Elen Vining BMus(Hons) - Born in Wales, Elen was educated at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and at Cardiff University, where she obtained an Honours Degree in Music. She started learning the harp whilst at primary school with Sian Thomas. Later she studied under Valerie Aldrich-Smith, Principal Harpist of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, qualifying at Grade 8 with Distinction in the examinations of the Associated Board of The Royal Schools of Music. After graduating, Elen worked for a well known harp retailer in England before returning to Wales in 1999 to establish her own business as distributor of Camac harps. In 2003 she purchased Rowlands Music, a general sheet music shop which had been in the centre of Cardiff for nearly 100 years. In August 2003 she joined the two business’s together opening a large shop in the High Street Arcade in Cardiff. In June 2012 the shop relocated to Birchgrove, Cardiff.