More information about the concerts: |
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19:15
Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PT Tickets: £15, Children under 16: £7 As Catrin Finch so aptly writes in her foreword for this programme, ‘... one of the most exciting and inventive harpists in the world today, Remy van Kesteren will astound you with a performance I guarantee you will not forget.’ We anticipate electro-harp magic.
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19:15
Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PT Tickets: £15, Children under 16: £7 Ismael’s concert is in honour of the Guarani civilisation (indigenousParaguayan) who, at the beginning of the 1600’s, first learned the harp from the Jesuit missionaries. ‘Arpa Guarani’ is the title of his most recent CD.
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The Festival's traditional Saturday afternoon concert features two leading
young harpists: the winner and runner-up in the 2023 UK Harp Association Competition in the North London Festival. The winner was HUW BOUCHER and the runner-up was AISHA PALMER. Both harpists are from Wales. We welcome Aisha and we welcome back Huw who performed here last year as joint runner-up in the 2022 competition. |
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14:00
Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PT Tickets: £15, Children under 16: £7 |
HUW BOUCHER’s interest in music began when he started learning the piano at the ageof 10. At 11 years old at the Junior Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama he began his harp studies with Kathryn Rees. With the addition of the flute Huw achieved ABRSM Grade 8 in all three instruments by his early teens. He won the National Eisteddfod from 2016-19 and in 2017 was also awarded the coveted Blue Ribbon with a £1000 scholarship.
Huw was also a finalist on two occasions in the Gregynog National Young Musician with a £500 scholarship award. In 2018 He joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and performed with them in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2020 Huw was the only harpist in the Strings Finals in the BBC Young Musician competition, which was shown on national television. In 2021 Huw was awarded a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in addition to the prestigious ABRSM award to support his studies. At the Academy Huw studies with Skaila Kanga, Professor Emerita of Harp, as well as being part of a thriving harp department. In July 2022 Huw won the Silver Medal at the USA International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana. He also won the Concerto Prize in the final stage. |
AISHA PALMER is a harpist whose Welsh heritage plays an important role in her performances, promoting compositions written by Welsh composers. She annually competes in the Eisteddfod yr Urdd and Genedlaethol, achieving first place, with her performances being televised on S4C.
Among her numerous awards Aisha has won the Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition 2023, the Nansi Richards Scholarship in the Wales Harp Festival 2022, second prize at the UK Harp Competition in the North London Festival, the Olive Jenkins Memorial Bursary, and the Peter Simon Award for Harp which led to her becoming a Philanthropy Ambassador for the Academy. Aisha achieved the LRAM Teaching Diploma in 2022 and has been approached to become a coach for the Harp Scheme at Thames Youth Orchestra starting September 2023. Aisha is establishing herself internationally. She was awarded second prize in the World Music Category at the Wales International Harp Festival 2023; the Professional Duet Category in the Hong Kong International Harp Competition 2022; first prize in the International Harp Competition Walled Town in Cittadella; second prize at the Infinity International Harp Competition and a Diploma in the Glowing Harp International Competition. She performs regularly with a variety of orchestras, including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, Royal Academy Opera, Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra, Royal Academy Symphonic Brass, Gustav Mahler Orchestra, Thames Youth Orchestra and Orchestra of the City. Aisha has worked with renowned international harpists attending masterclasses from Isabelle Perrin, Anneleen Lenaerts, Gwyneth Wentink and Anne Sophie Bertrand. She is in her final year of her Bachelor of Music Degree at the Royal Academy of Music under the tuition of Karen Vaughan. She plans to continue her post-graduate studies with Catrin Finch. |
Two of Scotland’s most respected and best loved harpists present songs and tunes from Scotland and beyond on acoustic and electro harps in a concert specially created for the Festival. We welcome Corrina. Mary played a big part in our first Festival in 2014 and it is great to welcome her back.
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19:15
Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PT |
CORRINA HEWAT grew up in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by music and song, art and stories, in an expansive landscape which helped shape her musical narrative. She is a harper, singer, composer and was Principal Scottish Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2012-2022.
Corrina directs the Scots Folk 60-strong choir Sangstream and the Borders Health in Harmony Staff Choir. She works in a duo with pianist Dave Milligan, and a special harp duo with Mary Macmaster. Corrina also runs Harp in Scotland, an online learning weekend and the Harp Village, a harp weekend in Cromarty annually in late September. Corrina has recorded around 50 albums, 13 under her own or band name, and has composed many large-scale commissions for ensemble. She co-directs the children’s theatre company DragonSong Productions and is also one of the musicians compiling the 100 Women Composers in Trad Tunebook, for release on Faber Music. Inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2013 as part of the groundbreaking harp duo Sileas, MARY MACMASTER is best known for her pioneering work with the metal-strung clarsach and the fantastic Camac electro-harp. Mary has toured extensively with Sileas, The Poozies, Shine, Macmaster/Hay, Clan Alba, Caledon and award winning project, Songs of Separation. As well as working with theatre companies Dogstar, Grid Iron and Licketyspit, Mary has collaborated live and in the studio with many wonderful musicians including Dick Gaughan, Kathryn Tickell, Norma Waterson and Sting. In 2017 Mary was presented with the Hands up for Trad Inspiration Award. |
We are very pleased that Lily will be performing the closing concert in our 10th Anniversary Festival. She has a real affinity with the Isle of Wight. This will be her eighth appearance on the Island - the first being in 2008. Her latest was her beautifully sensitive performance at our 2018 Harp on Wight Festival.
Expect original compositions alongside a dynamic array of melodies from ragtime and tangos to Eastern European and Nordic tunes, jigs and reels and renaissance classics. 14:00
Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PT |