Ben Creighton Griffiths Concerto for Jazz Harp & Symphony Orchestra With The Secret Orchestral Society Stanley Burbury Theatre University of Tasmania August 24th 2025

PROGRAMME

Stealing Tutunui - Maria Grenfell

Concerto for Jazz Harp - Benjamin Creighton Griffiths

INTERMISSION

Enigma Variations - Edward Elgar

BEN CREIGHTON GRIFFITHS is an Internationally touring jazz and classical harpist based in Wales. He made his International debut at the 2004 1er Concours International de Harpe in Nantes, France where, aged 7, he came second in the Under 18 division. In 2006 he won the Under 13 Division of the Wales International Harp Festival before going on to win the 2008 Junior Lily Laskine competition in Paris, winning a concert harp in the process.

Originally classically trained he now specialises in jazz both as a soloist and with his bands the Transatlantic Hot Club and Chube. His career has taken him across the world including to America, Canada, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, India, Brazil, and across Europe and has seen him collaborate with musicians such as Catrin Finch, Dennis Rollins MBE, and Tatiana Eva-Marie. As well as a performer he is a composer, most recently developing a concert schedule for his own Concerto for Jazz Harp & Symphony Orchestra. He has taught workshops in jazz across the world and has been a guest tutor in the harp and trad music departments at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Upcoming appearances at the time of writing include a UK spring tour with the Transatlantic Hot Club, the Welsh premiere of his Concerto with the Cardiff Philharmonic at the BBC Hoddinott Hall, and his first performing trip to Australia in the summer.Great Hall of the Philharmonic in St. Petersburg, and others, both with solo concerts and in collaboration with many European and Russian orchestras.

SECRET ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

An initiative of the Student Music Collective

The Secret Orchestral Society was formed in June 2023 by Jasmine De Marco to create orchestral playing opportunities for students at the Hedberg School of Music. We are a long-term project that play large-scale orchestral works, premiere works by student composers, and provide opportunities for students to perform concertos and solo works with an orchestra.

Since its formation, the orchestra has given three unique programmes under the baton of Alexander Rodrigues, William Newbery, and Simon Reade. SOS has also premiered works by student composers such as Sacha Dozal, Jacob Fischer and Sebastian Allen, and have worked with local piano soloist Miffy Wang.

In 2024 under the leadership of Jasmine De Marco, the Student Music Collective and Secret Orchestral Society coordinated Hobarts first community performance of Mahler Symphony No.2 Resurrection, conducted by Gary Wain and involving over 180 musicians from across Hobart and Tasmania.

SIMON READE Conductor

Born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1977, Simon Reade is a conductor, composer, educator and trumpet player. He is passionate about the performance of new music and has given the world premiere of over 100 new works by Tasmanian composers, many of these with the Hobart Wind Symphony which he has directed for over 25 years.

Simon also directs both the large ensembles at the University of Tasmania, conducts Tasmania's only A grade Brass Band for Glenorchy City Brass, as well as working freelance with professional and community organisations. He is a fully represented composer at the Australian Music Centre and in 2022 was awarded the APRA/AMCOS State Luminary Award for Tasmania, for his sustained contribution as a conductor and the promotion of Australian Music.

MARIA GRENFELL Composer

The award-winning music of Australian/New Zealand composer Maria Grenfell (b. 1969) has been described as expansive, effusive and energetic, magic, and refreshingly groovy. Her orchestral and chamber music has been commissioned, performed or recorded around the world, and she regularly mentors emerging composers.

In 2013 she was Visiting Professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, and in 2019 she was Kerr Composer in Residence at Oberlin Conservatory. She has composed two documentary film scores, Quoll Farm (2020) and Living with Devils (2023).

Maria is an Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania. She lives in Hobart with her husband, guitarist David Malone, and they have two children.

ACCESSIBILITY

There is level access to the Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre from the UTAS carpark on Churchill Avenue. Once inside the venue, there are seats available with level access in addition to space for wheelchairs and mobility aids. https://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/image/0010/1617976/Stanley-Burbury-Main.jpeg

The venue does have an accessible toilet.

This concert is sponsored by

CARTER HARPS AUSTRALIA: carterharpsaustralia.com

STUDENT MUSIC COLLECTIVE: student music collective

More information about Ben Creighton Griffiths is available at: www.bjcg.co.uk