OPENING CONCERT
28/10/2022

EIRA LYNN JONES and The Labyrinth Harp Ensemble
Eira Lynn Jones makes a welcome return to the Festival with a story-telling programme. She will unveil new works for solo harp and harp ensemble by Martin Ellerby, Stephen Henriksen, Fiona Clifton-Welker and Catriona McKay. Pieces written as a reaction to the pandemic by Brandee Younger, Fabio Rizza and Eira herself will be a moving a tribute to lost lives. The Labyrinth Ensemble is a group of harpists from different walks of life with their own musical stories to tell. Not often given the opportunity to take centre stage, they will join Eira in a celebration of unity.

EIRA LYNN JONES

Eira Lynn Jones is a musician who plays the harp; equally at home on pedal or lever harp. 
Her eclectic career has taken her all over the world. Highlights include: performing at the Hollywood Bowl, L.A.; workshops in South Africa, Denmark,  Greece; a Recital in Reykjavik, Iceland for the Nordic Watercolour Society; recordings with the Black Dyke Brass Band and the heavy metal group Venom. 
Studying with Kathleen Bride (a pupil of Marcel Grandjany) in New York ignited a passion for teaching, which influenced her work at the RNCM, where she directed the harp department for nearly 30 years. She is regularly invited to give workshops, with her classes at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival sold out for the past 3 years.
Photography by Michael Dunkason
Her two solo albums “… from within” and “Forgotten Dreams” include pieces which she has enjoyed teaching to her pupils, as well as introducing new works. 
ELJ Music is a publication company that she runs with her husband, Steve. Her booklets include the Pick and Mix series of technical exercises, and several volumes of original compositions. Clouds in a Sunlit Sky from Summer Days was chosen for the Harps North West JaNEWary Challenge 2021. 
​Recent adventures include: co-directing Flyways 22 (a cross-border project for harpists of all ages and levels), and being selected as composer for Illumine Theatre’s production of Tremolo. 
Eira created the Labyrinth Ensemble to give harpists from different walks of life the opportunity to take centre stage at a professional level. Their love and dedication to the harp has been inspirational and led her to create this unique project. This is their first performance.

PERFORMANCE PLATFORM
29/10/2022

The Festival's traditional Saturday afternoon concert , this year featuring two of the UK's leading young harpists HUW BOUCHER and HEATHER BROOKS, joint second prize winners in the 2022 UK Harp Association Competition in the North London Festival
​(no first prize was awarded this year)
This concert is kindly sponsored by the UK Harp Association.

HUW BOUCHER

Huw is a 19 year old harpist studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Professor Emeritus of harp, Skaila Kanga. Previous to his studies at the Academy Huw attended the Royal Welsh College junior department, where he studied with Kathryn Rees for 9 years. Huw is one of 3 musicians in his year to have been awarded the ABRSM scholarship. A coveted award to help fund Huw’s studies at the Academy. He was also awarded many scholarships when he was a student at the Welsh College. One of those also being the ABRSM scholarship. Huw’s musical journey started with the piano at the age of 9. One year later Huw started studying the harp and just one year after that, the flute. By age 13 Huw achieved grade 8 distinction on all three instruments. In 2017, Huw was the winner of the Rotary Young Musician of Great Britain and Ireland. One year later Huw was the winner of the Blue Ribbon in the National Eisteddfod. For this prestigious award Huw was awarded a £1500 scholarship. Huw was also the 4 time winner of the Eisteddfod yr Urdd from 2016-2019. In 2020, Huw was a strings finalist in the BBC Young Musician. Huw was the first harpist to reach this stage of the competition since 2014. In 2020, Huw was one of a small selection of international harpists to be selected for the ‘Focus on Youth’ platform in the 2020 World Harp Congress. In 2022, Huw was selected to compete in the 12th U.S.A international harp competition, the most prestigious harp competition in the world. Huw was also the Joint Winner of the 2nd prize in the U.K harp competition. In his first year at the Academy, Huw was the runner up in the Skaila Kanga harp prize.

HEATHER BROOKS

Heather started learning the harp aged 10 with Professor Daphne Boden. She was awarded a GMDS Scholarship to attend the Purcell School of Music in 2012 and is a beneficiary of the Robert Bouffler Music Trust. Having gained a Distinction in her Grade 8 exam, aged 15, Heather went on to win the Purcell School Student Showcase and she performed her programme at the Wigmore Hall. In her final year, Heather was Head Girl. In July 2015 she was awarded the long-term loan of the “Charles Steer Promenaders’ Salvi Aurora Harp’’ by the Cherubim Music Trust. Heather was section leader of the National Youth Harp Orchestra who premiered her composition ‘’World Harp Symphony’’ at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.  In 2018 Heather was awarded a scholarship to continue her music studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Imogen Barford. In 2021 Heather performed as soloist with the Guildhall Chamber Orchestra performing Panufniks Harp concert Powers and Dominions and was recently awarded the Musicians' Company Award to continue with a masters degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

MODERN BRETON MUSIC
​29/10/2022

Rhythm and harmony are the pre-dominant elements in the music of Tristan Le Govic from Brittany. This will be a concert of exceptional musicality and technique. Delicate but deep.

TRISTAN LE GOVIC (Brittany)

Tristan Le Govic is a well known Breton harp player with an acclaimed international career. He has performed in many festival in Europe, US, Canada and Russia, and has given many workshops during harp festivals. He has recorded many albums as a solo musician and also with other musicians. His recent trio with Tangi Le Hénanff (bass) and Alan Quéré-Moysan (drums) was awarded with the Nevez Flamm Trophy for best Fest Noz (folk dances) band of the year 2018, a band with whom he has recorded his last album Dañs. 
Tristan has released also music books, he is the editor of the Antologiezh Telenn Breizh (the Breton harp anthology), a unique collection of Breton harp music in three volumes, bringing all together the greatest harpists of Brittany (among them Alan Stivell...)
​A gold medalist in the Celtic harp, he holds an M.A. and a National Diploma in teaching traditional music. He is actually writing a PhD Music at the University of Rennes with the Breton harp player Kristen Noguès as a subject.
Photography by Michael Dunkason

THE SUNKEN FOREST
31/20/2022

Afternoon concert

​EIRA LYNN JONES AND PARTICIPANTS OF THE HARP ENSEMBLE WORKSHOP
The ensemble piece is 'The Sunken Forest' which comprises of five short pieces for lever or pedal harp. Based on a Welsh legend ' Cantre'r Gwaelod' , it is the story of a kingdom lost under water. It also brings to attention ocean levels today and how we should all take notice. ​
Photography by Michael Dunkason

AISTEAR: JOURNEY
​30/10/2022

Music from County Clare and beyond. Aisling grew up in a home full of music and song. Over the past few years, she has been drawing on the many different influences she grew up with & has been incorporating many different genres into her playing. Aisling experiments with alternative rhythms in left hand accompaniment. She is also an accomplished concertina player, having grown up in County Clare with tuition from masters Noel Hill & Mary McNamara. She will be combining the concertina into her set.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

AISLING LYONS (Ireland)

‘..the finest young Irish harpist at work today..' – Songlines 2022.
Aisling Lyons, multi-award winning musician & composer from County Clare has been described as ‘one of traditional music’s finest musicians’ by Hot Press Magazine in 2022 after the release of her debut album ‘Aistear’ (2021). She is the holder of 8 All-Ireland titles & has performed all around the world, from Europe to The U.S, Australia & China. Aisling graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Irish Music from The University of Limerick in 2018 & as a Professional Master of Education in 2021. She holds a Grade 8 award with Distinction from the London College of Music & currently tutors harp at The Irish World Academy, Limerick & at University College Cork.
Photography by Michael Dunkason
Aisling is currently involved in a collaborative music residency with glór & Creative Ireland (2022) while touring and recording with bands '3 on the Bund' and 'Harpanno'. She has been described as ‘one of the rising stars and budding composers of the Irish harp world – rooted in tradition and beautifully inventive’. 
In 2021, Aisling collaborated with artist Aideen Barry, on ‘Oblivion’ commissioned by Music Network and the Irish Traditional Music Archives & also performed with Tolu Makay on RTÉ's 'Ireland in Music' & for Michael D. Higgins' 80th Birthday Celebrations on TG4. Aisling’s debut album ‘Aistear’, supported by Clare County Council, was released in 2021 and has been described as ‘an exceptional CD’ (The Living Tradition), ‘a standout record, flawless’ (Hot Press) & ‘excellent’ (Folk Radio UK)​​

HARP FAVOURITES
​31/11/2022

Enjoy an hour of an eclectic mix of beautiful harp music. This is the perfect concert for a relaxing afternoon and to experience the full spectrum of what the harp can do. From Beethoven to Debussy, Folk to Pop this concert will have something for everyone to enjoy.

FRAN BARSBY

Fran is an award-winning harpist based in West Sussex. Fran graduated in 2015 from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and completed a Masters Degree in Education at Bath University in 2022. 
Fran has been playing the harp for 20 years and during this time Fran has enjoyed studying with teachers including Catherine White, Gabriella Dall'Olio, David Watkins, Skaila Kanga, Louisa Maria Cordell, Charlotte Seale, Anne Hughes Chamberlain and more. 
Fran is Resident Harpist for the British Harp makers, Pilgrim Harps. Fran enjoys a busy performing and teaching career and has had the privilege of  performing in many prestigious venues such as St John Smith Square, Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Town Hall, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Minerva Theatre and many more. She enjoys performing an eclectic mix of music but is especially passionate about arranging pop and film music and bringing the harp into the 21st century.
Photography by Michael Dunkason
Not only does Fran have a very busy performing career but she also has a great passion for teaching and ensuring anyone that wants to learn the harp, has the opportunity to. Fran has enjoyed giving masterclasses at numerous harp festivals, schools and universities such a the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the Young Composers Project. 
Fran is company Director at PoppyHarp, which launched in 2014. PoppyHarp is a harp showroom for British Harp makers including; Pilgrim Harps, Silver Spear Harps and Derwent harps. Through PoppyHarp Fran also helps young professional musicians and composers, publish their first compositions. In conjunction with this Fran launched the Future Blend Project and PoppyHarp Competitive Harp Festival. The Future Blend Project is now internationally renowned. The PoppyHarp Competitive Harp Festival started in 2015. It is now run online each January and is extremely popular with students and professionals taking part from all over the world.

HARP EMBRACES FLAMENCO
​31/11/2022

ANA CRISMAN (SPAIN)

Jerez-born artist Ana Crismán is the first and only person in the world who performs and composes flamenco with harp. Exotic in the musical world and also in flamenco, this artist is absolutely unique and exclusive in the entire world. She is the creator of the flamenco harp, as stated by José Mercé on TV, who was inspired by seeing her play live and began to sing. She has left for posterity the first source and reference of this art with her show “Harpa Jonda”, premiered in New York at the Manhattan Repertory Theater in January 2019.

The harp, in the hands of Ana Crismán, sounds flamenco.
​
Never before has a harp covered so many styles of this musical genre with a purely flamenco language: seguiriya, soleá, bulerías, alegrías, malagueñas, granaínas, guajiras, rondeña, tientos, tangos…these are just some of the many flamenco styles that this Jerez native plays on the harp. Both with his compositions and when he makes arrangements and performances, he leaves an exquisite mixture to the delight of the listener: knowledge of the roots, childhood in very flamenco Jerez, mastery of the compás and very skillful hands that capture in this very difficult and beautiful instrument the most pure, giving rise to a very sophisticated beauty.

She is a creative artist of a highly refined flamenco expression.
Never before has a harp covered so many styles of this musical genre with a purely flamenco language: seguiriya, solea, bulerias, alegrias, malaguenas, granainas, guajiras, rondena, tientos, tangos…..these are just some of the many flamenco styles that this Jerez native plays on the harp. An exquisite mixture for the delight of the listener!
Photography by Michael Dunkason

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A CHATELAINE: 
MICHELINE KAHN (1889-1987)
01/11/2022

ALEXANDER RIDER

​​With interests encompassing period performance to the newest music, recent highlights of Alexander’s work include playing with the BBC Concert Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, London Chamber Orchestra, Ballet Rambert, the Aurora Orchestra, English Touring Opera, Brighton Philharmonic, Chroma, Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique and the Academy of Ancient Music. 
As a soloist, Alexander is noted for his affinity with French music at the turn of the last century, and for his work on original instruments of the period. Using an Erard harp built in 1902, Alexander has made painstaking research into the époque and given numerous lectures and recitals to great acclaim. He has recently lectured at the World Harp Congress in Cardiff, for the Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest), The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Harp on Wight Festival. He is delighted to have recorded ‘Fresque Marine’, a disc of lesser-known French works for the Willowhayne Records
Alexander read music at Canterbury Christ Church University. He studied with Gabriella Dall’Olio and Frances Kelly, and was then a scholarship student of Imogen Barford at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama. From here, he graduated with distinction, and was subsequently honoured with a Guildhall Artists’ fellowship. Alexander teaches at the Prebendal School in Chichester and at Brighton College.
 Afternoon Lecture
An admired performer and celebrated beauty of her day, Micheline Kahn’s (1889-1987) commitment to new scores helped to build a stunning literature for the harp. Yet, her early retirement from the stage made her an enigmatic figure, whose importance has somewhat fallen into shadow. Using letters, reviews and contemporary accounts as well as music by the composers who adored her, Alex Rider paints a portrait of Faure’s Chatelaine.
Photography by Michael Dunkason

THE STORY SO FAR
​01/11/2022

In the depths of the pandemic, internationally renowned harpist Catrin Finch turned 40 and, unable to perform for live audiences, reflected on her musical career as she entered a new decade. Having presented The Harp’s Journey, a three-part series for BBC Radio 3 in 2021, Catrin decided to take her 35-year career on the post-COVID road in The Story So Far, an 80-minute trip through the musical life of one of the world’s finest and most fearless harpists. 
Join Catrin as she journeys through the adventures and sounds of the music that’s most important to her, woven with anecdotes, chat and insights into the life of an extraordinary harpist. From the most sublime Claire de Lune by Debussy, through Piazzola’s tangos to the fiery joropo of Colombian cowboys and serenity of traditional Welsh folk tunes, the extraordinary diversity and range of harp and harpist make for a wonderful evening in the company of Catrin Finch.

CATRIN FINCH

Catrin Finch, from Llanon on the west coast of Wales, is the most gifted classical harp virtuoso of her generation, grounded in prodigious early achievements and intense classical training, and serving as Royal Harpist to H.R.H. The Prince of Wales in her early twenties. Catrin has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras; she has also achieved chart success with her number 1 rendition of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, and has recorded for the world’s leading classical labels. Catrin’s boundless curiosity and adventurous spirit has led her into a parallel universe of musical success, most notably through her collaboration with kora virtuoso Seckou Keita with whom she won Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019.
Photography by Michael Dunkason
In her classical career, Catrin Finch has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. She has graced the stages of A-list classical music festivals, including Salzburg, Edinburgh, Spoleto and MDR Musiksommer in Leipzig and toured throughout Europe, north and south America and the Middle East.

Catrin has performed extensively throughout the USA, South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Europe, both as a soloist, and appearing with many of the world’s top orchestras, and has recorded for many of the major international recording companies, including Universal Records, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI and Sony Classical, both solo and with notable artists such as Bryn Terfel, Sir James Galway and Julian Lloyd-Webber.

HARPCATCHER DINNER
27/10/2022
Michelangelo Restaurant 

Theresa Ellis & Natalie Keane
Photography by Michael Dunkason