Performer Name: Elinor Bennett

Show Name: Pencerdd Gwalia

Show Description

JOHN THOMAS, PENCERDD GWALIA 1826 - 1913. The famous harpist who won many hearts with his music. Elinor celebrates the life and music of the great Victorian harpist, John Thomas. He was born on Wales' National Day, March 1st 1826 in Bridgend, Glamorgan, and became the Chief Musician of Wales and Official Harpist to Queen Victoria and her son, Edward VII. His life story is fascinating and his music delights and charms audiences to this day. The programme introduces two very different harps. His first teacher, Llewelyn Williams, (known as the Chief Musician of South Wales) taught his young pupil to play Welsh harp tunes on the Triple Harp , which he had to abandon in favour of the ornate pedal harp, when he won a scholarship ( from the daughter of the English poet, Lord Byron) to study at the new Royal Academy of Music, London. He also had to abandon the Welsh language - and learn how to speak English! He was very popular among wealthy, aristocratic English ladies who were charmed by "Mr Thomas" and who wanted to learn to play the harp like him. The recital will include some of John Thomas' arrangements of Welsh Melodies, which he dedicated to some these wealthy admirers - and other music from the period. It is an honour to keep the story alive about one of the greatest harpists ever born in Wales, and perform music on harps similar to his own: 1. A Triple Harp (made c. 1755) by John Richard of Llanrwst. 2. A Gothic pedal harp made by the Erard company in London in 1904. Who were John Thomas' teachers and pupils ? Who were his sponsors and what legacy did he leave to us today? Some answers will be revealed in the concert!

Image for show
Bydd yn addas i bawb sy'n hoff o gerddoriaeth. Suitable to all music lovers.
Discreet concert lighting
Circa 4x4 metre stage
Posteri wedi eu cynllunio gyda lle i ychwanegu manylion pob perfformiad Posters designed for adaptation for each performance
Harpist - Elinor Bennett- has been at the forefront of music performance and education, and has travelled worldwide giving concerts, recitals and masterclasses. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with the great harpist, Osian Ellis and went on to perform with major British orchestras and some of the world’s finest conductors and composers, including Benjamin Britten, Sir Colin Davis, André Previn. Among the composers who have dedicated music to her are Karl Jenkins. John Metcalf, Malcolm Williamson, Alun Hoddinott and Paul Mealor. Elinor was awarded a Churchill Scholarship to travel to Australia to study Music Therapy and was the driving force in establishing the William Mathias Music Centre in Caernarfon, and founded the Wales International Harp Festival. She has appeared as performer and jury member in harp festivals and competitions internationally, - in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Thailand and the United States. She was Director of Harp Studies at Bangor University for many years, Visiting Professor of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music, and the Guildhall School of Music in London. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music by the University of Wales. She has made many recordings, and appeared regularly on music programmes on radio and TV. Now in her eighties, she is still passionate about the harp and its and music, and wishes to share her knowledge and love of the music of past harpists with present-day music lovers. She has many stories to tell of harpists from the past who left important collections of music to posterity . Programmes offered on the Night Out scheme are built around these interesting and important characters in our history - from the 18th century Blind Parry of Ruabon , the King's Harpist, Edward Jones of Llandderfel , to the first Official Harpist to Queen Victoria, John Thomas who was born 200 years ago in Bridgend, Glamorgan. All men - where were the women then?