Dr Osian Ellis
The society is sad to announce the death of Dr Osian Ellis, CBE, the world-famous harpist. Dr Ellis was a long-standing member of the Society and a much-respected Vice-President. He was Professor of the Harp at the Royal Academy of Music and, for many years, the Principal Harpist with the London Symphony Orchestra. Elinor Bennett, the director of the Wales International Harp Festival said “As the most prominent and outstanding harpist of his time, as harp teacher, composer, arranger, penillion singer and scholar, he contributed widely to the nation’s traditional music as well as to developments in the European classical music of his day and inspired many.” A longstanding friend of Benjamin Britten he collaborated with him on many occasions and Britten wrote his Harp suite specially for him.
We send all our sympathy to his family and friends.