Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 10:22 AM

He's more sad than grouchy, sian.

A thought - does feeling sad/grouchy about getting older hasten the codgering process? It probably does.

The concert was last night. We had a respectable turnout despite a bad storm. At twenty minutes to the hour, no one was there but the volunteers and my heart was sinking. However, the community came through, and enough people appeared to make it a respectable evening.

The music was wonderful.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 10:15 AM

I think he invented it, Splotty.

Anyhow, 50 IS, indeed, the new 30. The 50s are turning out to be pretty damned interesting.

Tell Robin not to be such an old grump.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: Splott Man
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 09:55 AM

Tell Robin, growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 09:19 AM

The concert is tonight.

Sian - you are right on. At dinner he chose cheesecake for dessert.

Robin seems rather sad at approaching 50. I told him to be comforted - we may lose our youth, but we always keep our childishness. I don't think he understood it was a joke.

Actually, if we substitute "childlikeness," it does become rather comforting.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 08:28 AM

Today is Friday. The workshop is this Tuesday, and the concert is Wednesday.

For those of you who have been wishing they could come, I have news. There is now a bus called Megabus which takes people from city to city in the Midwest for low prices. (Google Megabus and choose United States. They operate in the UK and US.)

You can travel from Chicago, say to Kansas City and back for only $40. If you had planned further ahead, the fare would have been cheaper.

The weather here is gorgeous.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 04:42 PM

Things are seldom what they seem.

Nashville included, probably.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 11:29 AM

Robin in Nashville. There's a thought. The mind boggles ...

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 09:33 AM

Among my most prized posesssions are 2 cds. One is 'Gweini Tymor' by Sian James and 'Telyn Berseinol Fy Ngwlad' by Robin Huw Bowen. Both were given to me by people I met in N. Wales when they found out I was a Welsh-American and interested in my roots. Am listening to Sian James as I type this. Converted it from cassette to cd, but still have the cassette. Too bad RHB isn't coming to Nashville, though I may go to the Indiana show. Thanks for posting the info.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 08:36 AM

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 05:10 AM

It may be worth posting the whole tour:

Fri Apr 20        University of Georgia, Athens GA
Tue Apr 24        Harp Workshop, Kansas City MO
Tue Apr 25        Welsh Society, Kansas City MO
Fri Apr 27        Firelands Presbyterian Church, Port Clinton OH
Sat Apr 28        Harps on Main, Rising Sun IN
Sun Apr 29        Byron Colby Barn, Grayslake IL
Mon Apr 30        St. Paul's Cathedral, London ON Canada
Wed May 2        Spanish Peaks Celtic Festival, La Veta CO
Thu May 3        Welsh League of Arizona, Phoenix AZ
Sat May 5        Sylvia Woods Harp Center, Glendale CA
Sun May 6        Painted Sky Studios, Cambria CA
Tue May 8        Freight and Salvage, Berkeley CA

Also, to note that Robin's CDs (well - most of them) are available at
Sain and I'm pretty sure that they'll be available as downloads from ITunes. Similarly Crasdant and Cusan Tan. The triple harp ensemble of which he is a member (one of 5 triple harps, although I hear rumours that it will soon be 6) records, I think, on Tant and I have no link for them. Do you have one, Dr Price?

Of course, fans of the triple harp (or harp in general) can find CDs by the great Llio Rhydderch with another company, Fflach .

Folk harp enthusiasts should look to Delyth Jenkins who has recorded both with Sain and others. Also with the Sain stable are Sian James and Gwenan Gibbard. I know that Gwenan is touring Canada and the US in October. She'll be in Toronto I know, and I think at Celtic Colours, NS. She and Robin played at the Edinburgh Harp Festival at the end of last month and I happened to be speaking at the TMSA conference the next day so we had a very long and boozey late night supper - much enjoyed.

Of course, this being Wales, this is not an extensive list of harp players - traditional or otherwise!

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: Mick Tems
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 08:27 PM

I can confirm that another two catters are Friends Of Robin - that is myself and Dame Spoons. Sadly, we don't work together any more, but we sang and played at the UK-AZ Festival in Phoenix, Arizona, where among the high spots was a concert with Robin playing the triple harp. Robin drove us to Tucson another night to another warm and friendly gig (hello, Desert Dancer!) and we spent the night driving home to Phoenix again with Robin regaling us with problems and nightmares that you only get if you're a triple-harper flying US airlines.

This man is a marvellous, BAFTA award-winning musician. He plays with Crasdant, who are all pretty stunning and who regularly play America. But across Offa's Dyke, interest in Welsh music just dissipates - a crying shame, but I've grown tired and just a little despondent of singing the obvious praises of tunes and artists from our land now.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 05:40 PM

Yeh, I've heard of that before Giok. Where did it get the name?

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 03:38 PM

Sorry, every time I see this thread title, I think of this
Giok

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 03:35 PM

I believe I'll just keep in between you and me, Sian.

It's nice to know that another catter is friends with Robin.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 12:11 PM

Yeh, he has that 'no-lettuce' shape as well!

(As do I, I hasten to add - just in case you pass this on to him and he thinks the pot doth call the kettle black.)


sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 10:37 AM

Thanks, sian. Yes, Robin will be playing the triple harp. I'm not sure what kind of strings it has.

One of my favoite stories about Robin was this. He having dinner at my house on a hot summer day (cold chicken, potato salad and homegrown tomatoes, I believe) when suddenly he looked up, beaming wonderfully. He said, "Do you know what I like best about this?"

"No, what?" we said.

"There's NO lettuce!"

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 04:43 AM

Robin plays the triple harp, which - OK - was originally a baroque instrument from Italy but it 'lives on' in Wales. He learned much of his music from the two great tradition bearers - Nancy Richards and Eldra Jarmain. (The gypsy tradition from the latter.) Robin has done a lot to re-establish the triple harp as well as traditional music in general in Wales and he's currently the Chairperson of Clera, the traditional instrument society.

If you can get to this concert, go! If he's running workshops, go! (Sit at the back, if you don't play the harp, and just learn the tunes.) But send him back in one piece. He's turning 50 at the beginning of June and he's promised us a big party. I've promised him I'll make my almond cheesecake ...

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 09:50 PM

What kind of Welsh harp? Wire? Triple strung??? Just to make me moan a bit more.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 09:24 PM

Thanks for the vote of confidence, even if you can't come.

Subject: RE: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 04:56 PM

Oh man....if I still lived in Winfield, I'd BE there!!! Double dagnabbit!

Subject: Welsh harp concert in Kansas City Apr 25
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 04:19 PM

Soon Robin Huw Bowen from Wales will perform Welsh traditional music on the triple harp.


Wednesday, April 25th
Time 7 pm
At Asbury United Methodist Church
5400 West 75th Street
Prairie Village Kansas (Kansas City suburb)
Price $10

In addition, Robin will be giving a harp workshop on April 24th. PM me if you are interested.

April 25th should be a lovely time to visit Kansas City. Flowers will be blooming, cardinals and mockingbirds will be singing, and pedestrians will throng the picturesque Plaza. The Nelson Atkins, a world-class art museum, will be open. The barbecue is excellent, as usual.

Find your passport and come over.