Claire Jones

Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales

In 2007, Claire Jones was appointed Official Harpist to His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales. She was awarded her 1st Class Honors degree at the Royal College of Music, and has recently graduated as an MA Scholar from the Royal Academy of Music where she studied with Professor Skaila Kanga. Claire was one of the first recipients of the Prince of Wales Advanced Study Awards Scheme in 2007 and 2008, aimed at helping Wales’s most outstanding young musical talent. She is kindly supported by the Victor Salvi Foundation, the Cork Fund, the Countess of Munster Trust, and the Harriet Cohen Memorial Music Award.

Since being appointed HRH’s official harpist, Claire has performed for members of the Royal Family on more than 70 occasions. In 2008 she made her concerto debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where she performed a special commission written for HRH’s 60th Birthday called ‘Goddess of the Woods’ by Patrick Hawes. In addition, she also organised a choir of 60 harps for the event. Claire has performed solo concertos with the ECO, European Union Chamber Orchestra, RAM Soloists at Kings Place, and The Welsh Sinfonia.  She has performed as soloist with Maestro Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet, and also at the opening of the International Rugby games, Wales V South Africa, Prince William Cup, at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff for a sell out crowd of 75,000 fans and 4 million viewers. Recent highlights include solo recitals in Topkapi Palace - Istanbul Music Festival, a duo recording with Julian Lloyd Webber, and concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra. 

Future plans include an album of concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra, and the launch of her brand new exiting duo with talented percussionist, and arranger - Chris Marshall. Claire will also  perform the premiere of a brand new Royal Commission - concerto for harp and strings by Patrick Hawes at Highgrove House accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra in 2010 which will subsequently be recorded with the composer conducting.

Future engagements this year include performances in Buckingham Palace and Clarence House for HRH The Prince of Wales and solos with Bryn Terfel and the Ulster Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Welsh Sinfonia, as well as taking part as a soloist on a Meditteranean cruise with the English Chamber Orchestra in the autumn.

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