Friday 31st October 2008

Preparation for ABRSM exams: Workshop and master class with plenty of hand outs and hands on with Helen Arnold harpist and ABRSM examiner.

10am -12 noon Leeke Memorial Hall

Helen Arnold is well known as a free-lance harpist and teacher of harp. She plays regularly as an orchestral harpist with a number of different orchestras, in ensembles and in recitals, sometimes with her students in the Albertine Harp Ensemble. She frequently plays for functions and weddings all over the South Eastern part of England, which she thoroughly enjoys because it contributes towards making occasions special for the listeners and she plays a wide variety of repertoire of all types to suit all ages. She is much in demand for "Demonstration Recital" work when she demonstrates the "do's and don'ts" of the harp, sometimes involving members of the audience to participate. As a teacher she holds one of the biggest teaching practices for harpists in England and students travel from six different counties for weekly lessons. She is also an ABRSM examiner.

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Hands on the Harp for beginners and lapsed players with Elin Lloyd.

10am – 12 noon St Michael’s Church, Kirk Langley.

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“Focus on Grades 6 – 8” with Helen Arnold
Aall the skills you need to succeed on the harp in the later grades.

1pm-4pm Leeke Memorial Hall

Covering all skills required for the later ABRSM harp exams, a chance to ask Helen about Aural Tests. Sight Reading, Pieces etc and the challenges and benefits of these later grades.

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Harp Therapy with Bethan Myfanwy Hughes – The UK’s only trained harp therapist.

1pm – 4pm St Michael’s Church Kirk Langley

After completing a course on the International Harp Therapy Program', in the USA (British women of the Year Foundation Award 2003). Bethan is currently the only professional and practising harp therapist. Training with some of the world's most outstanding students, she has received major national and international awards for her work with UK & US Armed Forces, Cancer & Leukaemia, Terminally ill, Special needs, Multicultural arts, Mental health and Plan international.

Bethan is in International as well as UK demand. Her established reputation as a professional harpist, is a respected and renowned name in the music, entertainment, corporate, military, events, harp therapy and charity world. Deservedly so, with over 15 years experience in providing top class entertainment, Bethan is the UK's pioneering and Wales's premiere professional harpist.

It is her experience, professionalism, qualifications, her major awards and personality that put Bethan at the top of the demand list head and shoulders above any other professional harpist in the UK, Europe and America.

It isn't just her abilities to provide professional entertainment and pioneering harp therapy that create a unique personal service through choice of music, outfit coordinating with any theme and reflecting the wishes of the client has always ensured that expectations are exceeded.

Nick named 'Angel of the Battlefield', Bethan is proud to have been helping and supporting the well being of UK & US Front line troops and wounded soldiers for 7 years.

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Music Theory for Fun with Elin Lloyd. Suitable for juniors, theory made lots of fun by Elin in very imaginative ways!

1pm – 4pm The Vestry St Michael’s Church

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Saturday 1st November 2008

Preparation for Aural Tests grades 1-5 with ABRSM examiner Gareth Green

10am – 12 noon Leeke Memorial Hall

Gareth Green achieved his first musical diplomas at the age of fifteen. By the age of 18, he had collected the Dixon and Turpin prizes for FRCO and was already engaged as a recitalist around Europe. He is an ABRSM examiner.

Following his time as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music, Gareth spent a year at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London as Organ Scholar, before going up to Worcester College Oxford, again as Organ Scholar. On graduation, he became Organ Scholar at Canterbury Cathedral before taking up the position of Assistant Organist at Wakefield Cathedral in 1983. In 1985, he was appointed Director of Music at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, leaving in 1990 to pursue his free-lance interests as an organ recitalist, adjudicator, Associated Board examiner, and composer/arranger. He has also worked for BBC Religious Broadcasting as a musical director for `Daily Service` and as an organist & pianist on `Songs of Praise`, `Sunday Half Hour` etc.

Gareth has released various recordings, both as a solo artist and as a choral accompanist. His musical endeavours have taken him as far afield as America, Bermuda and Singapore. Gareth offers consultation lessons at his home in South Yorkshire and also teaches theory of music online. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, walking, swimming, driving his Morris Minor and consuming blue Yorkie bars.

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Master class with grades 6 – 8 with David Watkins and Victor Harter-Banau.

10am – 12 noon St Michael’s Church

Master Class / workshop  for all Levels with David Watkins and Victor Hater-Banau.

1pm – 4pm St Michael’s Church

While still at school, David Watkins was a member of the National Youth Orchestra and a finalist in a Daily Mirror Competition for young instrumentalists. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, a French Government Scholarship enabled him to continue his studies in Paris. Returning to London, Solti chose him to play with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It was a 'Golden Age' which included performances by Callas, Sutherland, Schwarzkopf, Fonteyn and Nureyev. He then became a founder member of the new Welsh National Opera Company under the direction of James Lockhart and, after a short time with the Royal Philharmonic, joined the London Philharmonic under the batons of Boult, Solti, Haitink and Tennstedt.

His solo concerts have taken him all over the world, performing many of the compositions that have been written especially for him. He has also performed as soloist with the London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, etc. and appeared as soloist with the London Sinfonietta at the London 'Proms' with Sir Simon Rattle conducting.

Since winning first prize in an International American Competition with his composition 'Petite Suite' for Harp, he has written many pieces including the 'Concertino Pastorale', which he played with the London Philharmonic at the Royal Festival Hall, Walter Susskind conducting.

With Princess Grace of Monaco, he devised a recital of poetry and music for the official engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

In 2000 he was Principal Harpist at a 'Prom' Concert given by the "World Orchestra for Peace" conducted by Gergiev. This orchestra was composed of principal musicians from the world's great orchestras.

Recent concerts have included a performance of his solo harp concerto and his new concerto for two harps with the Budapest Strings, and a solo recital attended by the widow of Zoltan Kodály.

He regularly gives concerts and master classes in France, Germany and Italy as well as the UK and has recently formed a Duo with the distinguished violinist Michael Bochmann.

His recording of Ravel's Introduction & Allegro with the National Philharmonic became a bestseller in the USA, and other highly acclaimed recordings have been issued by RCA, Meridian and Pyramid.

For many years he was Professor of Harp at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has written a 'Method' for the harp published by Boosey and Hawkes.