ONE of the UK’s most talented harpists swapped the Albert Hall for a care home in Caernarfon recently.

Elfair Grug, 29, who has performed at the prestigious venue in London, gave residents at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd a virtuoso performance.

Elfair, who hails from Mynytho, in Gwynedd, is a former pupil of the renowned harpist, Elinor Bennett before going on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for a number of years playing in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall.

In 2008, she was one of 60 harpists who played at the Royal Opera House when Prince Charles celebrated his 60th birthday.

Elfair went on to spend two years living in Bangkok in Thailand where she worked as a harp teacher and harpist in residence at the Tamnak Prathom Harp Centre.

"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the concert at Bryn Seiont Newydd," she said.

"It was lovely to see some residents joining in and singing along. The music clearly has a big effect on residents and we had lots of eye contact and one lady clearly enjoyed conducting me as I played.

“I will be returning to Bryn Seiont Newydd as part of the project and will be working with residents as part of a workshop. I’ll then introduce some percussion instruments and we will work closely together.

“The music room at Bryn Seiont Newydd is a fantastic resource and it’s obvious to me that residents benefit a great deal from having the opportunity to listen to live music.”

Elfair performed a mix of classical, traditional folk and popular songs including Elton John and the Beatles.

She said: “I always enjoy performing in care homes; it’s intimate and so rewarding. I work freelance as a harpist and perform with full orchestra’s or chamber groups but the reaction you get as musician from many care home residents is amazing.

“Over the Sea to Skye, a traditional Scottish folk song, certainly had residents singing along and it’s obviously a song they know well from the sessions that Nia Davies Williams as musician in residence has done with them.”

The special concert came about as the result of a partnership between the Pendine Park Arts and Community Trust Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias (the William Mathias Music Centre) in Caernarfon which was made possible by funding from Arts & Business Cymru via their Culture Step programme.

It is part of a series of 15 concerts at Pendine Park’s care homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon and at other venues in the community.

The project will culminate with a concert by former Royal Harpist Catrin Finch at s Bryn Seiont Newydd on April 18, ahead of her performance at the 2019 Wales Harp Festival concert at Galeri in Caernarfon.

To find out more about Arts & Business Cymru please visit www.aandbcymru.org.uk