Gerardo Albela

Arrived to the UK in 2008 and to Welsh shores in 2012, Gerardo hails from the Val do Ulla, a beautiful region in the heart of Galicia, the Celtic Nation in the north west of the Iberian Peninsula.

He started playing the gaita, the Galician bagpipes, at the tender age of 11 and his life has since been a constant marching through the paths and villages of Galicia, and sometimes beyond its borders, playing at all sorts of celebrations and festivals.

Whilst in his homeland he was a member of bands of traditional music such as A gaita de Sarandón (Requinteiros da Ulla) and A requinta da Laxeira; as well as a deputy musician for many others; and has played with and learned from great gaita players such as Xulio Coira, Ricardo Santos, Raúl Galego, Emilio Lois, Pablo Carpintero, Bruno Villamor…

Since arriving in the UK, Gerardo has collaborated with bands such as Carreg Lafar, Xogara or Jamie Smith’s Mabon.

With Maelog, Gerardo plays gaitas, whistles and flutes, clarinet, Jew’s harp and sings.