Sioned Williams

As former Principal Harpist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for 28 years, Sioned has worked with many respected conductors and composers in premieres and broadcasts. Performances with choirs include BBC Singers, The Sixteen, Holst Singers, Cantamus, Tenebrae, The choristers of Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, King’s College Cambridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Winchester Quiristers and Oxford Voices. Her discography includes partnerships with James Galway, Lisa Milne, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson and Frederica von Stade. Debussy Danses, recorded with the Brodsky Quartet for Chandos was brilliantly reviewed, as were recordings with The Sixteen of Imogen Holst, and a premiere by Cecilia McDowall. In recitals, Sioned has collaborated with Michael Chance, Martyn Hill, Steven Isserlis, Neil Mackie, Aurèle Nicolet, Mark Padmore, Christopher Redgate, Andrew Watts, Roderick Williams and Jeremy Huw Williams.

Sioned presents lively and engaging presentations on a wide range of subjects including The harp in Wales – an unbroken tradition, and a new outlook; The harp in Britain – composers and players; Blind John Parry – Master of High Baroque; The spirit and passion of Ruskin; New music, innovation and the importance of collaboration; A Welsh harpist’s spiral of English delights; The orchestral harpist; The diverse harpist; A portrait of folk-music within original music for harp; and JS Bach Suite BWV 1006a, the research and the consequence.

Her current research focuses on John Thomas (1826-1913) ‘Pencerdd Gwalia’, harpist to Queen Victoria. A performer/composer whose collections of Welsh National Music remain uniquely important publications, Thomas wrote over 70 original works for solo harp, harp and piano duos, and voice, as well as transcribing works by Beethoven, Spohr, Rossini, Schubert, and Mendelssohn.

Sioned pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain. Appearing on panels for international competitions and harp examinations at music conservatoires, Sioned also writes articles and reviews. President of the UKHA for 14 years and the first Welsh board member of the World Harp Congress, she is currently collating her life story from hundreds of programmes and newspaper cuttings, videos and recordings from her earliest performances. Sioned is a Royal Academy of Music alumna.