“The Simffoni Mara project is born out of my having lived on the edge of the Irish Sea for 70 years and there’s hardly been a day when it has failed to fascinate me, this as from my childhood days when on occasions of low pressure we could see the Wicklow Hills, to these modern-day times when celebrating our respective cultural strengths, both traditional and contemporary, has never been more important.. This fascination has inspired me to develop a music-led project about life on the edge of the Irish Sea, life on it and life underneath it, this on both sides of the water and ultimately to create a circuit from St. Davids Head to Holyhead and from Dun Laoghaire to Cork, and the journey has begun. It is also very fitting that Counties Waterford and Wexford are our first ports of call.

I have great memories from having collaborated with Garter Lane Arts Centre on two European funded projects and in those connections, it is most appropriate that the performance is here in Christ Church Cathedral where I was so greatly privileged to have met, and later worked with the late Eric Sweeney, and now Simon Harden. There have been links since time immemorial so here’s to the future. “

Myles Pepper, Founder and Director

David Pepper, Artistic Director Cwmni Mara CIC

David, in addition to being Artistic Director Cwmni Mara CIC is also the creative director of his own company, On Lands Edge – Ar Ymyl y Tir Ltd, which he formed in 2021. David brings with him a wealth of experience and creativity with an added interest in site specific works from his time studying at Dartington College of Arts and an emphasis on contemporary collaboration across the art forms. David is based in Fishguard, but has a wide experience of working across Europe and draws on this to curate exciting festival programs that aim to find a balance between community, connection, and creativity. David has been a long-term collaborator and supporter for the Arts across Pembrokeshire and has been actively involved in all the current Music Festivals of Fishguard with a view to increase partnership across the arts to increase accessibility, innovation, collaboration for a vibrant and diverse arts scene in rural Wales that is both rooted in its sense of place and connected to the urban centres and International Communities.

Performing across the genres and collaborating with a wide mix of art forms David draws his inspiration from the landscape by actively moving through it via trail running, fast packing and pilgrimage. He is a leader for the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way, a path that connects Ireland with Wales through the friendship of St Aidan & St David. And in the last few years has gone on a journey of discovering the sounds and stories that connect these two ancient lands. Often collaborating with the visual arts and filmmakers to create live cinematic experiences in the festival scene David is on a creative journey to express the old ways of these lands in contemporary performances

Daniel Davies, cello

Daniel studied cello with Leonid Gorokhov at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was also a scholar to the Yale University’s prestigious Summer School of Chamber Music and was a Britten Pears Young Artist. He also had guidance and lessons from Cellist Janos Starker and studied extensively with Nicola Thomas. 

Daniel is an accomplished cellist and currently divides his time between being Artistic Director of Music at Nantwen, his family, performance and teaching.

Georgina Stalbow, soprano

Originally from Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Georgina graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire with a First-Class Honours degree in Vocal and Operatic Studies in 2011. She studied with Margaret Field, Julian Pike and Louise Crane. She continued her studies and was awarded a Masters with Distinction from Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff where she studied with world renowned Welsh tenor Dennis O’Neill.

Georgina recently finished touring with Opera Della Luna’s production of HMS Pinafore in which she performed the lead role, Josephine. She sang the role in venues all over the UK including Wilton’s Music Hall (London), Buxton Opera House, Theatre Royal, Bath and the Oxford Playhouse. Recently she also sang Bacchis in Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène with Opera Della Luna, and Ilia (cover) in Mozart’s Idomeneo for Buxton International Festival.

She is delighted to be performing in Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford and joining forces again with David Pepper after their highly successful recital as part of the Simffoni Mara Festival in St. Davids Cathedral last year.