final two tracks of the CD will be an audio collaboration. Harpists from around the globe will be invited to record an audio line for the CD and then have their part edited into the full group performance, thus opening the possibility of everyone being able to join us, even if the in-person recording is not possible. One track will be have parts available to play lap harps without levers (as well as parts for other harp types) to make it as inclusive as possible.