We hope you’ve enjoyed this years Edinburgh International Harp Festival. We’d love to know your thoughts and ideas on aspects of our festival whether you joined us in-person at George Watson’s College or attended an online zoom course.
We ask for just a few minutes of your time to answer a short 4 question feedback survey.
We really do listen to your feedback and several new features of our 2025 festival were as a result of the feedback you provided in last years online and paper feedback forms.
In celebration of St Patrick’s Day we’re treating you to a throwback at-home concert from our online festival – a wonderful set of tunes that Séamus Ó Flatharta filmed for us in 2020.
Click the image below to watch the video or click HERE
Tunes played: The Battering Ram & Cailleach An Airgid
We can’t wait to finally welcome Séamus to perform in person this April, together with his sister Caoimhe. From the Gaeltacht region of Connemara, Ireland, they’ve delighted audiences worldwide performing traditional Irish tunes on harp and fiddle alongside their spine-tingling a-cappella style sean-nós singing.
They’re both teaching courses on harp and fiddle, as well as a workshop together.
CONCERT SÉAMUS & CAOIMHE UÍ FHLATHARTA TARAB TRIO Saturday 12th April, 7.30pm Sponsored by UK Harp Associationand Consulate General of Ireland in Edinburgh
COURSE IRISH HARP with Séamus Ó Flatharta WEEKEND COURSE: 4 sessions Saturday 12th April 9am – 10.30am & 1pm – 2.30pm Sunday 13th April 9am – 10.30am & 1pm – 2.30pm LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced TEACHING METHOD: E+M – Teaching by ear initially with written music given out during the session.
COURSE IRISH FIDDLE with Caoimhe Ní Fhlatharta WEEKEND COURSE: 4 sessions Saturday 12th April 9am – 10.30am & 1pm – 2.30pm Sunday 13th April 9am – 10.30am & 1pm – 2.30pm LEVEL: Mixed Ability TEACHING METHOD: E+M – Teaching by ear initially with written music given out during the session.
WORKSHOP IRISH HARP & FIDDLE with Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta Sunday13th April 11am-12noon Supported by the Wales Branch of The Clarsach Society
Yes, that’s right EVERYONE who is coming to the Edinburgh International Harp Festival is invited to take part and play as a “forest of strings” at this year’s ensemble concert, Host of Harps: Music for Springtime, at 3pm on Monday 14th April.
Students, performers, teachers, volunteers, exhibitors and organisers of the festival are invited to play with ensembles from five branches of The Clarsach Society and The Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble from Ireland, for a musical celebration of Spring.
Participation is FREE
There will be 4 pieces (plus the traditional Auld Lang Syne) to play along with.
Each piece will have 2 or 3 parts, roughly elementary, intermediate and intermediate/advanced level.
Once registered, you’ll receive a link to download the music.
There are videos to help you practice.
We’d love you to try to play each piece and we’d ask you to try to attend at least one of the 3 rehearsals during the festival. (More info on them at https://www.harpfestival.co.uk/hostofharps/)
Email office@harpfestival.co.uk with “HOST OF HARPS REGISTRATION” in the subject line and we’ll email you a link to download the sheet music.
For more information visit: https://www.harpfestival.co.uk/hostofharps/
Harp Hire Stage 2 is now open and we now welcome bookings from all participants attending our festival, regardless of where they are travelling from.
We support sustainable travel so if you’re travelling via public transport hiring a harp from us means you can leave your harp at home and travel freely!
A small stock of lever harps is available for hire at the Festival. These are generally intended for participants coming from abroad who may have problems in transporting a harp to the Festival to use in courses and workshops.
Following a review of EIHF ’24, and to help facilitate the administration and availability of harp hire, we are opening EIHF ’25 harp hire bookings in 2 stages.
The first stage of harp hire is now for bookings to participants travelling from abroad.
A second stage of harp hire (open to all) will be announced in late January, when we will have more information about the availability of harps for the festival.
The 44th Edinburgh International Harp Festival will take place from the 11th -15th April, in George Watson’s College, Edinburgh. We’ve been working hard over the last months to organise a wonderful festival for us to enjoy together, and next month we’ll be ready to share with you the full details of the 2025 concerts, courses (including a small selection of online zoom courses).
However, for now, we’re excited to start announcing our tutors and performing artists for the 2025 Festival! We’ll be updating this post throughout November and December with who you can look forward to seeing and learning from next April. Read on to discover more, and follow our social channels to get the news as soon as it is announced!
Our box office will open in early February.
Full information on all concerts/courses/workshops will be available in January.
