Festival 2017
20/10/17 - 24/10/17
Anne Denholm, Harp on Wight PatronOfficial Harpist to HRH The Prince of WalesA message from Anne
"I am delighted to be announced as the first Patron of Harp on Wight, a unique harp festival now in its fourth year. I was honoured to be approached, as Harp on Wight had already come to my attention due to its innovative programme of events, support of young artists, and relentlessly cheerful and enthusiastic welcome. I greatly look forward to visiting the island for the first time to perform at and attend this year’s festival, between 20th-24th October 2017, and to working with the committee over the longer term." |
|
HARP ON WIGHT FESTIVAL
The fourth Harp on Wight Festival concluded on Tuesday, October 24th. Since it began in 2014, the festival has rapidly gained a reputation for delivering very high quality concerts covering the full range of the harp spectrum. Some world class performances at this year's event have enhanced that reputation.
After the previous night's pre-festival dinner at Michelangelo Restaurant, the first concert took place on Friday 20th at All Saints' Church in Ryde and featured the festival's recently-appointed Patron Anne Denholm who is Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales. In an elegant performance, Anne's fourth piece was an intriguing folk elegy written for a shepherd by the French composer Bernard Andres which included a 'storm' element - very fitting for the following day - which reprised the full range of the 'box of tricks' at the harpist's disposal.
Maintaining the classical theme, the audience who braved the high winds and heavy showers of Storm Brian to turn out for the Saturday afternoon concert were rewarded by witnessing performances by two leading young international harpists. The final piece by Nicolette Chin from Singapore was the delightful 'Rhapsodie' by Marcel Grandjany, while Noelia Cotuna finished with a lively and spirited 'Granada' which conveyed the atmosphere of her native Spain. At the beginning of this concert judge Fran Barsby announced and performed the winning pieces in the festival's Senior and Junior competitions to compose a new piece of music for the harp.
The Saturday evening concert at Ryde Methodist Church by Italian harpist Adriano Sangineto was arguably the best performance in Harp on Wight's four year history. It included a jaunty traditional Breton song and another lovely rhythmic French tune. An entertaining second half medley of tunes, included 'Yesterday', 'Twist and Shout', 'Mamma Mia' and 'Billie Jean'. Other harp players at the festival - Ben Creighton Griffiths, Bethan Watson, Tamsin Davies and Fran Barsby joined Adriano onstage for a rousing ensemble finale.
The extremely high standard was maintained for the remainder of the festival, with Scottish harp virtuoso Savourna Stevenson and saxophonist/flautist Steve Kettley delivering a spellbinding Sunday evening show. There were several Robert Louis Stevenson reference points. One piece was inspired by a trip that Stevenson took on a steamer to New York, while another, 'La Solitude', was named after the house in France that the novelist lived in. There was excellent subtle interplay and balance between the instruments.
Monday evening saw the first Harp on Wight appearance of the delightful Welsh triple harp played by the masterful Robin Huw Bowen. His performance featured gentle Welsh folk airs and lively gypsy hornpipes all played with consummate authority.
The closing day on Tuesday saw two very contrasting concerts. In the afternoon Netherlands' harpist Yolanthe Cornelisse gave a charming and intimate recital of pieces all inspired by the natural beauty of various locations on the Isle of Wight and The Lake District.
The final concert was an energetic and intense debut performance by jazz fusion trio Chube - Ben Creighton Griffiths on electro-acoustic harp and keyboards, Aeddan Williams on bass guitar and double bass and Matthew Williams on drums. They delivered long, slow building pieces with Ben demonstrating a wide range of pedal effects on the harp.
The concerts were just a part of the festival which also included teaching workshops, pop-up events featuring Island harpists Merlynna Johnson and Theresa Ellis, an exhibition of harps and a six day harp making course at Quarr Abbey led by Breton instrument maker Sylvestre Charbin.
The large number of UK mainland and international attendees at the concerts and workshops delighted the organisers.
"The festival reflected the varied colours of the harp rainbow. There were some unforgettable moments." summed up Festival Director Anna Sacchini.
The shades and colours at this event were so vivid that it must have been a double rainbow.
Vic King
After the previous night's pre-festival dinner at Michelangelo Restaurant, the first concert took place on Friday 20th at All Saints' Church in Ryde and featured the festival's recently-appointed Patron Anne Denholm who is Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales. In an elegant performance, Anne's fourth piece was an intriguing folk elegy written for a shepherd by the French composer Bernard Andres which included a 'storm' element - very fitting for the following day - which reprised the full range of the 'box of tricks' at the harpist's disposal.
Maintaining the classical theme, the audience who braved the high winds and heavy showers of Storm Brian to turn out for the Saturday afternoon concert were rewarded by witnessing performances by two leading young international harpists. The final piece by Nicolette Chin from Singapore was the delightful 'Rhapsodie' by Marcel Grandjany, while Noelia Cotuna finished with a lively and spirited 'Granada' which conveyed the atmosphere of her native Spain. At the beginning of this concert judge Fran Barsby announced and performed the winning pieces in the festival's Senior and Junior competitions to compose a new piece of music for the harp.
The Saturday evening concert at Ryde Methodist Church by Italian harpist Adriano Sangineto was arguably the best performance in Harp on Wight's four year history. It included a jaunty traditional Breton song and another lovely rhythmic French tune. An entertaining second half medley of tunes, included 'Yesterday', 'Twist and Shout', 'Mamma Mia' and 'Billie Jean'. Other harp players at the festival - Ben Creighton Griffiths, Bethan Watson, Tamsin Davies and Fran Barsby joined Adriano onstage for a rousing ensemble finale.
The extremely high standard was maintained for the remainder of the festival, with Scottish harp virtuoso Savourna Stevenson and saxophonist/flautist Steve Kettley delivering a spellbinding Sunday evening show. There were several Robert Louis Stevenson reference points. One piece was inspired by a trip that Stevenson took on a steamer to New York, while another, 'La Solitude', was named after the house in France that the novelist lived in. There was excellent subtle interplay and balance between the instruments.
Monday evening saw the first Harp on Wight appearance of the delightful Welsh triple harp played by the masterful Robin Huw Bowen. His performance featured gentle Welsh folk airs and lively gypsy hornpipes all played with consummate authority.
The closing day on Tuesday saw two very contrasting concerts. In the afternoon Netherlands' harpist Yolanthe Cornelisse gave a charming and intimate recital of pieces all inspired by the natural beauty of various locations on the Isle of Wight and The Lake District.
The final concert was an energetic and intense debut performance by jazz fusion trio Chube - Ben Creighton Griffiths on electro-acoustic harp and keyboards, Aeddan Williams on bass guitar and double bass and Matthew Williams on drums. They delivered long, slow building pieces with Ben demonstrating a wide range of pedal effects on the harp.
The concerts were just a part of the festival which also included teaching workshops, pop-up events featuring Island harpists Merlynna Johnson and Theresa Ellis, an exhibition of harps and a six day harp making course at Quarr Abbey led by Breton instrument maker Sylvestre Charbin.
The large number of UK mainland and international attendees at the concerts and workshops delighted the organisers.
"The festival reflected the varied colours of the harp rainbow. There were some unforgettable moments." summed up Festival Director Anna Sacchini.
The shades and colours at this event were so vivid that it must have been a double rainbow.
Vic King
Harp On Wight is sponsored by
Visit Isle of Wight, The UK Harp Association and Wightlink Ferries
|
www.harponwight.co.uk |
