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Gregynog Festival Reaches Out Across Mid Wales 10/05/2008

Songs of Rails

Harriet Earis performing at Aberystwyth Railway Station on Monday the 16th June. Aberystwyth Railway Station was buzzing on Monday to the dulcet tones of local Celtic Harpist Harriet Earis. Harriet was performing at the station as part of the Gregynog Festival's outreach work to bring music to the masses.

Harriet's performance created a stir with the wide range of people who were at the station, which is a busy social focal point for the town as well as an operational railway station, in addition to those who had attended specifically to hear her play.

On the day, Harriet was supported by a 'backing group' consisting of members of the Gregynog Festival's organising Committee, Gerwyn Jones from the Cambrian Railways Partnership and representatives from Chandler KBS who were on hand to provide information on the Festival, the Railways and the construction of the new Welsh Assembly Building in Aberystwyth.

Dr Rhian Davies, Artistic Director of the Gregynog Festival said: "This outreach event is a first for the Festival this year, and we're so grateful to Live Music Now! Wales, the Cambrian Railways Partnership and Chandler KBS for their support.

"My idea has been to create an accidental encounter with music for those on the move through Aber station, and the event has been a fantastic success with Harriet's snappy Celtic rhythms ringing round the concourse."

Harriet Earis performing at Aberystwyth Railway Station on Monday the 16th June. Gerwyn Jones on behalf of the Cambrian Railways Partnership commented "We undertake a variety of activities during the year to promote the train services and are always looking for novel ways of raising the profile of the railway - being involved with something like this certainly helps us to achieve this as well as supporting the Gregynog Festival which is a major local cultural event."

Developing from the success of the event at Aberystwyth Railway Station, Harriet performed at the Bear Lanes Shopping Centre, Newtown, on Tuesday the 17th June. She was again accompanied by members of the Gregynog Festival organising Committee and Gerwyn Jones who distributed promotional material for both the Festival and the Railway.

Notes

1. Harriet Earis is involved with Live Music Now! Wales, a charity established by the late Lord Menuhin to bring music into the community as well as giving emerging artists the invaluable experience of live performance.
2. Tickets for the Gregynog Festival, which runs until Sunday the 22nd of June, are on sale at Theatr Hafren, Newtown (Tel: 01686 625007) and more information on the full programme is available at www.gwylgregynogfestival.org
3. The Cambrian Railways Partnerships promotes the Cambrian Main Line between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury and the Cambrian Coast Line between Machynlleth and Pwllheli.

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