Creative harpist, passionate researcher, lecturer and teacher, self-confessed nature-lover and Rumi fan
Hon.FTCL; FRAM; FWCMD; Dip.RAM; LRAM; LWCMD; FISM
Former Principal Harpist, BBC Symphony Orchestra
First Welsh board member of the World Harp Congress
Former President and Honorary Member, United Kingdom Harp Association
Emeritus Senior Fellow in Harp Studies, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Honorary Research Fellow RAM
Sioned’s imaginative approach to the harp has earned her an enviable reputation as a performer and creator of unique flair and individuality. Principal Harpist of the BBCSO for 28 years, she has enjoyed working with respected conductors including Belohlavek, Boulez, Bychkov, Davis, Lazarev, Oramo, Robertson and Slatkin, and composers Adams, Cage, Carter, Gubaidulina, Harvey, Knussen, Tippett, Turnage, and countless others, in hundreds of premières and on Radio 3 and in television broadcasts.
As a concerto soloist, Sioned has performed all the standard repertoire as well as three concertos written especially for her including: A Persian Reflection by Tafreshipour; No Doubt by Fitkin (on Camac Harp’s innovative Midi pedal harp, for which she was awarded a special medal by Jakez Francois) both the aforementioned concertos were performed with the BBCSO, and the Concertino for Soveida harp and ensemble (on another wonderfully intriguing new harp, created by Amir Konjani and built by Master Abassi in Iran) which she performed with the LSO. Sioned relinquished her position at the BBCSO in 2017 and has relished a new-found freedom to explore even more avenues of creativity.
In recitals, Sioned has collaborated with Michael Chance, Martyn Hill, Steven Isserlis, Neil Mackie, Aurèle Nicolet, Mark Padmore, Andrew Watts, Roderick Williams and Jeremy Huw Williams. Sioned has performed with choirs including The BBC Singers, The Sixteen, The Holst Singers, Cantamus, Tenebrae, The choristers of Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, King’s College Cambridge, and St Paul’s Cathedral, and Winchester Quiristers and Oxford Voices. Her extensive discography includes partnerships with James Galway, Lisa Milne, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson, Frederica von Stade and the Brodsky Quartet.
Sioned is renowned for commissioning new works for harp; a passionate researcher and scholar, she presents lively and engaging presentations on a wide range of subjects: The harp in Wales – an unbroken tradition, and a new outlook; The harp in Britain – composers and players; Blind John Parry – Master of High Baroque; John Thomas – Harpist to the Queen (Victoria); Benjamin Britten – his harp legacy; The spirit and passion of Ruskin; New music, innovation and the importance of collaboration; A Welsh harpist’s spiral of English delights; Contemporary writing for harp; The orchestral harpist; The diverse harpist; A portrait of folk-music within original music for harp; J.S.Bach -Suite BWV 1006a -the research and the consequence.
Sioned pioneered integrated harp courses in Britain and is enterprising in her teaching, creative workshops, lectures, seminars and master classes. She was President of the jury for the 2nd Ceren Necipoglu Istanbul International Harp Festival in January 2025. Awarded an Emeritus Senior Fellow in Harp Studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Sioned was the first Welsh board member of the World Harp Congress; was President, and now is an Honorary Member of the United Kingdom Harp Association. Sioned is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Mentioned in the press as ‘A rare catch on the concert platform’, Sioned Williams is extraordinarily versatile; she has performed for royalty, dignitaries, and stars of stage and screen, in diverse venues across the country playing a wide range of music including light-classical, popular melodies, theme music and music from shows.