A Swansea musician has become the first ever Welsh harpist to secure a place to study at the world famous Juilliard School in New York. (http://www.juilliard.edu/)
 
Gwenllian Llyr was selected for a scholarship at the prestigious conservatoire and will start on a 2 year Masters degree in August.
 
A first class honours graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama  (RWCMD) Gwenllian is quickly gaining international recognition for her energetic and charismatic performances. She recently won first prize at the UK Camac Harp competition in 2010 and was joint winner of the RWCMD Concerto Trials 2010. She was in the final six of the oldest international harp competition, The 17th International Harp Contest in Israel and won the Nansi Richards Scholarship in 2008. She has performed across the world, including a Royal Gala at Buckingham Palace. 
 
As well as solo performances Gwenllian regularly plays with well known orchestras and chamber groups. Recently she was principal harpist on the UK tour of ‘Bad Boys’ with Bryn Terfel and Sinfonia Cymru. She has also been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the National Children’s Orchestra.
 
The Juillard School is considered to be the best performing arts school in the world and previous students include violinist Nigel Kennedy, soprano Renée Fleming, composer Eric Whitacre and jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.  There is intense competition for a place at the school and fewer than 6% of applicants secured a place in 2011.
 
Gwenllian’s teachers include the world famous Isabelle Perrin in Paris and Caryl Thomas in Cardiff. At Juilliard she will study with Nancy Allen, who is Principal Harpist of the New York Philharmonic.  (http://nyphil.org/meet/orchestra/index.cfm?page=profile&personNum=78)
 
Although Gwenllian has received a scholarship to study at Juilliard this will not cover all her costs therefore over the next few weeks she will be performing at several venues in order to raise funds. Details of future performances will be on her website www.gwenllianllyr.co.uk