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Many apologies for the delay in this newsletter, which we've decided will incorporate June and July! One of the reasons for the delay is our trip to Wales, which is explained below. I hope I don't miss anything out or make too many mistakes!

Early morning on Tuesday 5th July we received a phone call from Wales. It was one of those calls we always dread to receive. Siobhan's Taid (Welsh for grandfather) on her dad's side had passed away overnight. His death was sudden and unexpected (caused by an aortic aneurism). We immediately booked flights to the UK for Thursday, whichgave us less than 2 days to pack and organise everything. Liam and Kieran were unable to come with us, but we recorded them giving a lovely tribute from to play to the family.

We left for Adelaide airport at 5am on Thursday morning and caught a flight to Sydney, where we had to wait for 5 hours for our next flight to Singapore (7 hour flight). After an hour refuelling there, we were on our way to London (about 12½ hours). We arrived in London about 5.15am on Friday morning and had to wait until almost 8am before we could pick up our hire car. Then it was a 5 hour drive up to North Wales!

The first thing we noticed in Wales was that, although it was summer, the temperature was only 2 degrees higher than Adelaide (where it is winter)! It rained most days we were there, but the day of the funeral was beautiful and sunny! The funeral was very moving, but lovely. Siobhan had been asked to sing if possible, but was too upset to do so. However, they played 3 songs from her "Celestial Echoes" album. The Welsh songs "Lisa Lan" and "Ar Hyd y Nos" at the beginning and end of the service, and "Ave Maria" in the middle. Many remarked on the beauty of Siobhan's voice, and the Minister encouraged everyone to write to Bryn Terfel to request Siobhan sing at the Faenol Festival!

On Monday 19th July, after only 11 days in the UK, we had to leave on our long journey home! We arrived home about 9.30 am on Wednesday (37 hours after leaving Wales!) We are already missing our family, and are planning to try get back there for a longer visit within the next couple of years.

At the beginning of June we made our second trip to beautiful Portarlington in Victoria for the National Celtic Festival. Siobhan's brother Kieran came along with us, hoping to do a bit of busking with his guitar. I don't think he got much done, but he thoroughly enjoyed himself there (especially aboard the Pirate Ship!). We arrived there just in time for Siobhan's first gig which was a harp concert. 5 harpists on stage playing beautiful music! Two of them (including Siobhan) sang as they played. The whole concert was mesmerising.

We stayed in a rental property overlooking the beach, with a pool table and garage downstairs and living accommodation with beautiful views upstairs. There was a replica pirate ship sailing around the bay which Kieran was very happy to go on. Siobhan couldn't sail on it because it clashed with her performance times, but she did have a look around it while it was docked.

Over the weekend Siobhan gave 2 more solo concerts, delighting her audiences and selling lots of CDs! :) We again caught up with old friends and made new friends and fans.

The Celtic Woman ladies were only in Australia for a few days to promote their October tour, so couldn't get around to all States unfortunately. Penrith was very lucky to have their only live performance for the public. However, on Tuesday the girls split up and visited various cities to be interviewed on radio stations etc. Chloe came to Adelaide! It was only on Tuesday morning that the times and places she'd be visiting was released. I phoned and emailed all the local radio stations but wasn't having any luck. Then I received a phone call from ABC Adelaide in response to the email I sent telling them of our Irish/Welsh connections and about Siobhan also being a Celtic singer (and harpist). They invited us into the studio for a personal meeting with Chloe!

On arrival at ABC we had to wait in reception until "the others" arrived. We thought that meant there would be other fans going up there, but "the others" turned out to be Chloe, Rachel (CW Tour Manager) and their local driver/assistant! We started chatting and Rachel suggested I took photos and got autographs before Chloe went up to the studio as they had to rush off to another interview straight afterwards. So I took a couple of photos of Siobhan with Chloe, and Siobhan gave Chloe a copy of her "Celestial Echoes" CD. Chloe signed our Celtic Woman CDs and CW Song Book. We had a really good chat with Chloe and she seemed to be generally interested in Siobhan's musical studies etc. She also asked where Siobhan recorded her album. I mentioned that Orla had heard Siobhan sing on the internet and had said she was "going to be huge"! I also talked about Julian David Edwards, the Welsh tenor who toured with CW for a while. I told Chloe how he had contacted Siobhan for help with the sheet music for "Little Welsh Home" which he knew was in her repertoire. He needed it for his solo album!

We all went up to the first floor, and Siobhan and I sat outside the studio while the others went in. We could see Chloe through the glass and could hear the interview through the speakers. She gave a wonderful interview and sang a beautiful acapella rendition of "Galway Bay" (which I lover because my parents came from Galway). Apparently the producers wanted Siobhan to go on air at the end of the interview to 'meet' Chloe on air. Unfortunately we were unaware of this until it was too late. The presenter announced that Adelaide's own Celtic singer Siobhan Owen had come along to say hi to Chloe, and asked where she was. Someone said "she's outside" so she said "Chloe you can meet Siobhan outside". But at least she was mentioned on air! Chloe came out and jokingly said to Siobhan "you didn't want to come in and talk to me?" She thought Siobhan was too shy (she is a little!) and asked if she'd ever been on radio. I said she'd been interviewed on radio many times, and had actually sung "She Moved Through the Fair" acapella on air in the same studio at ABC. So Chloe said "You can sing on radio but can't talk to me!". She was only joking and was so lovely! She gave us both a hug and told Siobhan to keep up her music and her studies and hoped to see us again in October.

It was a wonderful afternoon! I'm so glad Siobhan had no exams that day and that my bosses allowed me to take a couple of hours off work to take her there!

Siobhan recently completed the first Semester of her Diploma in Classical Music at Adelaide University. Her results have been very pleasing so far and have included a High Distinction for her Vocal solo assessment, a Distinction for overall Vocal Studies and a Distinction in Aural Development (just 1 point short of a High Distinction). She is really enjoying Uni and is looking forward to starting her Degree studies in Music next year.

Many people have been asking when Siobhan's next album will be released. In fact, at festivals and shows she could probably sell 4 or 5 CDs to some fans if she had them! We were hoping that she could start recording a new album around August/September. But as Siobhan's CDs are fully self-funded, and we had the expense of our unexpected trip back to Wales, we are having to decide if we may still go ahead with the recording. Some of the more adventurous plans we had been thinking about will no longer be possible, but we could still get some lovely tracks together, hopefully before the end of the year.

Sunday 19 September, time and place tba - Performing at the Harp Society of South Australia's AGM.

Tuesday 21 September, 1pm - Performing for residents of the Ananda Nursing Home, Hope Valley.

Wednesday 22 September, 1.10pm - Siobhan is giving a 40 minute Lunch Hour Concert at 1.10pm for a Recitals Australia. Recorded by Radio Adelaide and 5MBS.

22-24 October, times tba - Performing at the Fleurieu Folk Festival, Willunga, South Australia.

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Siobhan's albums "Purely Celtic" and "Celestial Echoes" can be ordered from her website. "Celestial Echoes" is also available to download at iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.

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