Sioned Williams

Creative soloist, recording artiste, commissioner of new works, innovative collaborator, Sioned was Principal Harpist of the BBCSO for 28 years; she has worked with many of the UK’s leading choirs, chamber ensembles, symphony, opera and ballet orchestras, in West End shows and pantomime!

Her extensive discography includes partnerships with James Galway, Lisa Milne, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson and Frederica von Stade. The disc of Debussy Danses with the Brodsky Quartet for Chandos was brilliantly reviewed, as were two 2023 discs with The Sixteen of Imogen Holst and 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.

A passionate scholar, Sioned presents lively and engaging presentations on a wide range of subjects, including A Welsh harpist’s spiral of English delights; The diverse harpist; and A portrait of folk music within original music for harp, to name but a few.

Sioned pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain and is enterprising in her teaching, creative workshops, lectures, seminars and masterclasses. Appearing on panels for international competitions and harp examinations at conservatoires, Sioned also writes articles and reviews. She is the first-ever Research Fellow in Harp at the Royal Academy of Music, was President of the UKHA for 14 years, and the first Welsh board member of the World Harp Congress. Sioned is currently collating her life-story from hundreds of programmes and newspaper cuttings, videos, and recordings from her earliest performances. This includes her many appearances as harpist in Irish Heritage presentations with Ethna and Charles Kennedy.