The Collaborators to date:

Ken Bloom (USA) is an accomplished instrument builder with extensive experience building traditional stringed instruments using authentic materials and construction methods. Ken has served on the faculty of the University of Illinois Department of Anthropology as instructor of Comparative Ethnomusicology. More information on Ken Bloom can be found at www.boweddulcimer.com.

Simon Chadwick (UK) is a leading expert and performer on the early harp of Ireland and Scotland. With a background in archeology and physics, he has spent the past 10 years investigating the music, history, design and construction of these instruments. Simon has also played a central and active role in the Historical Harp Society of Ireland since its founding in 2002, and played a key role in commissioning its series of student harps, working on the design specifications and stringing. Simon serves on the faculty of Scoil na gCláirseach and teaches early Gaelic harp at the Wighton Heritage Centre, Dundee. In 2007 he was awarded a grant from the Arts Trust of Scotland to produce his CD Clársach na Bànrighe. Simon also runs the informational resource website for the early harp of Scotland and Ireland at www.earlygaelicharp.info. More information on Simon Chadwick an be found at www.simonchadwick.net.

Ann Heymann (USA) is the world renowned performer and pioneer of the rebirth of the early Gaelic harp. She is the leading expert in the traditional performance techniques common to both the early Irish and early Welsh harps. Her extensive original research with historical manuscripts and musicianship with replica historical harps is universally recognized as the foundation for the revival of the early harp of Ireland and Scotland. Ann has toured throughout Europe, in the US and in Australia. She is the author of the first tutorial for the early Gaelic harp. Ann is the most highly regarded and sought after teacher of early Gaelic harp technique and has served on the faculty of the Historical Harp Conference, the Scottish Arts School, Hent Telenn Breizh, and Scoil na gCláirseach, the Summer School for the Early Irish Harp. Ann performs with her husband, Charlie Heymann. Their recent recordings include Queen of Harps - 1994, Héman Dubh - 1997, and Cruit go nÓr - 2006. More information on Ann Heymann can be found at www.annheymann.com.

Charlie Heymann (USA) is a multi-instrumentalist and talented vocalist with a background in anthropology and music. Ann and Charlie Heymann have been researching the history, traditions, and performance practices of the early harp in the British Isles for the past 30 years. More information on Ann and Charlie Heymann can be found at www.clairseach.com

David Kortier (USA) is a world renowned builder of harps. Among these are his highly regarded measured replicas of early Gaelic harps. Dave also builds the HHSI series of student harps and has played a central role in their design. More information about David Kortier can be found at www.kortier.com.

We are being helped in this project by:

David Howlett, M.A., D. Phil., F.S.A. (UK) Dr. Howlett is Research Fellow of the Faculty of Classics, Oxford University, and editor of the forthcoming Dictionary of Mediaeval Latin from British Sources. He is the author of The Book of Letters of Saint Patrick the Bishop, The Celtic-Latin Tradition of Biblical Style, Cambro-Latin Compositions and Insular Inscriptions among others, and has written many articles, including "Two Cambro-Latin Sequences from the Welsh Church" and "Early Insular Latin Poetry". He is offering his expert knowledge to enhance Ann and Charlie Heymann's performances of early Cambro-Latin and Old-Welsh texts.

Jennifer Moody (Wales, UK) lives in the Talgarth, in the Welsh county of Brycheiniog in Powys. Following her degree, including language studies, at Cambridge University, she has learned Welsh and Gaelic and is keenly interested in early Welsh Christianity. Jenny is organizing owners of Welsh cobs, rare Eriskay ponies and mediaeval draft breeds to donate horsehair for research and creation of harp-strings, and sourcing and donating appropriate Welsh timber for the frame. It is our intention that the telyn rawn be constructed entirely of welsh materials. Jenny has been obtaining much of this material for us from the valley of the river Llynfi - Gardd Madryn, Garden of the Matriona, heart of the ancient kingdom of Brycheiniog.

Thanks...

We would like to acknowledge the people who have helped this project with their kind advice and encouragement and with their informative and inspiring related work.

Peter Greenhill, for his supportive encouragement.

Robert Evans, for originating the idea for making a horsehair harp based on Anglo-Saxon iconography and for his advice and input on making horsehair harp strings.

Dr. Sally Harper for her scholarship and promotion of the study of early Welsh music and for her numerous invaluable publications.

Karen Loomis, for research and advice on horsehair harp strings, for contributions of time and materials for the development of the first experimental harp, and for maintaining this web site.

Rauno Nieminen, for sharing his extensive knowledge of horsehair stringed instruments, in particular in his book "Jouhikko: The Bowed Lyre".

Bill Taylor, for his kind and enthusiastic support.

... and all the volunteers in Wales who donated the materials for building the telyn rawn.

Updated 27 October, 2008