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    Rachel Hair on 21 April 2022

    It’s now over a week since we said our farewells at the 41st EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL. It was so wonderful to be reunited with you all and celebrate all things harp.

    We hosted our first ever “hybrid” festival with online courses, concerts and workshops as well as our in-person festival at our new venue George Watson’s College.

    With so many “firsts” we’d love to know your thoughts on this year’s festival. We read every piece of feedback and your thoughts will help shape our plans for future festivals.

    We’ve put together a very short survey of 6 questions that we’d love you to take a few minutes to fill in.

    To access the feedback survey click HERE

    Did you attend in person? You can now rewatch!

    Rachel Hair on 17 April 2022

    If you attended the EIHF in person for a concert or workshop you may have spotted an email from us like this in your inbox over the last few days … that’s because we’ve been busy processing your details to allow you online access to rewatch the concerts and workshops that you attended HOORAY!

    You can rewatch them again and again until midnight on the 30th of April.


    To access these films you need to click the Login to my wallet button in the email you received, login to your harp festival account (with the email you purchased your ticket with) and click “online events”. More info and HELP on how to do this is on the Attending Online page of this website.

    Remember if you didn’t attend but would still like to view some of the amazing concerts and workshops you can still purchase access to these via the what’s on page (Due to the admin involved, there will be a wait of of up to 24hrs in accessing these films)

    Zoom Course sales close 10am Wed 6th April

    Rachel Hair on 5 April 2022

    Due to the administration that’s involved in our online zoom courses: SALES FOR ONLINE COURSES WILL CLOSE AT 10:00am (BST/UK time), on Wednesday 6th April.

    Sales of all in-person courses AND all workshops/concerts (both in person and online/on-demand) will still continue.

    Message of support from The Lord Provost 

    Kat Prior on 22 March 2022

    We were delighted to receive this message of support from The Lord Provost.

    “Now in its 41st year, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival has truly become one of the most important events in the harping world. This year’s programme promises to be better than ever.

    “This annual celebration and gathering of international musical talent continues to grow and with this year’s packed programme of concerts, courses and workshops there is something for all harp enthusiasts.

    “I want to take this opportunity to both congratulate and thank the Clarsach Society, as well as the sponsors, supporters and donors for their continued dedication to the EIHF and its continued success.

    “On behalf of the City of Edinburgh, I hope you enjoy your time here, and I hope that the festival once again delivers an unforgettable experience for all involved.”

    – Frank Ross
    The Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh

    Have you got your tickets for the festival? There is a wonderful array of in-person, online and on demand events for you to attend.

    Click here to see what’s on

    Back for 2022 – The EIHF Late Night Sessions

    Rachel Hair on 11 March 2022

    Harp session

    We are VERY excited to announce that the EIHF Late Night Sessions are back for 2022.

    We will be hosting sessions at our wonderful new venue of George Watson’s College after our concerts in the bar area.

    To download our session tunebook click HERE.

    New Courses at EIHF 2022

    Kat Prior on 2 March 2022

    Elinor Evans – Fun with your Clarsach

    By special request, the ever-popular Elinor Evans will be giving a course just for children.

    • For children aged 13 and under
    • Mixed abilities
    • Three-day Course (9th, 10th, 11th April 2022)
    • Session time: 9am – 10.30am
    • Price: £45.00
    • In Person at George Watson’s College
    Book Here

    Heather Yule – The Stories, Legends and Tunes of the Ancient Harpers

    • 3 x Online Sessions
    • Sat 9th-Mon 11th April
    • 13:30-14:30
    • Via Zoom
    • Price: £45.00
    Book Here

    Cheyenne Brown – Fun and Friendly Scottish Music

    • 3 x Online Sessions
    • Sat 9th-Mon 11th April
    • 13:00-14:30
    • Via Zoom
    • Price: £45.00
    Book Here

    Announcing the winner of the Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award 2021

    Rachel Hair on 7 February 2022

    The Clarsach Society and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival are proud to announce that the 2021 winner of the Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award is Rhiannon Ramsey-Brimberg.

    We’re overjoyed that Rhiannon’s composition will be part of our festival this year.  

    Read on to discover more about her… 

    Rhiannon Ramsey-Brimberg is a lever harpist from Stonington, Connecticut, U.S.A.. While earning a Performance degree from Berklee College of Music, she studied under harpists such as Maeve Gilchrist and Mairi Chaimbeul.  Rhiannon will be attending the University of Limerick in September for an MA in Irish Music Studies. Rhiannon (stage name, Rhiannon Skye) began playing the harp for others soon after she began her lessons nine years ago, and has only recently begun to write for the harp. Her goal with each piece is to tell a story, while still remaining true to the genre’s stylistic origins.

    EIHF Artist / Tutor announcements

    Rachel Hair on 3 February 2022

    This year’s festival will be hybrid with separate in-person and online zoom courses, in-person/filmed workshops and in-person/filmed concerts.

     We’ll be updating this post daily from Monday the 31st January with who you can expect to see performing and tutoring at the festival!

    KEY DATES:

    • Monday 31st Jan: We begin our daily announcements letting you know the fantastic artists and tutors who will be appearing at this years festival – check back here to see who the latest is!
    • Thursday 10th February: Our box office will open for all in-person and on demand EIHF ’22 events.
    • Friday 8th- 11th April: The 41st Edinburgh International Harp Festival.Iin-person at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh and online to the world. 

    OUR LIST SO FAR….

    SAVOURNA STEVENSON & STEVE KETTLEY (Scotland) – Performing as a duo on harp and sax.

    TRISTAN LE GOVIC (Brittany) – Breton harp

    CORRINA HEWAT’S “THE SONG of the OAK and the IVY” – another chance to hear the EIHF (2010) 80th/30th Festival commission), composed by Corrina Hewat and performed live by Corrina, Bill Taylor, Heather Downie, Tristan le Govic, Mary Macmaster and Wendy Stewart.

    WENDY STEWART (Scotland) – Solo harp/voice

    CALUM & MÀIRI MACLEOD (Scotland) – Brother & sister duo

    MAEVE GILCHRIST (Scotland/USA) – with a *NEW* commission celebrating the 40/90 joint anniversary of The Clarsach Society and the EIHF

    GABRIELLA DALL’OLIO (Italy/England) – Pedal harp

    FRAYA THOMSEN (Scotland) – Winner of the 2021 Princess Margaret of the Isles Prize for Senior Clarsach

    TRANSATLANTIC HOT CLUB (Wales/US) – Jazz trio with Ben Creighton Griffiths on Harp, Adrien Chevalier on Violin and Ashley John Long on Bass.

    A NEW GENERATION: ROMY WYMER (Netherlands), PHOENIX ZHANG (Scotland), STEPHANIE HUMPHREYS (Scotland)

    CORMAC DE BARRA (Ireland) – Irish Harp

    SIOBHÀN ARMSTRONG (Ireland) with the Donegal singer DOIMNIC MAC GIOLLA BRÍDE

    Our EIHF 2022 tutors are:

    • Adrien Chevallier
    • Ben Creighton Griffiths
    • Bill Taylor
    • Cheyenne Brown
    • Cormac de Barra
    • Corrina Hewat
    • Doimnic Mac Giolla Bride
    • Elinor Evans
    • Fraya Thomsen
    • Gabriella Dall’Olio
    • Gillian Fleetwood
    • Heather Downie
    • Heather Yule
    • Isobel Mieras
    • Neil Wood
    • Rachel Hair
    • Savourna Stevenson
    • Siobhan Armstrong
    • Tristan Le Govic
    • Wendy Stewart


    Our new venue for 2022…

    Rachel Hair on 23 November 2021

    We are planning our 2022 festival as a 4-night, 3-day celebration of all things harp, taking place between Friday the 8th April & Monday the 11th April.

    We hope to be able to offer you a hybrid festival with a selection of courses, concerts and workshops on offer, online and in-person in our fabulous NEW VENUE…

    Yes, you heard right! We are MOVING and we can’t wait to welcome you to the stunning surroundings of GEORGE WATSON’S COLLEGE, on Colinton Road.

    We are sure you’ll appreciate Watson’s:

    • spacious campus (everything conveniently within 2 adjacent buildings!)
    • excellent classroom space
    • good (free) parking
    • the excellent selection of shopping and eateries nearby
    • short bus ride from town
    • close proximity to many local accommodation options

    Whilst the school will be unable to be offer accommodation during the festival we’ll be sure to let you know what options there are nearby in the coming months. 

    If you’d like to get a feel for the new venue, you can visit their website and watch a video showing the campus, HERE


    We’ll be letting you know more details about EIHF 2022 over the coming months but rest assured the safety and health of our EIHF visitors, artists, tutors and volunteers are at the forefront of all our plans.

    ANNOUNCEMENT – EIHF 2022

    Rachel Hair on 26 October 2021

    IMPORTANT EIHF 2022 ANNOUNCEMENT

    We have two exciting bits of information for you about next years EIHF…

    We’ll be sharing more information soon, but be assured we are busy planning a hybrid in-person festival with a virtual element, meaning that we can all enjoy some wonderful harp music and learning, safely.We’re unable to answer specific questions about our 2022 festival just yet, but please put these dates in you diary, wherever you are in the world.

    • We are now planning the 2022 festival as a 4-night, 3-day celebration of all things harp, taking place between Friday the 8th April & Monday the 11th April.
    • We will MOVING and will be at a NEW venue in Edinburgh.

    Take care and keep harping away!

    The EIHF committee