One of Wales’ leading contemporary female vocalists and a foremost innovator in the field of traditional folk songs. She plays Celtic harp and is an excellent pianist and composer. Her versatility as a performer has seen her starring on stage, screen and concert venues throughout the world, and is respected as one of Wales’ leading ambassadors of song. She has to date released nine albums of her work - eclectic collections of both original and traditional songs which encompass the whole gamut of human emotion, from love and laughter, to loss and spiritual quest. Siân is renowned for her instinctive ablilty to project deep emotion within her songs with unequalled sincerity and passion. Last year, Siân took part in an extensive theatre tour of Holland with the renowned Irish folk band Dervish and is currently working on a collaborative project with the Cairo based group of Nubian singers, Nuba Nour.
Curriculum Vitae
NAME: Siân James
ADDRESS: Gardden, Llanerfyl, Powys. SY21 0JA
TEL: 01938 820359 / 07886 742069
EMAIL: sian@sianjames.co.uk (website - www.sianjames.co.uk)
DATE OF BIRTH: 24/12/61
HEIGHT: 5' 7"
COLOURING: Fair
EDUCATION: Caereinion High School
Bangor University - B.MUS.
Post Graduate Certificate in Education
ABILITIES: Acting, singing, playing piano & harp, composing, driving.
EQUITY NO: 98287
WORK EXPERIENCE: 1976 - 1980 Major parts in youth theatre productions
1980 - 1984 Major parts in the University Drama Society productions A part in the series ALMANAC (Ffilmiau’r Nant)
Singing tours around various Folk Festivals in Brittany,Galicia,Ireland ,USA, Japan and Canada.
Lead singer of the Welsh language folk rock band BWCHADANAS which subsequently performed and toured for 10 years.
1985 - 1986 Cultural representative at the Epcot Centre, Florida
1986 - 1988 Christmas shows with Hwyl a Fflag Theatre Company.
Part in the film YR ALLTUD (Ffilmiau Bryngwyn)
Leading part in the musical production of ENOC HUWS (Theatr Gwynedd)
1989 - 1990 Various productions with Man A Man Theatre company (Theatre in Education)
1990 - 1992 Various productions with West Glamorgan
Theatre company.
1992 - 1994 Various productions with touring company Theatr Bara Caws.
1994 - 1996 Leading part in the successful S4C drama
series PENGELLI (Ffilmiau’r Nant)
1996 Leading part of Martha in the film TYLLUAN WEN (Ffilmiau’r Nant)
1998 6 part music series of my own for S4C.
1999 Leading part in the S4C drama series IECHYD DA
(Bracan)
2000 Commissioned to compose and arrange the music for the BBC 2 series BIRDMAN. A CD accompanied the series released on BBC Worldwide.
2000 Substantial tour of the United States (Texas, New Mexico, California, Illinois,Colorado)
2001 Commissioned to write an original score for the award winning BBC Radio Cymru documentary Y CLWY.
Development and launch of own record label and music studios: RECORDIAU BOS/BOS RECORDS.
2002 – 2006 Two music tours of the United States (Atlanta, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois)
Commissioned by S4C to direct and record music score for the film “LLYTHYRAU ELLIS WILLIAMS”. CD released of the score on Recordiau Bos.
2007 - Commissioned by MYM (Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin to put together a cd of children’s nursery rhymes called Adar acc Anifeiliaid.
Commissioned by S4C to compose score for the
documentary YSGOL PENDALAR
Awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales in Bangor for services to Welsh culture.
2011 - Tour of the Netherlands with the renowned Irish band Dervish and Breton duo The Guichen brothers.
2011 - Publication by Gwasg Gwynedd of my autobiography - SIAN JAMES
2012 - Commissioned by Trac to collect and record hitherto unpublished songs in the Banw Valley.
2012 - Tour of Wales plus a perfromance in Celtic Connections,with the project ‘TRUIR’ with Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich and Catherine Tinney.
2012 Tour of Eire with Irish Sean-nos singer Seoasaimhin ni Bheaglaoich and renowned Scottish harper Mary Macmaster
2012 - Release of latest album CYMUN
I have to date released 9 c.d.’s of my musical work.
CYSGODION KARMA (Shadows of Karma)
DISTAW (Quiet)
GWEINI TYMOR (Serving a Term)
DI-GWSG (Sleepless)
BIRDMAN
PUR (Pure)
Y FERCH O BEDLAM (The Girl from Bedlam)
ADAR AC ANIFEILIAID (Birds and Animals)
CYMUN (Communion))