Esme Francis

Esme Francis is a Cornish language songwriter, composer, lyricist, music teacher, and harpist who has contributed significantly to the traditional music of Cornwall.

Biography Francis is a songwriter in the Cornish language. One of her collections includes the song "Black and Gold". In 1978, Francis was made a Bard of Gorsedh Kernow, taking the bardic name or Ylades (Songwriter). She has served as harpist for Gorsedh Kernow for over 40 years. She retired in 2019. In 2014, she was nominated by the Holyer an Gof Publishers' Awards for her work Trewarveneth. She received the Awen Award for her services to Cornish music in 2016.

Francis lives in St Just.

Scores 2005 – Seny: Cornish Celtic Songs 2008 – Where Seagulls Cry: six classical songs for soprano 2009 – Where the Lark Rises: six classical songs for tenor 2010 – Trelawny: Celtic Cornwall in Song 2011 – Summer nights : six classical songs for mezzo-soprano/contralto 2013 – Trewarveneth: six classical songs for baritone and bass 2013 – Keltek Kan: Cornish Celtic Song 2017 – Land's End Suite: for harp

Fiction 2007 – Southwest by Southwest 2015 – Rialobran: a play

Discography 2004 – Kernow: Cornish Song 2004 – Keltek: Cornish Music