CATRIN MEEK
Harpist
Award Winning Welsh Harpist based in London and Wales available for Weddings, background music, recordings, orchestral concerts, teaching, Shows and events.
Biography
Catrin graduated from the Royal College of Music, London in July 2016 with a BMus Hons Degree and graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London with a Master of Arts Degree with Distinction under professors Karen Vaughan and Skaila Kanga. Originating from South Wales she is fluent in the Welsh language and won Outstanding Young Musician of the Valleys 2012. In 2015 she went on to win the prestigious Nansi Richards Scholarship and has won the Philharmonia Martin Musical Scholarship Fund 2019-2020. She has a passion for Musical Theatre and Orchestral work and has performed with the English National Opera, English National Ballet, and is a deputy for the Phantom of the Opera in London's West End.
Catrin has been privileged to play for The Queen on her diamond jubilee tour and has played for HRH Prince Charles on several occasions. She has also played for the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.
Orchestral Experience
Catrin has performed in many orchestras from a young age including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and Wessex Youth Orchestra who won the Best Youth Orchestra in Britain leading to a performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Royal Albert Hall. She played extensively with the Royal College of Music Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras, and also the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra with conductors such as John Wilson, Sir Roger Norrington, Semyon Bychkov, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Martin Andre and has recorded in Abbey Road Studios. She had the opportunity to perform at the Royal Festival Hall with The Women of the World Orchestra conducted by Sue Perkins and Alice Farnham and introduced by Sandi Toksvig, along with Sister Sledge and Bonnie Langford. Additionally she performed with acclaimed composer and conductor Sir Karl Jenkins at St Davids Hall Cardiff as well the London International Orchestra at Cadogan Hall.
Catrin is currently principal harpist of the Moonlight Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Earth and member of the London International Orchestra, and London Musical Theatre Orchestra.
She has recently worked with the English National Opera, deputising for Alison Martin on 'Man of La Mancha' at the London Coliseum, recorded Havergal Brian's Faust at Abbey Road and has performed the Nutcracker with the English National Ballet over Christmas 2019 at the London Coliseum and the Liverpool Empire theatre. She has won the Philharmonia Orchestra Martin Musical Scholarship Fund from September 2019.
Musical Theatre
Catrin has a passion for musical theatre and as a member of the London Musical Theatre Orchestra she has performed more than 20+ West End Musicals. She has performed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair at the Cadogan Hall, A Christmas Carol in December 2016 and 2017 at the Lyceum Theatre (home of the Lion King). Catrin also performed at the London Palladium, performing the UK Premier of Honeymoon in Vegas conducted by the composer himself- Jason Robert Brown. Catrin recently opened London Pride at Trafalgar Square with the LMTO (2018 and 2019).
She also performed in Musicals such as Sunset Boulevard at the Bridewell Theatre, Sweeney Todd at Imperial College, A Chorus Line at the Greenwood theatre, The Infinite Bridge at RCM’s Britten Theatre, Ragtime at Bishopsgate Institute, South Pacific in St James' Guernsey, Phantom of the Opera in Concert Guernsey, and Shakespeare's The Winters Tale at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall.
In November 2017 Catrin performed at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra performing film music by James Newton Howard and was conducted by the composer himself, and in May 2019 she performed at Magic of the Musicals at the Royal Albert Hall, which was broadcast live on Magic Radio, performing with many West End performers and shows.
Catrin was a deputy on the show Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum from April-June 2019 for Alison Martin at the English National Opera.
She was also a deputy for Skaila Kanga on Les Misérables concert version at the Gielgud Theatre (September-November 2019). She performed in the London Premier of Sleepless in Seattle at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in December 2019.
Catrin is currently a deputy for Ruth Holden on the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre, West End (since October 2018).
Teaching
As well as a passion for Musical theatre, Catrin has a passion for teaching. Catrin teaches privately on a weekly basis all around London to all ages and has worked as an Apprenticeship at Morley College for the Centre for Young Musicians. She is currently a Harp and Violin teacher at the A to G Music School in Sutton, London every Sunday, and is Harp teacher at Kew Green Preparatory School every Friday.
Catrin is an Assistant Harp teacher at the Brecon Harp Course (2011-2018), and has performed along side Gwenan Gibbard, Harriet Earis, Katherine Thomas, and Hannah Stone. Catrin was also Assistant teacher on Claire Jones’ International Music School 2017-2019. Catrin has experience leading classes and rehearsals, doing group projects, leading workshops and teaching Trinity and ABRSM grade examinations. Her goal is to make the harp available to children at all schools in London, as it is a beautiful instrument which is not taught at many schools in England. Catrin also loves to teach the violin and inspires pupils to play in orchestras, ensembles, and many concerts.
Lisa Lan
Traditional Welsh song with Cellist Hannah Thomas. We have performed together for over 10 years and are available for bookings. Hannah studies the cello with Naomi Butterworth at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance