"In your hands, the birth of a new day... " (Limahl)

11 June 2013

Gyrfa ar y delyn / Harping career


Yr wyf wedi canu alawon traddodiadol ar y delyn gwerin ers 1991. Rwyf wedi cofrestri'n hunan-gyflogedig yn ffurfiol rhwng 1997-2003; 2005; 2010-11 a 2015-16.  Yn y cyfnod cyntaf o hunan-gyflogaeth, fe wnes i ariannu fy ngradd doethuriaeth trwy fynd allan i fysgio trwy de Cymru a threfi agos yn Lloegr.

Rwyf wedi teithio'n helaeth ar draws Cymru a thu hwnt. Rwyf wedi recordio tri CD ac wedi cydweithio gyda nifer o artistiaid eraill. Rwyf wedi ennill yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, ac yn 2013 cefais fy nghynwys yn llyfr Bruce Cardwell, "The Harp in Wales". Yn 2016, cafodd ddwy o'm alawon gwreiddiol ("Tyndyrn" ac "Afon Gwy" eu mabwysiadu ym mherfformiadau personol Robin Huw Bowen.

I have played Welsh traditional music on the folk harp since 1991. I have been formally registered as self-employed on four occasions (1997-2003; 2005; 2010-11, 2015-16). In that first period of self-employment, I funded my PhD studies by busking across south Wales and nearby towns in England.

I have travelled extensively across Wales and beyond. I have recorded three CDs and have co-operated with a number of other artists. I have won at the National Eisteddfod and in 2013 I was included in Bruce Cardwell's book "The Harp in Wales". In 2016, two of my new compositions ("Tintern"and "River Wye") were adopted by Robin Huw Bowen in his own performances - probably the high point of my career as a harpist.

Perfformiadau Nodedig / Notable Performances

Rwyf wedi perfformio yng Ngŵyl Werin y Cnapan (Ffostrasol), Gŵyliau’r Gwyniad a Ffidlan! (Y Bala), Lowender Perran (Cernyw), Eisteddfod Ryngwladol Llangollen, y Gyngres Geltaidd (Inverness a Lorient), Gŵyl Abergwaun, Gŵyl Nôl a ‘Mlaen (Llangrannog), Cwpwrdd Nansi (Caerdydd) a Britfest (Hambwrg). Yn 2009, fe wnes i canu'r delyn yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ar achlysur ymddeoliad Rhodri Morgan fel Prif Weinidog Cymru. Yn 2012 fe es ar daith unigol o amgylch Ynysoedd Shetland. Yn 2013 ennillais Gwobr Goffa John Weston Thomas ar gyfer y delyn gwerin yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, yn Ninbych.

I have performed widely, including at The Cnapan Folk Festival (Ffostrasol), The Gwyniad and  Ffidlan! Festivals (Bala), Lowender Perran (Cornwall), The Llangollen International Eisteddfod, the Celtic Congress (Inverness and Lorient), The Fishguard Folk Festival, Gŵyl Nôl a ‘Mlaen (Llangrannog), Cwpwrdd Nansi (Cardiff) and Britfest (Hamburg). In 2009, I played at the National Assembly in Cardiff Bay on the occasion of the retirement of Rhodri Morgan as First Minister of Wales. In 2012 I embarked on a solo tour of the Shetland Islands. In 2013 I won the John Weston Thomas Memorial Prize for folk harp at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, in Denbigh.


Cydweithio / Collaboration 

Rwyf wedi bod yn artist gwâdd ar gyfer Fflur Dafydd (CD "Gwreiddiau" 2012), SKEP (CD "CTRL-S" 2004) Ysbryd Chouchen (CD "La La" 1997), Ffynnon, a Dawnswyr Nantgarw. Rwyf wedi bod yn artist cefnogol ar ddechrau perfformiadau gan Dafydd Iwan, Yr Hwntws, Fflur Dafydd,  Gareth Bonello, Gildas, Aros Mae a Dylan Fowler. Rwyf wedi canu mewn deuawd gyda Cormac de Barra ar un achlysur. Rwyf yn aelod o grwp "Sesiwn Caerdydd" ar gyfer y cystadleuaeth grwp offerynol yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol.

I have been a guest artist for Fflur Dafydd, Ysbryd Chouchen, Ffynnon, SKEP , and Dawnswyr Nantgarw. I have been a support artist at the start of performances by Dafydd Iwan, Yr Hwntws, Fflur Dafydd, Gareth Bonello, Gildas, Aros Mae and Dylan Fowler. I have dueted with Cormac de Barra on one occasion. I am a member of the grwp "Sesiwn Caerdydd" ("The Cardiff Session") for the instrumental group competition at the National Eisteddfod.

Teledu a Radio / TV and Radio
 
Rwyf wedi ymddangos yn rheolaidd ar raglenni teledu Cymraeg (Bandit, Cerdd y Cymry, Hel Straeon, Heno, i-dot, Pnawn Da, Wedi 3, Wedi 7, Y Garej) ac ar BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Wales, Clyde 1 FM (Glasgow), FolkCast, Radio Ceredigion, Resonance FM (Llundain), Sain Abertawe, a WMMT FM (Kentucky).
 
I have made regular appearances on Welsh language TV (Bandit, Cerdd y Cymry, Hel Straeon, Heno, i-dot, Pnawn Da, Wedi 3, Wedi 7, Y Garej) and has appeared on BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Wales, Clyde 1 FM (Glasgow), FolkCast, Radio Ceredigion, Resonance FM (London) and WMMT FM (Kentucky).  

Erthyglau am Carwyn / Articles about Carwyn
  
BBC Cymru Fyw 
Knowhere.co.uk
Living Tradition
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales 
Londonbusking 
Musical Traditions 
The Guardian

 

Adolygiadau / Reviews

"Gwych" ("Excellent")
Georgia Ruth, BBC Radio Cymru

"A Master of the Celtic harp" Frank Hennessey, BBC Radio Wales

"Unbelievable. To walk into a pub and listen to someone playing the harp...a real privilege." Gregg Lynn, Yr Hwntws

"Cerddoriaeth hyfryd, ac alawon gwreiddiol bendigedig."
("Lovely Music and wonderful original melodies")
Angharad Jenkins, CALAN

"The playing throughout (Carwyn's CD) is excellent" Musical Traditions

"Mesmerising...enchanting" WorldFromMarrs.Com.

"There are often buskers in Aber(ystwyth). Some are very good, particularly a harpist called Carwyn who regularly busks in Terrace Road" Knowhere.Com


"Virtuoso Performance" Cymdeithas Gymunedol Gwynfe Community Association


GIGS