Mid Wales harpist Ieuan Jones adapts piano works by Schubert

Ieuan Jones, a farmer's son from Powys, began his love affair with the harp at the age of six, and seven years later became the youngest member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales.

While still a student at the renowned Royal College of Music in London, he was head-hunted to be resident harpist at the House of Commons in London and has gone on to give concerto appearances with some of the world's finest orchestras.

Fresh out of college he was invited to give a private performance of the harp for the late Queen Mother at her Windsor home, and earlier this year he was presented with a Fellowship of the Royal College, of which he is Professor of Harp, by the Prince of Wales.

Ieuan said: "I have recorded the Schubert album because I like to do something different and I want to show how much the harp has developed since his time in the 1800s when it would not have been possible to play these complex works on it.

"Generally, I'm trying for a softer approach to bring classical music to a wider audience rather being too high-brow about it."

Now based in London, Ieuan has made half a dozen albums and his latest includes nine tracks of Franz Schubert's works for the piano which he has transcribed for the harp to showcase his instrument's versatility to a wider audience and is a world first for a solo harpist.

Ieuan's mission to make music began when he was at Llanfair Caereinion Primary School near his childhood home on a farm at Mathrafal, near Meifod, and a visiting music teacher invited him to try the harp.

He said: "As part of the county council's music scheme a number of little instruments were brought into school, which was very good because it was no drain on our parents to have to buy them.

"I tried the piano, the violin, the cornet and the trumpet and then one day a visiting music teacher, Frances Mon Jones, came in and asked me if I wanted to try the harp.

"I was immediately drawn to the instrument and my long association with it began."

When he was 13 Ieuan joined the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and three years later became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Leaving school at the age of 18, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music where his inspiration was the Spanish harpist Marisa Robles who at that time was resident harp professor.

During his illustrious career, Ieuan has played in more than 25 countries, including Argentina, Australia and Hong Kong, and appeared with some of the world's leading orchestras.

Ieuan's latest release, entitled Schubert, includes nine tracks by Austrian composer Franz Schubert which he transcribed for the harp from the original piano format.

Ieuan said: "I have recorded the Schubert album because I like to do something different and I want to show how much the harp has developed since his time in the 1800s when it would not have been possible to play these complex works on it.

"Generally, I'm trying for a softer approach to bring classical music to a wider audience rather being too high-brow about it."

He added: "After the Schubert album I may do something else with transcribing the works of the great composers and taking their music into other areas. I think that's what we need more of."