About me
I am a classically trained musician who plays lots of traditional music as well as Bach and Bartok. I love playing for dancers,however they are dancing!If you want a TWMPATH or BARNDANCE I'm your girl. I work with caller and accordaionist George Whitfield ( see friends) and also Welsh language legendary caller Huw Johns. As well as playing traditional music I write a lot of my own material- the 4 tracks you hear are mine. I am developing a sound that fuses traditional music, medieaval sounds and structures with impredictable and irregular rhythms and events, and if that sounds highbrow it isn't- I have a lot of fun!.
Gwyl Nos
This is a 40 minute piece which had its first performance on September 14th in Llandeilo Civic hall. It has been performed 5 times since.It is based on an image from the writings of the 8th century monk, the venerable Bede, and explores our growing awareness of death as we move through life, and the importance of seizing the moment and engaging fully in the dance of life. it is scored for 8 instrumentalists, plus singers, and is strongly influenced by my love of Celtic dance music. CDs of the performance are now available, please get in touch if you want one. Enjoy an extract here-"Jig Y Bore".
Merch y Felin
I have just finished a new work, Merch y Felin. This is a love story about a girl going to work in a water-powered wool mill at the beginning of the Industrial revolution in Wales. Her story becomes an allegory of the relationship, sometimes conflict, sometimes symbioisis, between the forces of nature and industry. It is for a 5 piece band of professional musicians and a group of workshop attendees who will learn rhythmic grooves on a variety of percussion instruments which together will produce the sounds of 19th century spinning and weaving machinery. You have to hear it to believe it!!
This piece had its first performance at the Small Nations festival in July last year, and then in the National Woollen Museum of Wales on October 3rd, Llandeilo on Nov 21st and is we are looking forward to working with Solva school and Solva Woollen mill for another performance in June this year.
Totem
This is a musical drama about shape shifting and the legend of Taliesin, the great Welsh magician who himself changed form to become a minnow, a bird, a grain of corn.....Totem can be performed by children or adults, it involves singing, story telling, dancing, mask making and a willingness to meet your inner animal. First performance was July 2nd in Cilycwm school with a fantastic group of children and in a beautiful rural setting with kites flying overhead as we sang. I'm looking forward to taking this show out to different groups of people and letting them all add their own personalities to it.
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