I received my early education in Pembrokeshire before coming to Bangor University to study Music in 2004.  After graduating with a First Class Honours, I was awarded a 5-year Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol [Welsh Language College] Scholarship to study an M.A and PhD.  I completed an M.A Musicology in 2008 and a PhD focusing on ‘Music, Health and Wellbeing in Wales’ in 2012.

In 2012, I became a Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol-funded Lecturer in Music, and am currently a Senior Lecturer in Music in the School of Arts, Culture and Language.  In recent years, I have led on Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching in the areas of Music, Health and Wellbeing, Community Arts and Music Teaching. I have also been responsible for pastoral care (2018-2021), disability (2022-23) and Postgraduate Research matters (2023) in the school.  I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Community work is at the heart of my teaching and research.  I work closely with numerous music charities on project evaluations, research and employability opportunities, and am a Trustee for Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, Sistema Cymru Codi’r To and Forget-me-not Chorus.   In 2023, I was a member of the Welsh Government’s Overarching Steering Group developing a new Culture Strategy for Wales.

Position: Senior Lecturer in Music

Email: g.ifan@bangor.ac.uk

Phone number: +44(0) 1248 388 206

Location: Music Building, 1st floor

Undergraduate

WXC-1300 Cerddoriaeth ers 1850

WXM-2269/3311 Community Arts Placement

WXM-2270/3270 Music Teaching in Context

WXM-2309/3309 Music, Health and Wellbeing

Postgraduate

WMP-4062 Advanced Research Methods in Music

WMP-4064 Music Education: Theories and Practices

WMP-4124 Contemporary Music Education Project

WMP-4065 Teaching Music Today

Current PhD Students

• Bethan James
• Cadi Williams
• Lisa Boas
• Anna Huang
• Min Zhu

Completed PhD Students

• Irfan Rais (2022), ‘Abodes of Harmony: An investigation of traditional music session culture along the Menai Strait’ (Second supervisor)
• Catherine Jones (2022), ‘Dyffryn Ogwen: a Musical Microcosm: Aspects of Choral Music in Dyffryn Ogwen, 1840-1914, and the Interaction Between Industry, Religion and Music-Making’ (second supervisor)

My research focuses on music, health and wellbeing. My main interests are:

• Choral-singing and wellbeing
• The value of community arts projects
• Music education and childhood development.

2022

• Published'O Banad i Brofiad': End of Project Evaluation Report
  Ifan, G. & Bailey-Wood, A., 22 Dec 2022, 24 p.
  Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report

2018

• Published‘Ambell i gân a geidw fy mron, Rhag suddo i lawr dan amal i don': Cerddoriaeth, lles a hunaniaeth Gymraeg
  Ifan, G., 27 Jul 2018.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
• PublishedCerddoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Lles
  Ifan, G., 1 Oct 2018, Cydymaith i Gerddoriaeth Cymru. ap Sion, P. & Thomas, W. (eds.). Y Lolfa
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
• PublishedThe Capital of Music; The Land of Song: Choral singing, social capital and wellbeing in Wales
  Ifan, G., 1 Mar 2018, Eastern European Perspectives on Celtic Studies. Hornsby, M. & Rosiak, K. (eds.). Cambridge Scholars Publishing, p. 89-111
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

2017

• PublishedCreative Collaboration in Higher Education: A Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol case-study
  Ifan, G. & Hodges, R. S., 31 Mar 2017, Academic Biliteracies : Multilingual Repertoires in Higher Education. Palfreyman, D. M. & van der Walt, C. (eds.). Multilingual Matters
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
• PublishedHidden Corners
  Ifan, G., Jun 2017.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster

2016

• PublishedA qualitative inquiry into the impact of an intergenerational musical residency for young people and care home residents
  Ifan, G., 2016, Bangor University.
  Research output: Book/Report › Other report

2015

• PublishedAdnoddau addysgiadol a thrafodion cynhadledd 'Boddi mewn Celfyddyd'
  Ifan, G. (Developer), 13 Jun 2015
  Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
• PublishedRaising the Roof: Codi’r To
  Ifan, G., 2015.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review

2011

• PublishedThe Tonic in the Sol-Fa: Music and Wellbeing in Wales
  Ifan, G., 2011, Proceedings: SEMPRE Conference - Striking a Chord: Music Health and Wellbeing. p. 72 73 p.
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
• Published'Un Llef Pedwar Llais': Dylanwad canu corawl ar iechyd a lles yng Nghymru
  Ifan, G., 1 Aug 2011, In: Gwerddon. 10/11
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2022

• BU-IIA Funded Project: Bridging the gap: Welsh identities in post-Brexit and post-Covid Europe

  Working with our company partner, Codi’r To, this project will engage with the local community in exploring what it means to be Welsh today, particularly post-Brexit and post-Covid. It will do so through the medium of opera, using Pontio as a centre point bringing together the participants in direct engagement with the community. Over the course of five months a group of local school children working with Codi’r To and a professional poet, composer and choreographer will write, rehearse and publicly perform a bilingual opera in miniature, on the theme ‘Wales today / Cymru heddiw’.

  Funding awarded through the Bangor University Innovation and Impact Award (Research Wales Innovation Funding). Value = £19,903

  1 May 2022 – 30 Apr 2023

  Activity: Other (Contributor)

2018

• Corneli Cudd

  16 Feb 2018

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Dydd Miwsig Cymru

  9 Feb 2018

  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Speaker)

2017

• SIMMPosium (Social Impact of Making Music)

  ‘A qualitative inquiry into the impact of an intergenerational musical residency for young people and care home residents with dementia’

  Jul 2017

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Developing Dementia-Friendly Churches

  ‘Hidden corners: Developing artistic intergenerational projects for people with dementia’

  Mar 2017

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Dydd Miwsig Cymru

  10 Feb 2017

  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Speaker)

2016

• Presentation of 'Hidden Corners' Project

  16 May 2016

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Aelod o'r panel / Panel member

  20 Apr 2016

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Music in health and wellbeing: view from the sector

  2016

  Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Media article or participation (Contributor)
• Music in Hospitals (North Wales) (External organisation)

  2016 →

  Activity: Membership of board (Chair)

2015

• Cynhadledd Boddi Mewn Celfyddyd

  Cynhadled 'Boddi Mewn Celfyddyd': Gwaddol Celfyddydol Boddi Cwm Celyn

  Cynhadledd Ysgol Cerddoriaeth ac Ysgol y Gymraeg, Prifysgol Bangor

  a’r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol

  13 Jun 2015

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)
• Corneli Cudd

  May 2015

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Finding Cadenzas in Hidden Corners

  21 Apr 2015

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Hidden Corners: Musical Residencies in Care Homes

  2015

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Sistema Cymru Codi'r To (External organisation)

  2015 →

  Activity: Membership of board (Chair)

2014

• Conference of Celtic Studies, Poznan

  (with Dr Rhian Sian Hodges): Bridging the gap through creative collaboration: A Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (Welsh - medium national college). Case Study

  18 Oct 2014

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Conference of Celtic Studies, Poznan

  Singing on the Upbeat: Choral singing and social well - being in Wales

  18 Oct 2014

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• ‘Gwthio Ffiniau a Chydweithio Creadigol: Cymdeithaseg Cerddoriaeth yng Nghymru’ ‘Pa Le i’n Hiaith mewn Addysg Uwch’ , Cynhadledd Rhyngwladol y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, (gyda Dr Gwawr Ifan) Gorffennaf 2014’

  Cyflwyno papur yn seiliedig ar ein modiwl Cymdeithaseg Cerddoriaeth yng nghynhadledd ryngwladol y CCC, Caerdydd/ paper presentation based on an inter-disciplinary module, Sociology of Music, CCC, Cardiff

  1 Jul 2014

  Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
• Hidden Corners

  4 Apr 2014

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
• Cynhadledd Ryngwladol y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol

  (gyda Dr Rhian Sian Hodges): ‘Gwthio ffiniau Creadigrwydd’

  2014

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Hidden Corners

  2014

  Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)

2013

• Rethinking Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Towards New Ethical Paradigms in Music and Health Research

  Presentation on Hidden Corners project

  19 Oct 2013

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• WISERD Annual Conference, Cardiff, June 2010.

  Developing a typology of competencies for professional artists involved in therapeutic work in Dementia using a case study of a Music residency

  21 Jun 2013

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Cân di Bennill Fwyn i’th Nain’ (Darlith Flynyddol Tŷ Cerdd, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, 2013)

  2013

  Activity: Types of External academic engagement - Invited talk (Speaker)

2012

• Cynhadledd Y Ferch Greadigol

  Cynhadledd i ddathlu cyfraniad y ferch i feysydd, hanes, llên, a cherddoriaeth, gyda'r pwyslais ar Gymru.

  6 Oct 2012 – 7 Oct 2012

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Organiser)
• 7th Conference of the Research Network Sociology of the ArtsVienna

  ‘It touches my Welsh soul’: Music

  identity and social well-being in Wales

  5 Sep 2012

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• ‘Music touches my Welsh soul’: Music, identity and social well-being in Wales’ Sociology of Arts Conference, Vienna September 2012 (joint paper with Dr Gwawr Ifan, School of Music)

  Cyflwyno paper ar y cyd â Dr Gwawr Ifan yn trafod pwysigrwydd Cerddoriaeth i iechyd a lles yng Nghymru/ paper presentation with Dr Gwawr Ifan discussing the importance of music for social well-being in Wales

  5 Sep 2012

  Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
• Arts & Health: A Global View’, Society for the Arts in Healthcare

  ‘Bridging the Gap’: Amateur Music in Healthcare Settings in Wales

  5 May 2012

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Conference of the Centre for Advanced Welsh Music Studies

  Cerddoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Lles yng Nghymru

  24 Feb 2012

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)

2011

• Striking a Chord’ Music, Health and Wellbeing: Current Developments in Research and Practice

  ‘The Tonic in the Sol-Fa’: Music Health and Wellbeing

  9 Sep 2011

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• 14th International Conference in Celtic Studies

  Music in Social Health and Wellbeing in Wales

  6 Aug 2011

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Grŵp datblygu'r Celfyddydau mewn Iechyd a Lles, Cyngor Gwynedd (External organisation)

  2011 →

  Activity: Membership of committee (Chair)

2010

• The Art of Good Health and Wellbeing

  18 Sep 2010

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)
• Damcaniaethu Cymru: Rhyw, Diwylliant a Gwleidyddiaeth’Cynhadledd Canolfan Ymchwil i Lên ac Iaith Saesneg Cymru]

  12 Jul 2010

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)

2009

• Conference of the Centre for Advanced Welsh Music Studies

  ‘Cerddoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Lles yng Nghymru’

  1 Nov 2009

  Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Speaker)

• Evaluation Report for Ensemble Cymru

  01/09/2022 – 30/06/2023 (Finished)

• Corneli Cudd: Hidden Corners: Raising awareness of dementia through music

  01/10/2013 – 31/12/2013 (Finished)