Composer Information: Edward Huws Jones

Edward Huws Jones is a music educationalist, composer and string player. He studied at York University in the late 1960's under Wilfrid Mellers in a department celebrated for its eclectic and exploratory approach to music. He later went on to study lute and viols at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His D.Phil., The Performance of English Song 1610-1670, was subsequently published by Garland Press.

During the 1970's and 1980's Edward performed with some of the leading early music groups, such as the English Consort of Viols, the Rose Consort of Viols, the Consort of Musicke and the group he formed with Graham Treacher, the Amati Ensemble.

Edward also taught violin in schools throughout North Yorkshire and during this time he wrote Red Parrot, Green Parrot: tunes, songs and games for beginner violinists (Faber Music) and Funky Monkey and Friends for string orchestra (Boosey & Hawkes). These and other works he has written now hold an established place in the repertoire for education.

A love of folk and traditional music led Edward to compile Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes (Boosey & Hawkes) in 1992. The success of this publication has led to a best selling series of publications including Jazz, Blues and Ragtime, The American Fiddler, The Gypsy Fiddler and The Klezmer Fiddler.

In 1995 Edward instituted the Mostar Children's Violin Project, giving violin lessons to 30 children in the war-torn city of Mostar, Bosnia. During his numerous visits to Bosnia he has worked with Bosnian musician, Mehmed Velagic to create Sevdah (Boosey & Hawkes), a book of traditional Bosnian music.

Edward has worked as consultant and editor on numerous projects for the Associated Board , including being involved with the selection of the violin syllabus for 1997-2000 and for 2001-2004.

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