Performing
As well as writing music, all of which has been publicly performed, Gillian has maintained a performing career of a varied nature, playing crwth, viola da gamba, baroque cello and modern cello. She has performed with numerous ensembles and orchestras over the years, and accompanied famous singers, such as Dame Janet Baker, in the technically demanding obbligato arias from Bach’s Passions. More recently alove of traditional music has come to the fore in work with:
Taith trio: with guitarist Dylan Fowler and Finnish kantele player, Timo Vaananen, Taith performs both traditional and new music, written by the members of the group. They have played in festivals all over Europe and broadcast in Belgium, Finland and for the BBC. A review by BBC Music can be read here.
“... This is an understated gem of a record from three very fine players; Dylan Fowler (guitars, percussion, oboe), Timo Vaananen (kantele, jouhikko) and Gillian Stevens (viols, crwth). However unlikely, the results of this collaboration (unlike countless other cross cultural mash-ups) sound entirely unforced and are very often meltingly beautiful. Simply put, these instruments sound good together.”
Taith Duo: with Dylan Fowler. Although Gillian and Dylan have come from very different musical backgrounds; Dylan as a jazz musician and Gillian as a performer of early music and a composer, they have found common ground in their desire to ignore musical categories. They draw on both the traditional music of their home country, Wales, and their own original and creative approach. The inspiration gained from traveling and working with musicians from many other cultures adds a further layer of richness to their performance.
Over the years they have performed as a duo in festivals in Greece, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Iceland and France, not to mention Wales and England. Together they have taken part in several international collaborations, such as with Norwegian singer, Asne Valland-Nordli, in the Bath Festival and Nicolai Ivanov in the Salon des Arts festival in Sofia, They have also performed regularly with Finnish kantele player Timo Vaananen, as the Taith Trio. In 2012-13 they provided original music for a revival of “The Three Snake Leaves” with The Company of Story-tellers.
Using a range of instruments including guitar, mandocello, drums, clarinet, viola da gamba, treble viol and the ancient Welsh crwth they create a magical and spell-binding atmosphere.
Their cd ,‘Still and Still Moving’ is available from Taith records. They have taken part in festivals in many European countries: Belgium, France, Bulgaria, Greece, Finland and Iceland included. Last summer they were in the Welsh Pavilion atthe Lorient Festivale Interceltique. And in the Ty Gwerin at the National Eisteddfod. Happily their next appearance is also very close to home at the Tall Tales from the Tower Festival, in Tretower Court, Powys.
Crickhowell festival orchestra