Star Wars Cantina Band for two harps - Born to Shine Finale

Born to Shine: ITV1, August 2011: Show 6 - Final. Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas had just 6 weeks to learn to play the harp with some help from 15 year old Welsh harpist Ben Creighton Griffiths. See how they got on! This TV programme was in aid of Save the Children and so far has raised nearly £2,000,000

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gareth
• Thomas
• ben
• Creighton
• Griffiths
• Cantina
• Band
• star
• wars

[ecb825]

This video is amazing!! I'm 17 and I play harp too. I first found one of your videos when I was learning Minstrel's Adieu to His Native Land for a recital and wanted to hear it performed.

This Born to Shine was so fun to watch! You looked like you were just having so much fun, by your expression, and Gareth just looked so deep in concentration.

Oh, and that harp is beautiful (I'm a Salvi girl myself) :) You must put a lot of time practicing, with all your performances! How long do you spend?

[CreightonGriffiths]

@ecb825 It was was great fun doing Born to Shine, Gareth worked so hard - he really did only had six weeks to learn all that, and with a broken arm!! The TVs were also LIVE which was a worry. In term time I spend about an 1 - 2 hours a day at the harp, it depends how much homework I have or if I have any events coming up. I do spend a bit longer if I have any events coming up. How much do you do?

[Hooghoudt76]

Very well done! Both Gareth and Ben. Ben, I figured you'd be the toughest boy to learn from but you're proving the contrary. Lovely!

[hipharpist]

Love it! I always knew you were a great player, Ben -- now I see you're a wonderful teacher, too!

[lenochek2019]

))))))))))))))))!!!!!!!

[contranimal]

You both were fantastic. Im a tuba player myself, but would love to learn to play harp one of these days ( some great orchestral parts for them ) and I always love a good challenge to learn and take on musically.

[iwant2cryTUBE]

I tell you what. They took Gareth completely out of his element and he not only faced it gallantly but also had good humor about it. Great job for both performers there!

[ecb825]

@CreightonGriffiths This is also only my 5th year of playing -- as I do more gig work, outside of recitals and church performances, I'll probably need to spend more time! Which isn't a bad thing!

[ecb825]

@CreightonGriffiths That's pretty cool! I rented my first lever harp, so I just have my semi-grand Salvi Daphne SE that we bought. I'd love to get a CG Salvi as well (I love the rich sound), but they're much heavier, so I think maybe a Lyon and Healy CG (the other big name in the USA) would be more feasible for me to carry around by myself!

[ecb825]

@CreightonGriffiths Well, I try to do at least an hour 5-6 times a week, but like you mentioned, depending on homework, that doesn't always happen! I don't do as many recitals either...so it's just learning new pieces for repertoire. When I watch other harpists close to my age though (on youtube), it makes me want to practice a lot more!!

But, I cannot believe the broken arm! I've never broken my arm, but I never want to, since I couldn't play! That is some determination!

[CreightonGriffiths]

@ecb825 I have 4 harps. A Pilgrim Clarsach lever harp was my first harp, a Christmas present from my Grandmother. A Camac 36 electro lever harp, a gift from Jakez François. My first pedal harp was a 44 string Lyon & Healy 85GP, but then in 2008 I was lucky enough to win the Junior Lily Laskine and my prize was a Salvi Daphnne, so now I had two pedal harps! In 2010 Salvi let me exchange the Daphnne for my Minerva, a sponsor paid for the difference in price and owns about 1/2 of it!!