News: Ben Creighton Griffiths


As well as news items this page is for other articles Benjamin wants to share Please go to Events Page for details of up and coming performances

Awards for Young Musicians AYM Have been supporting Benjamin for many years, below is a statement from their "About Us" page on their web site: www.a-y-m.org.uk "We believe that all musically talented young people – not just those from well off families - should have the opportunity to develop their talent . That’s why we’re here – to help young people with exceptional ability from lower income backgrounds. Many of these young musicians are struggling to meet the prohibitive cost of funding their gift. Our job is to ensure that these young people can continue to make music, by providing vital financial backing and also supplying the opportunities and encouragement that give them the confidence to progress. Without our help, their future in music could be over before it even begins. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1998 through the legacy of Robert Lewin, who left an extraordinary collection of instruments in his will. These were sold on his instruction to create an endowment fund to help support the development of the UK's most talented young musicians."

This film was made at the Awards for Young Musicians Awards Day 2010.
The background music during the start of this video is Benjamin performing La Danse des Fées by Elias Parish Alvars

VII Rio Harp Festival 2012	Benjamin was pleased to be invited back to Brazil for a third year. See Events for details of Ben's concerts. For further information about the festival please visit the festival website at www.rioharpfestival.com

ITV 1 Born to Shine	Episode 6 - Grand Final - 21 August 2011
	"The UK’s most talented young people teamed up with 17 brave celebrities in this ITV show – all in aid of Save the Children. Thanks to them – and to all of you who watched, voted, donated and got involved – the total raised for children is now over £1.7 million." (31/08/2011 Save the Children web site). Read more at the Save the Children Born to Shine and ITV Born to Shine web sites
ITV 1 Born to Shine	Episode 5 - 14 August 2011
	Benjamin has been mentor to Rugby Player Gareth Thomas who learnt to play the harp in just six weeks in aid of Save the Children. Millions of viewers watched as Gareth won the last remaining place in the Born to Shine grand final - despite breaking his arm while learning. Gareth only skipped a few notes during his performance of the Star Wars "Cantina Theme". He was such a trooper that he won the public vote – his performance outshining John Barnes’s hip hop dance and Jennie McAlpine’s rendition of ACDC’s "Back in Black" on the electric guitar. Gareth is the final celebrity to join the line-up for the grand final – where he’ll compete against Nick Moran, Lesley Dunlop and Tony Audenshaw, Tracy-Ann Oberman, and Jason Manford.

St John Cymru Wales	On 13 May 2011 Benjamin became an Ambassador of St John Cymru
	St John Cymru Wales is one of the country’s leading charities. We touch the lives of almost everyone in Wales because we provide voluntary first aid support to tens of thousands of people annually; are the leading provider of first aid training in Wales; operate a patient transport service from hospital to home; provide exciting and educational youth development programmes within our communities. Care to those in need is free but it costs us as a charity to provide it. We receive no core government funding and rely on private donations and income from first aid training to fund our charitable works.
VI Rio Harp Festival 2011	Benjamin was pleased to be invited back to Brazil for a second year. See Event pages for details.
British Heart Foundation	Benjamin was delighted to accept an invitation to become an Ambassador for the British Heart Foundation Cymru in this the 50th Anniversary year. Having lost his grand mother through heart failure he hope to be able to raise awareness of their Mending Broken Hearts Appeal.

International Harp Festival of Sentmenat
YouTube Advert for the Festival 18-20 June 2010 Ben will be giving his concert on 20 June.
V Rio Harp festival (2010)	I was delighted to be asked to give two concerts at the V Rio Harp Festival in Brazil in May 2010 (see events page & photo gallery)

World Harp Congress 2011	It was great giving a concert at the 10 World Harp Congress, Amsterdam 2008 and I am really happy that I have now been invited to give a concert at the 11 World Harp Congress, Vancouver 2011.

Concours de harpe Lily Laskine 2008	On 20 September 2008 Benjamin won first prize in the Concours Junior (Under 16) of the Concours de harpe Lily Laskine 2008. His prize was a Salvi Daphne 47 string pedal harp. See www.civp.com for details (scroll down to see Junior Section results & photos)

Urdd 2008	Benjamin was delighted to win the Years 7 - 9 Solo Harp event at the 2008 Urdd Eisteddfod at Conwy, the largest youth festival of its kind in Europe. This is the fourth consecutive year he has won this competition. The finals took place while he was still 11 years old.

World Harp Congress 2008	Benjamin has been invited to present a concert with Russian harpist Andres Izmaylov in Amsterdam in 23 July 2008. Details will be posted on the Events page shortly.

Youtube	In January 2008 we discovered that about a year ago someone had up loaded a clip of Benjamin playing his harp when he was 6 years old. In the many comments some asked if there were any more recent clips - so we have added a few - click here to go to Youtube.com

European Harp Symposium	Benjamin performed in the "Publishers Platform" a show case for new publications by leading music publishers. Benjamin performed works published by Adlais including the UK Premier of Toward the Sun a duet for two harps composed by the Russian Harpist Andres Izmaylov. Andres played the duet with Benjamin.

World Harp Congress	Benjamin appeared in the World Harp Congress Review (Spring 2007 Issue) and is now also a student member of the Congress

Bobinogs BBC TV	Following the success of Take A Bow Benjamin was asked to appear, with harp, on another programme - Bobinogs. The recording was made in June 2007 and will be shown on BBC Children's TV in early 2008.

Urdd 2007	Benjamin was delighted to win the Under 12 Solo Harp event at the 2007 Urdd Eisteddfod, the largest youth festival of its kind in Europe. This is the third consecutive year he has won this competition. The finals took place while he was still 10 years old.

Spirituality & Health	Benjamin's CD Ben Jamming BBC Children in Need received a very nice write up in the American periodical Spirituality & Health (Issue: May/June 2007)

Live performance in front of 74,022 spectators	Invesco Perpetual Series Wales v Canada Rugby Match Wales took on Canada at the Millennium Stadium on Friday 17 November 2006 which was the 2006 *BBC Children in Need night* – and the Wales team put its (considerable) weight behind the fundraising efforts. Benjamin was absolutely thrilled when he was invited to play his harp in support of the BBC Children in Need Appeal during the half time interval. The official gate for the game was 74,022!!

Take A Bow BBC TV	Benjamin has recently (October 2006) recorded a short programme with the BBC which will be one of 26 episodes called Take a Bow which will be shown on various BBC Children's TV channels in early 2007. See picture gallery

BBC Radio 4 Master Harper	Benjamin will be on BBC Radio 4! This programme includes an interview with Benjamin and two clips from music he performed to win the Under 13 Competition. Master Harper Tuesday 12 December 2006 13:30-14:00 (Radio 4 FM) Tenth century Welsh ruler Hywel Dda (Howell the Good) created the country's first uniform legal system. One of his laws put the future of the nation's harpists at its core by ensuring that the Master Harper or Pencerdd (top musician) was paid sufficiently to take on an apprentice. Former Royal harpist Catrin Finch joins young harpists from all over the globe at the Wales International Harp Festival as they compete for the 21st century title of Pencerdd, to see whether those thousand year old laws continue to bear fruit

Welsh Country	In an interview for Welsh Country magazine (Issue: May-June 2006), when asked "Have you found another talented six-year-old Catrin Finch" Catrin responded "There are certainly a couple of young harpists that I have met. One lives in Cardiff actually, he's called Benjamin Creighton Griffiths, he's about ten years old, and doing very well ....."

Urdd 2006	Benjamin was delighted to win the Under 12 Solo Harp event at the 2006 Urdd Eisteddfod, the largest youth festival of its kind in Europe. This is the second consecutive year he has won this competition.The finals took place while he was still 9 years old.
Revised July 2006
	Wales International Harp Festival Caernarfon If you have been following Benjamin's progress, you will no doubt know that if Deborah Henson-Conant had not written 'New Blues' then Benjamin might not have been so determined to become a harpist. Well, not only did Benjamin at last get to meet Deborah at Caernarfon, she ever so kindly invited Benjamin to perform New Blues with her as a duet in the concert at the Galeri. To say this made Benjamin's year is an under statement. In fact he seems to have almost forgotten that he also won the Under 13 Competition against stiff opposition from other young harpists from all over the world!! Click here for photos and further information
	Added April 2006
Bristol Festival of Speech, Music & Drama 2006	Benjamin has competed in the harp event since 2002, winning first prize every year. Each year he has competed in a higher class. This year taking part in the top group - The Advanced Performers Class.
	Revised July 2006
	Holocaust Memorial Day National Commemoration Event. "One Person Can make a Difference" Benjamin was honoured to be invited to perform Ffarwell y Telynor (The Minstrel's Adieu to his Native Land) a very moving and apt composition by John Thomas at the UK national commemoration event which took place at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on Thursday 26 January 2006. After the concert Benjamin was introduced and talked to many of the Survivors, their descendents and other VIPs at the event including Prime Minister, Tony Blair and the Archbishop of Wales. Please visit the Holocaust Memorial Day Website
	Revised January 2006
Carolau Llangollen 2005	Benjamin was invited to perform with a host of other artist this annual concert at the Llangollen International Pavilion - a night of celebration which is now an important event in the North Wales music calendar and an integral part of S4C’s Christmas celebrations, Carolau o Langollen: Miloedd o Leisiau’r Nadolig (Carols from Llangollen: A Thousand Christmas Voices)" The concert, sponsored by the Daily Post, is in aid of the North Wales Hope House/Ty Gobaith yng Nghymru appeal for terminally ill children
	Added 20 December 2005
Stolen Harps	Can you help Clive Morley Harps? If you get offered a harp from an unusual source it may be one of 21 folk harps which were stolen from their storerooms on 12/13 March 2005 please click here for details.

Abergavenny Eisteddfod	On 18 June 2005 9 year old Benjamin won the Under 25 Solo Instrument Class at the Abergavenny Eisteddfod. Harpist Ann Griffiths, Chairman of the Lady Llanover Society, which had sponsored the competition, reminded the audience of the 19th century harpist John Thomas, who won the silver harp at the Abergavenny Eisteddfod in 1838 at the tender age of 12 and went on to become harpist to Queen Victoria. "I think history was made tonight" said Ann Griffiths. "We have seen a star of the future." Other finalists, in their 20's, included bassoon, piano and xylophone players.

Urdd 2005	Benjamin was delighted to win the Under 12 Solo Harp event at the 2005 Urdd Eisteddfod, the largest youth festival of its kind in Europe. The finals were held on the magnificent stage of the Wales Millennium Centre where Benjamin performed Nataliana by Deborah Henson-Conant.The finals took place while he was still 8 years old.

New Year - New Site	This is Benjamin's new web site uploaded on 12 January 2005. His original site only catered for his Concerts on behalf of BBC Children in Need so we thought it was time to create a new site and add a links page and details of other Charities Benjamin likes to support.

Tsunami Concerts	Benjamin has performed in two concerts, during January 2005, both of which were in aid of the Tsunami Appeal.

Competition in Nantes	May 2004 - Benjamin wins second place in The 1st International lever Harp Competition, Nantes.

Deborah Henson-Conant	Deborah has been an inspiration for Benjamin. Not only her music but also the support she has given him over the last few years.

Updated September 2011