Elen Hydref

Elen was born in 1987 and brought up in Porthmadog, North Wales. She started singing in local Eisteddfodau at an early age before learning the piano, harp and flute. Although the harp became her principal instrument she achieved distinctions both in Grade 8 piano and Grade 7 flute. She then gained a Dip ABRSM with distinction in harp performance. In 2000 she was chosen to perform in the ABRSM National Concert for High Achievers at Covent Garden.

Elen was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain from 2003-2005 and was principal harpist in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales from 2006-2009. In 2004 she performed in the 'Young Talents Concert' at the European Harp Symposium in Lyon, France and also at the ‘Focus on Youth Concerts' at the 2005 World Harp Congress in Dublin.
Elen has won several prizes in numerous Eisteddfodau and Gwyliau Cerdd Dant over the years including the Instrumental Blue Ribband for instrumentalists under 16 at the 2002 National Eisteddfod of Wales. In 2003 she won second prize in the Texaco Young Musician of Wales competition and in 2004 she received the Walter Todds Prize in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. In the same year she began her 6th form studies at The Purcell School of Music. She performed in several of the School’s concerts including at Cliveden and Wigmore Hall.

In 2006 she received a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she is now studying with Catherine White. Her previous harp teachers have included Dylan Rowlands, Elinor Bennett and Skaila Kanga. During her first term at the Academy she won the Guy Magrath Harp Prize. In October 2009 she played with the Academy's Manson Ensemble at the Louise Blouin Foundation and in November 2009 she performed Gareth's Wood Harp Concerto with the Royal Academy of Music Symphonic Brass in the Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music. In January 2010 she played with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Roundhouse in Camden. She has played in many masterclasses including with Emmanuel Ceysson, Isabelle Perrin, Isabelle Moretti, Gwyneth Wentink, Milda Agazarian, Catrin Finch and Osian Ellis. She is a member of the Royal Academy of Music Harp Ensemble and has performed with them in venues such as Kings Place, Bury St. Edmonds and at the Canterbury Contemporary Music Festival 2010, where she performed the solo part of John Marson's Prelude, Song and Dance.

Elen is a member of the John Cervantes Ensemble and has performed with them at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, London. She is also a member of La Mer Trio in which she plays the harp with Maja Wegrzynowska (viola) and Renate Sokolovska (flute). La Mer Trio was formed in 2009 and they have since performed in venues including Regent's Hall and St. Mary's Church, Aylesbury.

For more information, please visit: www.elenhydref.com

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