• Brought to you by The CLARSACH SOCIETY

  • |

    • 2023 Concert Pass

    Rachel Hair on 9 March 2023

    The 2023 concert pass is THE BEST VALUE way of enjoying all 8 concerts we have this year at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

    For just £115 (full price), £100 (conc), £60 (under18s) you can enjoy:

    FRIDAY 7 APRIL
    7.30 – 10.00pm

    KIM ROBERTSON – Celebration of Scots-Irish American Heritage

    AILIE ROBERTSON – Crossing Traditional Borders from Scotland to Quebec

    SATURDAY 8 APRIL
    3.00 – 4.00pm

    EVA CURTH – The Fabulous World of Bernard Andrès

    THE IAIN MACLEÖID YOUNG COMPOSER AWARD WINNER 2022 – Anna Eggersberger

    7.30 – 10.00pm

    MICHAEL ROONEY – Musical Memories from Ireland

    DRÀM: ERIK ASK-UPMARK & ANNA RYNEFORS – Nordic Harp Music

    SUNDAY 9 APRIL
    3.00 – 4.00pm

    NEIL WOOD – Traditional Scottish gut and wire clarsach

    GWEN MAIRI – Blending her Welsh and Scottish Roots

    7.30 – 10.00pm

    RACHEL HAIR & RUTH KEGGIN – Music and Song from the Isle of Man

    GILLIAN FLEETWOOD & ENSEMBLE – The Hospitalfield Suite

    MONDAY 10 APRIL
    3.00 – 4.00pm

    NEXT GENERATION: MUSIC GENERATION IRELAND COLLECTIVE & GRACE STEWART-SKINNER – upcoming talent from the harp world

    TUESDAY 11 APRIL
    3.00 – 4.00pm

    THE JOY OF MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER: NA CLARSAIREAN, HARPA & THE POWER OF PEDALS

    7.30 – 10.00pm

    LUNE BLEUE – Jazz Influenced Breton Music

    HEAL AND HARROW: RACHEL NEWTON & LAUREN MACCOLL – Musical Tales in Remembrance of Scottish Witch Trials

    PURCHASE YOUR CONCERT PASS HERE

    YOUTH OUTREACH: FREE workshop & concert for High School Harpers

    Rachel Hair on 2 March 2023

    We are SUPER excited to announce a new addition to the EIHF events, thanks to the support of the Tasgadh Small Grants for Traditional Arts Fund. We know that the Easter holidays is a busy time for teens (with exam revision taking precedence for many) but this year we have managed to organise a workshop with renowned Irish harper Michael Rooney. With support for travel available AND the chance to bring an adult for free to his concert that evening we hope many will take this chance to experience the festival, learn some new skills with Michael, enjoy a concert and explore the likes of the Harp Exhibition.

    Saturday 8th April 4.30pm-5.30pm

    This workshop IS FREE to attend and open to students of High School age (approx 11-18yrs olds).

    As part of the Edinburgh International Harp Festival Outreach Scheme, harpers of any style age 11-18 of an intermediate/advanced level are invited to take part in a workshop with internationally renowned Irish harper and educator, Michael Rooney.

    In this workshop, Michael will share some traditional Irish tunes and provide a brief overview of Irish style ornamentation and accompaniment.

    Michael is performing alongside the duo Dråm at a 7.30pm on Saturday 8th April, and workshop participants who attend the workshop will receive a FREE under 18 ticket for his concert and can take an accompanying adult along FOR FREE.

    When?

    Saturday 8 April, 4.30pm-5.30pm

    Where?

    George Watson’s College, 67-71 Colinton Road, Edinburgh.

    How much?

    The workshop is FREE, but places are limited.
    A small grant to subsidise travel for participants and a guardian is available by request in a first come, first served basis (see contact details below).

    How do I book?

    To book a place for a high school aged students, please email the EIHF office: office@harpfestival.co.uk by Saturday 1 April. Should you require further information, call or email the EIHF office: 0131 554 0212.

    Many thanks to the Tasgadh Small Grants for Traditional Arts fund (devolved from Creative Scotland, managed by Fèisean nan Gàidheal) for supporting this workshop. 

    BLOG: Meet the newest member of the EIHF team…

    Rachel Hair on 25 February 2023

    ‘Hello! My name is Neil Wood, I’m a Scottish traditional harper from a wee village aptly named Neilston, just outside Glasgow.

    Neil playing in the wild at Marchmont Estate

    I began playing the harp at the age of 7 and have attended the festival pretty much every year since then. Lots of my harping firsts have been at the festival: I had my first taste of teaching as a teenager while helping in a children’s beginner class, ordered my first harp at the makers exhibition, played one of my first ever public performances on the open stage, met most of those who have taught me over the years for the first at the festival and most of all have had some of my most inspiring and exciting moments of harpiness at EIHF!

    I first became officially involved with the festival on a work placement through the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where I studied a BMus Traditional Music (Scottish Harp). I then volunteered at the festival every year after that.

    After I graduated I became a full-time harper. I perform on both gut and wire-strung and do lots of research and education work. I’m the founder of The Folks’ Music Project CIC, a Social Enterprise which delivers low and no cost traditional tuition and activities for people of all ages in community across Greater Glasgow – we have several community harp programmes! I’m also currently back at RCS studying towards a PhD exploring incorporation of fingernail techniques into contemporary Scottish harp playing.

    Last year I had the pleasure of teaching my first ever course at the festival which explored at ornamentation – both in-person and online! Between teaching, I spent last festival running around helping the wonderful organising committee team and I must have been of some use because I was then asked if I would join the committee! This year I have been learning the ropes in the shadows of the all-star, organisational powerhouse that is the EIHF committee and there is A LOT to learn. I had no idea of the year’s worth of planning that goes into a festival that happens over a long weekend.

    Tuning harps for children’s concert at EIHF19/Teaching at EIHF22/Sessioning at EIHF22

    I have taken on the role of outreach coordinator for the festival – something which I am deeply passionate about. This year’s focus is on young people and trying to improve the general visibility and accessibility of the festival. Moving forward I hope to work towards encouraging and enabling people from people different socioeconomic backgrounds to engage with the harp in Scotland through EIHF and I hope to act as a role model for young male harpers to take-up and continue with the instrument.

    I’m super excited to be both performing and teaching at this year’s festival, sharing my research work. Hope to see you there!’

    YOUTH OUTREACH: FREE Children’s Easter Holiday Clarsach Course

    Rachel Hair on 9 February 2023

    As part of the Edinburgh International Harp Festival Outreach Scheme, young players are invited to attend a 4-day course culminating with a FREE performance on Friday the 7th April, the opening day of the 42nd EIHF.
    The course will be by Isobel Mieras and Elinor Evans, both much-respected for their work in teaching, arranging and composing music for young clarsach players.

    The music, on the theme of Our Beautiful Planet, will be suitable for all levels; including simple melodies, musical patterns and improvisation as well as fun and some surprises!  The ability to read music is useful, but not essential.

    Course participants who attend this course can choose 1 concert to attend at the EIHF and attend it along with an accompanying adult FOR FREE.

    When?

    COURSE: Tuesday 4 April – Friday 7 April, 10.00am -12 noon, each day.

    CONCERT: Friday 7 April, 2.00pm – 3.00pm.

    Where?

    The Music School, George Watson’s College, 67-71 Colinton Road, Edinburgh.

    How much?

    The course is FREE, but places are limited. 

    How do I book?

    To book a place for a young player, please email the EIHF office: office@clarsachsociety.co.uk by Saturday 4 March. Should you require further information, call or email the EIHF office: 0131 554 0212.

    Many thanks to the Royal Celtic Society for supporting this event

    Box Office payment issues

    Rachel Hair on 6 February 2023

    Monday 6th Feb: Some customers are experiencing payment failures within our online box office. It appears to be those who are making large purchases. 

    We are so sorry about this and are trying to sort it with the payment company. 

    WHAT YOU CAN TRY:

    – The system seems to be work for accepting smaller payments (up to £115), so you may attempt to book your courses separately. 

    – If you are worried your chosen course will sell out and are experiencing payment problems email our wonderful office team: office@harpfestival.co.uk and they will arrange an alternative payment method. 

    Please again accept our apologies about this situation. 

    Choosing a course: Isobel’s advice!

    Rachel Hair on 2 February 2023

    We have 35 courses for you to choose from this year… and it can be rather overwhelming to choose which to book. Here’s some advice from EIHF Artistic Adviser Isobel Mieras on making that choice…

    “From our wide choice of topics, teachers and levels, I hope every single one of you can find something to your taste.
    Whether you want to add new tunes to your repertoire, improve your basic technique, learn to harmonise melodies, dip into music from a different tradition or sing to your own accompaniment, please take care to choose not just the topic, but the correct level to suit your ability.

    Fraya Thomsen teaching her ‘Funky Scottish’ course at the 41st Edinburgh International Harp Festival. © Chantal Guevara 2022. All rights reserved.

    On page 21 of the brochure you will find helpful explanations of what we mean by each level.  Brave souls among you may feel an irresistible urge to stretch or challenge yourselves  well beyond your comfort zone, or you might choose a course which will move at  a faster (or even slower) pace  than your comfort zone  just because you have the opportunity to work with a specific teacher. That’s okay, but in such a case please do be patient and understand that the teacher and other students will work at the appropriate pace for the specified level.

    Do you want to learn by ear, from written music or a combination of both? We aim to please, but do check out the teaching method before booking. The code, using E and M, is clearly indicated beside each course and the key is on Page 21. 
    If you have checked all this out and still want advice or have a query, call me on  +44(0)131 445 2022.

    Have a great Festival!”
    Isobel Mieras 

    The Iain MacLeòid Young Composer Award 2022 – The Winner!

    Rachel Hair on 26 January 2023

    The Clarsach Society and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival are proud to announce that the 2022 winner of the Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award is Anna Eggersberger.

    We are thrilled that Anna will be with us in Edinburgh to perform her winning composition at our festival in April.

    About Anna:

    Originally from south Bavaria in Germany. Anna Eggersberger moved in 2018 to Ireland to study lever harp at the Irish World Academy in Limerick. She graduated with a Bachelors in Performing Arts last year (2022) and has returned to the Irish World Academy where she is currently studying a Masters in Irish Traditional Music.

    EIHF 2023 artwork

    Rachel Hair on 25 January 2023

    We are proud to present our artwork for the Edinburgh International Harp Festival 2023. This year marks the 10 years of EIHF designs by local Edinburgh illustrator Jenny Proudfoot and the artwork reveal is now a much looked forward to annual event.

    This year Jenny’s piece celebrates the return of our International artists alongside our own Scottish talent. Can you work out the connection between the carvings and the countries represented by those performing this year?

    EIHF 2023 Artist / Tutor announcements

    Rachel Hair on 10 December 2022

    The 42nd Edinburgh International Harp Festival will take place from the 7th -11th April, in George Watson’s College, Edinburgh. We can’t wait to welcome you back to our wonderfully friendly in-person festival. We will also be hosting a small number of courses on zoom.

     We’ll be updating this post daily from Saturday the 10th December with who you can expect to see performing and tutoring at the festival!

    • Our box office will open in January.
    • Full information on all concerts/courses/workshops will be available in January.

    2023 PERFORMERS:

    • KIM ROBERTSON (USA)
    • MICHAEL ROONEY (IRELAND)
    • GILLIAN FLEETWOOD (SCOTLAND
    • AILIE ROBERTSON (SCOTLAND)
    • DRÅM: Erik Ask-Upmark & Anna Rynefors (SWEDEN)
    • EVA CURTH (GERMANY)
    • GWEN MÀIRI (WALES/SCOTLAND)
    • NA CLÀRSIREAN (SCOTLAND)
    • HARPA (USA)
    • MUSIC GENERATION HARP COLLECTIVE (IRELAND)
    • NEIL WOOD (SCOTLAND)
    • RUTH KEGGIN & RACHEL HAIR (ISLE OF MAN & SCOTLAND)
    • HEAL & HARROW: Rachel Newton & Lauren MacColl (SCOTLAND)
    • LUNE BLEUE, featuring Clotilde Trouillaud (BRITTANY)
    • GRACE STEWART-SKINNER (SCOTLAND)

    2023 COURSE TUTORS

    *Course titles, content, level and schedule will be released in 2023

    4 DAY COURSES

    (90mins per day, Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue)

    • AILIE ROBERTSON
    • CLOTILDE TROUILLAUD
    • CORRINA HEWAT
    • ELEANOR HETHERINGTON
    • ELINOR EVANS
    • ERIK ASK-UPMARK
    • EVA CURTH
    • FIONA RUTHERFORD
    • GWEN MAIRI
    • HEATHER YULE
    • KIM ROBERTSON
    • NEIL WOOD
    • PATSY SEDDON
    • RACHEL HAIR
    • RACHEL NEWTON
    • WENDY STEWART

    WEEKEND COURSES

    (2x 90mins per day, Sat/Sun)

    • CHARLOTTE PETERSEN
    • MICHAEL ROONEY

    ZOOM COURSES

    (90mins per day, Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue)

    • CHEYENNE BROWN
    • FIONA RUTHERFORD
    • GILLIAN FLEETWOOD
    • GWEN MAIRI
    • NEIL WOOD


    The Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award –

    Rachel Hair on 8 August 2022

    The Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award is an annual competition named in memory of John Macleod.

    Composers aged between 16 & 25 years of age are invited to submit an original piece of music (single movement or suite), 8-10 minutes in length, for either solo clarsach or clarsach and up to 3 other instruments and/or voices.

    The award is £500 plus a premiere performance at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

    The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 28th October 2022

    For more information on how to apply and the competition rules please visit The Clarsach Society website