Meet the Tutors / Cwrdd a'r Tiwtoriaid

Eleri Darkins

eleridarkins.com

Eleri Darkins was brought up in Tredegar and began playing the harp when she was nine. She has won numerous prizes at the National Eisteddfodau, scholarships and prizes. Her performances on the harp have taken her around the world: USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Portugal, Greece, France and across the UK. As a member of the National Youth Orchestras of Great Britain and Wales, Eleri has worked with many internationally renowned conductors including Matthias Bamert, Elgar Howarth and Christopher Adey.

In 2002, Eleri was appointed as harpist at the Tamnak Prathom Harp Centre, Bangkok, where she gave concerts and taught the harp. The centre was founded by Khunying Sunida Kitiyakara in memory of her grandfather, Prince Chudadjuh, who played the harp. Since returning from Thailand in 2005 Eleri has performed with the Welsh Sinfonia and the National Symphony Orchestra of Portugal as well as other solo concerts in the UK. In August 2012 Eleri returned to Bangkok to celebrate 10 years since the opening of the harp centre, there are over 60 students now studying the harp in Bangkok.

Eleri graduated in 1996 with First Class Honours in Music from University of Wales, Bangor, where she studied under Elinor Bennett, and won the Eric Morris Memorial Prize for the best final year recital. While studying at Bangor she gained her ARCM and was chosen as a concerto soloist, performing Mathias’ Harp Concerto. In 1997, completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Performance at Trinity College of Music, London studying with Sioned Williams.

Eleri has a great interest in the Triple Harp, especially playing traditional folk music from Wales. She appears on the CD ‘Hiraeth’, ‘A Little Harp Music’ and ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’. As part of the ‘Celtica Duo’ with oboist Gwenllian Davies, their CD ‘Tea for Two’ is also for sale.

Ganed Eleri yn Nhredegar a dechreuodd ganu’r delyn pan oedd yn naw oed gydag Alwena Roberts ym Mhontypridd ac yna, yn ddiweddarach gyda Meinir Heulyn. Graddiodd ym 1996 gyda gradd Dosbarth Cyntaf mewn Cerddoriaeth o Brifysgol Cymru, Bangor, lle astudiodd gydag Elinor Bennett. Tra ym Mangor, enillodd wobr Eric Morris am y datganiad terfynol gorau, cafodd ARCM a’i dewis yn unawdydd consierto i berfformio Consierto Telyn Mathias. Ym 1997, cwblhaodd cwrs ôl-radd yng Ngholeg Cerdd y Drindod, Llundain o dan hyfforddiant Sioned Williams.

Mae Eleri wedi ennill amryw o wobrau mewn Eisteddfodau Cenedlaethol, Ysgoloriaeth Nansi Richards, Gwobr Goffa John Weston Thomas a Gwyliau Cerdd Dant, yn arbennig y gystadleuaeth Deuawd Telyn Agored ym 1990 ym Mangor, pan ddaeth hi a Katherine Thomas i’r brig yn perfformio ‘Clymau Cytgerdd’ Osian Ellis. i wedi beirnia

Mae Eleri wedi beirniadu yn adran y delyn yn yr Wyl Gerdd Dant yn 2008, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd Eryri (2012), Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Sir Ddinbych (2013) yn ogystal â chyfeilio mewn cystadleuthau Cerdd Dant amrywiol dros y blynyddoedd.

Wrth ganu’r delyn deires ymddangosodd Eleri ar sawl rhaglen deledu yn ogystal ag yn agoriad y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ym 1999.

Rhwng 2002 a 2005 symudodd Eleri i Bangkok i ddysgu ac i berfformio mewn ysgol delyn arbennig (Canolfan Tamnak Prathom). Bu’n gyfnod cyffrous a fu’n allweddol i hybu poblogrwydd ein hofferyn cenedlaethol yng Ngwlad Thai. Mae’r ganolfan yn parhau i ddysgu’r delyn i dros 60 o ddisgyblion ac mae Eleri yn cadw mewn cysylltiad wrth ymweld a pherfformio yno ar adegau arbennig. Ym mis Awst 2012 aeth Eleri a’r teulu i Bangkok i ddathlu 10 mlynedd ers agor y ganolfan.

Erbyn hyn, mae Eleri yn byw yn Nelson gyda’i gŵr a’u dau fab, Siôn a Harri. Os hoffech fwy o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â mi: eleri.darkins@btinternet.com