Music by the legendary Welsh harpist John Thomas, will take centre stage at a major North Wales festival celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth.
The gala concert at Galeri in Caernarfon on April 1 forms part of the Wales Harp Festival organised by Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias which brings leading performers from across the harp world to Gwynedd.
The event is being made possible thanks to the backing of headline sponsor Pendine Park via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, which supports arts and community activities, and will star three acclaimed harpists, Katherine Thomas Cerys Hafana and Amy Turk.
Festival organiser Catrin Morris Jones said the concert will honour the bicentenary of Bridgend-born harp virtuoso John Thomas, one of the most influential figures in Welsh music who was known as Pencerdd Gwalia.
Katherine Thomas, who is Principal Harp with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, will play a selection of his works during the concert.
She has performed with artists ranging from Bryn Terfel and Rolando Villazon to Katherine Jenkins and the Manic Street Preachers.
“John Thomas is part of a harpist’s education and I shall play two of his original compositions and some of his favourite works,” said Katherine.
“The Staccato Movement is an original composition for the harp by John Thomas that uses staccato or short notes to the maximum. It’s a piece that raises a smile!
“I love accompanying singers, and therefore chose to play John Thomas’ arrangement of Ave Maria by Schubert.
“”I finish the set with three of Thomas’ favourite works. Cwlwm Cymreig is a piece where I have woven together three of his arrangements of Welsh folk tunes – Clychau Aberdyfi, Dafydd y Garreg Wen and Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn.”
Multi-genre harpist, arranger and composer Amy Turk said she was “very aware” of John Thomas and his work.
“It was not lost on me that I was following in Thomas’ footsteps by becoming a student at the Royal Academy of Music, among other great harpists who studied there.
“I learned Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn myself when I was 13. It was my first big concert piece. I still play it to this day and love the beautiful simplicity of the melody intertwined with the complex arpeggios in the second half.”
At the age of 14, John Thomas was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music in London and eventually became professor of music at the Royal College of Music and at the Guildhall School of Music.
The bardic name Pencerdd Gwalia was conferred on him at the 1861 National Eisteddfod at Aberdare.
A decade later he was appointed Royal harpist to Queen Victoria and was an adjudicator at the 1887 National Eisteddfod when it was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft MBE said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to support this wonderful festival once again as it is one of the cultural highlights in our national calendar.
“Our support is being provided in partnership with the North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph which is coordinating our cultural donations during a very special year for Pendine when we are celebrating our 40th anniversary.
“The Wales Harp Festival also chimes perfectly with Pendine’s ethos because music and the arts more generally provide the golden thread that runs through daily live at all our care homes in Caernarfon and Wrexham.”
Among the other highlights at the festival will be the performance of Cerys Hafana, a composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who has won over audiences from the National Eisteddfod and from BBC 6 Music Festival to Transmusicales with their magical, progressive sound.
Cerys’ primary instrument is the triple harp with which they explore all its creative possibilities and unique qualities, playing with found sounds, archival materials and electronic processing.
At the concert Cerys, from Machynlleth, in Powys, will perform pieces they have composed or arranged.
Catrin Morris Jones added the concert brings together three very different styles of harp playing.
“Katherine will play the concert harp while Cerys will play the triple harp and Amy will play a completely different style on the harp,” she said.
With special interests in percussion, video game and film scores, and popular music of all styles, Amy Turk has created a worldwide online audience for her music.
As an arranger her most popular uploads span a full range of styles from the Disney Renaissance, The Legend of Zelda series, pop and rock classics such as Toto’s Africa.
Her rendition of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor has been watched more than 11million times on YouTube and was featured in the Oscar-nominated film Triangle of Sadness in 2022.
The festival, also supported by Salvi Harps and the UK Harp Association, will feature a one day course for harpists of all ages on Wednesday, April 1, with tutors Elinor Bennett, Bethan Conway, Catrin Morris Jones, Katherine Thomas and Amy Turk.
“There will also be workshops for young children and a taster harp session for children interested in learning to play the harp with Angharad Wyn Jones and Angharad Huw in partnership with Gwasanaeth Cerdd Ysgolion Gwynedd a Mon and Bangor University’s Music Department.
At 5pm on April 1, there will be a feast for the eyes and ears when all course participants will perform together on Galeri’s balconies and harpist Heather Brookes, winner of the 2025 UK Harp Association competition, will give a short recital.
The festival will also work in partnership with the Nansi Richards Trust to stage the Nansi Richards Scholarship competition for harpists aged under 25 at 3.30pm March 31.
