Nansi Richards Jones (Telynores Maldwyn)
Music > Harpist

Nansi Richards was one of Wales’s most famous harpists. 

Nansi Richards

• Nansi grew up as one of seven children to musical parents on Penybont farm in Montgomeryshire. • 1908: Nansi won at the National Eisteddfod for playing the harp 3 years in row between 1908 and 1910. • 1910: She received formal lessons on playing the harp at the Guildhall in London. • 1923: Nansi visited the United States of America as a professional harpist. • 1930: Founded Côr Telyn Eryri, which became one of the most famous choirs in Wales. • 1952: Nansi performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London. • 1953: She represented Wales at the Celtic Congress held in Glasgow. • 1958: Played the harp for the Duke of Edinburgh at the Elephant Hotel, Newtown. • 1963: The BBC recorded Nansi playing the harp at Penybont Farm. • 1967: Nansi received an MBE. • 1973: Released a record, ‘Celfyddyd Telynores Maldwyn’, and performed in New York.

Place of Birth: Swansea, City and County of Swansea 

Date of Birth: 14 May 1888 

Date of Death: 21 December 1979 

‘It isn’t inappropriate to refer to Nansi as the “Queen of the Harp”, because she was so versatile. No one made such a valuable contribution to the harp in the twentieth century, and especially so to traditional Welsh music.’ – Nia Gwyn Evans, The Dictionary of Welsh Biography

External Links

Wikipedia - Nansi Richards Jones (Telynores Maldwyn)

Dictionary of Welsh Biography - Nansi Richards Jones (Telynores Maldwyn)