Performer Name: Elinor Bennett

Show Name: Edward Jones, Bardd Y Brenin / The King's Bard

Show Description

Lecture with musical excerpts to remember EDWARD JONES, The King's Bard (1752 - 1824) Harpist, collector, poet, teacher, composer by ELINOR BENNETT   The story of Edward Jones, a farmer's son from Landderfel, Gwynedd, who rose to become harpist to King George IV will be shared in words and music on the Triple Harp. Edward Jones was a renowned harpist, teacher and music collector who 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 likely that much of the traditional music of Wales would have been forgotten long before now. Two hundred years ago, Edward Jones, the "King's Bard", died in poverty and loneliness in his lodgings in London. This lecture-recital remembers one of the great benefactors of Welsh music , and celebrates the fact that children and young people today still know and sing the traditional tunes of Wales.

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Help to carry the Triple Harp into the venueYes, on request. The possibility of giving a powerpoint presentation would be most acceptable, but not essential.
Yes, on request
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, and 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.