Biography
Ceridwen is a cellist and composer based in Naarm(Melbourne). She writes music that draws on the clarity of contemporary classical music and combines it with the freedom of improvisation. Her solo practice involves looping layers of cello to create strong narratives with character developments and emotional depth. Ceridwen has a “unique touch and handles her instrument like few people do.” (Mes Enceintes Font Défaut)
When Ceridwen was nine, she decided to play the cello after being told she was too small for the double bass. All these years later, she sincerely thanks her nine year old self for making that decision as this instrument has allowed her to take diverse and exciting pathways through music.
Ceridwen began writing for cello whilst attending the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School where she investigated the practice of improvisation in cello repertoire. During this time she was selected for the Melbourne Recital Centres’ three year scholarship program Accelerando, an opportunity Ceridwen feels shaped her love of contemporary music performance. In 2018 Ceridwen was given a scholarship to study a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. In 2019, Ceridwen was awarded the Kate Flowers Memorial Scholarship through the University, for a performance demonstrating the relationship between cello and electronic looping pedal. In 2019 she was awarded the Allan Zavod Performers award for her performance of an original composition also for solo cello and looper called The Conference of the Birds. This work wasreleased as Ceridwen's debut album with New York based label Rhodium in early 2021. In 2020, Ceridwen was commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne to write a work as part of Memory: 5x5x5. In 2021 Ceridwen participated in mentoring sessions with the Australian Art Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring. That year her composition was chosen for the Flinders Quartet’s Emerging Composers program.
Most recently, in 2022, Ceridwen took part in Ensemble Offsprings Hatched Composer Intensive in Cowra NSW, the Australian Art orchestra's Creative Music Intensive in Tarraleah Tasmania, Dots and Loops Performance Fellowship in Brisbane, and won first place in 3MBSTthe Talent. Ceridwen has just graduated from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with a First Class Honours from the Bachelor of Music Performance degree (Honours) for which she received the Corinna D'Hage Mayer String Scholarship.
When Ceridwen was nine, she decided to play the cello after being told she was too small for the double bass. All these years later, she sincerely thanks her nine year old self for making that decision as this instrument has allowed her to take diverse and exciting pathways through music.
Ceridwen began writing for cello whilst attending the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School where she investigated the practice of improvisation in cello repertoire. During this time she was selected for the Melbourne Recital Centres’ three year scholarship program Accelerando, an opportunity Ceridwen feels shaped her love of contemporary music performance. In 2018 Ceridwen was given a scholarship to study a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. In 2019, Ceridwen was awarded the Kate Flowers Memorial Scholarship through the University, for a performance demonstrating the relationship between cello and electronic looping pedal. In 2019 she was awarded the Allan Zavod Performers award for her performance of an original composition also for solo cello and looper called The Conference of the Birds. This work wasreleased as Ceridwen's debut album with New York based label Rhodium in early 2021. In 2020, Ceridwen was commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne to write a work as part of Memory: 5x5x5. In 2021 Ceridwen participated in mentoring sessions with the Australian Art Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring. That year her composition was chosen for the Flinders Quartet’s Emerging Composers program.
Most recently, in 2022, Ceridwen took part in Ensemble Offsprings Hatched Composer Intensive in Cowra NSW, the Australian Art orchestra's Creative Music Intensive in Tarraleah Tasmania, Dots and Loops Performance Fellowship in Brisbane, and won first place in 3MBSTthe Talent. Ceridwen has just graduated from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with a First Class Honours from the Bachelor of Music Performance degree (Honours) for which she received the Corinna D'Hage Mayer String Scholarship.
