Valerie Aldrich-Smith

Since graduating from Birmingham University and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Valerie has held the position of Principal Harp with the RTE Light Orchestra in Dublin, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Las Palmas and the Sadlers’ Wells Ballet Orchestra.

Since 2005, Valerie has been invited to tour with the World Orchestra for Peace, conducted by Valery Gergiev. She is currently principal harpist with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and has appeared many times on TV and radio with the orchestra and as a soloist. Valerie is very much involved with the outreach and education work of the BBC. National Orchestra of Wales, giving master-classes and workshops and participating in various community projects around Wales.

Valerie also teaches the harp at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the university of Bristol and the University of Wales, Cardiff, and regularly coaches for the harp day courses held at RWCMD