Un Mondo a Parte

This CD collection of pieces for the piano include familiar Welsh and English tunes on a “Steinway” piano. Annette Bryn Parri was born in the village of Deiniolen in Gwynedd, in which she still resides with her husband, Gwyn, and their three children, Heledd, Ynyr and Bedwyr. Her new CD is dedicated to her family. Having studied piano with Rhiannon Gabrielson from Penmaenmawr, Annette attended the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) at Manchester to study with Marjorie Clement. She obtained her GRNCM degree in 1984. The composers on which she concentrated spanned from the period of Bach up to twentieth century composers. She became an official accompanist at the age of 15. In 1982, she won the Grace Williams Medal Composition at the Urdd National Eisteddfod. A year later she made her first appearance at the National Eisteddfod. In 1985 she won the Blue Riband for Instrumentalists at the National Eisteddfod. Nowadays, she appears regularly as accompanist on stage and on TV. In 1984 she joined the Music Department at the University of Wales, Bangor – a department of which Prof. William Mathias was head. Since then, Annette has been a piano tutor to students studying for their BA and B.Mus. degrees. She has toured Europe and beyond with various choirs and soloists. Some of the countries include Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Australia and a trip on the QE2. She has accompanied choirs and soloists at the Albert Hall on several occasions, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir George Solti, Prince Charles and Princess Diana have been among her private audiences. Annette can be heard accompanying more than twenty vocalists on record. They include BRYN TERFEL, ALED JONES, REBECCA EVANS and MARY LLOYD DAVIES. In 1995 she became Music Adviser on Bryn Terfel’s TV series. She is also a director of Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias which is a Music Centre based at Llanberis. By presenting her debut album, Annette jokingly states that she “wants to be the Welsh version of Richard Clayderman!” She also stresses that Welsh pianists, especially women, are very rare indeed. In the past she has accompanied many choirs and soloists on stage and television, but now she wants to be recognised as a SOLOIST/PIANIST. This CD collection of pieces for the piano include familiar Welsh and English tunes on a “Steinway” piano. Amongst others, they include Memory and Don’t Cry for me Argentina by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Wind Beneath My wings by Larry Henley, Pan Ddaw Yfory and Chware’n Troi’n Chwerw by Caryl Parry Jones, In the Mood by Joseph Garland, Yesterday by John Lennon and Ai am fod Haul yn Machlud by Dafydd Iwan. Annette said, “This kind of music is familiar and popular. Although I studied classical music, lighter music sells better in Wales.”