Edinburgh International Harp Festival

📝 A wee message to you all from Isobel Mieras MBE, with whom we are so thankful to 🙏 and continues to be a driving force behind our festival…

Stepping back…

To me, it has been a great privilege to assist in organising this Harp Festival for the last 41 years. In that time I have worked with wonderful teams of volunteers and administrators, all of whom have contributed to nurturing and developing it from modest, but significant, beginnings into the internationally respected Festival of today.

Since 2001, I have filled the post of “Artistic Adviser” to the Festival. Truthfully that should be “Artistic Advice Taker” as so many of the fine performers we have featured over the years have been recommended by well-travelled colleagues, to whom I am eternally grateful.

For the last 12 years I have had the joyful experience of working alongside Patsy Seddon who joined me as “Joint Adviser.” At the end of EIHF 2024, I stepped back, knowing that future Festival programmes are in her safe hands. I am so grateful to everyone I have met –amazing performers, wonderful musicians, talented young players, inspiring teachers, dedicated volunteers and, of course, those who attend and support the Festival.

My special thanks go to Mary Scott, our Festival Co-ordinator for her constant quiet support. While confidently handing over much responsibility to Patsy, I guess I am really not stepping back as much as to one side, as, believe it or not, I am not yet ready for the knitting and the rocking chair (horrible stereotyping!).

I remain on the organising committee to help and support if required and hope to see you next April at a new and exciting Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

Isobel Mieras

We received some wonderful news today from our friends at Drake Music Scotland... have a read below and check out the documentary via the Youtube Link!

What a brilliant way to celebrate European Folk Day.

Finding Voices - the making of a new commission for Harps A short documentary film depicting the creative journey of musicians preparing for a performance in the April 2024 Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Fea...

Could you be the 2024 Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award winner?🤔
🎶
Closing date is 1st November so still time
to write your piece….

🎵 Young Composer Award 2024🎵
The Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award is an annual competition named in memory of John Macleod.

Composers between 16 & 30 years of age, including non-harp players, are invited to submit an original piece of music (single movement or suite), 8-10 minutes in length, for either solo clarsach (lever harp) including wire strung harp, or clarsach and up to 3 other instruments and/or voices.

The award is £1000 plus a premiere performance at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival April 2025! 🎶

The deadline for entries is 1st November 2024

⭐️WE’RE HIRING!⭐️

Us at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival are looking for an energetic, part-time festival assistant to provide support to the festival team between the months of October and April. Could it be you? 🤔

Details on how to apply below ⬇️

https://www.clarsachsociety.co.uk/category/news/?

🤔Did you happen to spy a familiar harping face on BBC 1 TV 📺 the other night?

This month saw the first 🤩 EVER appearance of scottish harps in the world famous The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and you might have recognised one of the players!
Siannie Moodie Clàrsach was our festival assistant at EIHF 2024 and it was wonderful to hear her perform on her Starfish clarsach together with fellow Edinburgh based player DARA DUBH. Congratulations to both of them 👏👏👏

If you’re in the UK you can watch them from 26.30min via this link on the BBC iPlayer, in a special section called “The Voyage”.

🔗 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0022dw9

Dates for the follow on classes are below…

We hope some of you who began clarsach with us at the EIHF will continue playing and join us in future years 🤩

🎶 Follow On Classes 🎶

Following the beginners courses at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival we have follow on classes for children and adults, you can attend these even if you haven’t been to the course as the harp festival and harps are provided! 🥳

These classes take place in Craiglockhart Parish Church!

Children’s Classes:
Saturday 27 April, 2.00-2.50
Saturday 11 May, 2.00-2.50
Saturday 25 May, 2.00-2.50
Saturday 8 June, 2.00-2.50
Saturday 22 June, 2.00-2.50
£40 for five classes

Adult Classes:
Saturday 27 April, 3.00-4.30
Saturday 11 May, 3.00-4.30
Saturday 25 May, 3.00-4.30
Saturday 8 June, 3.00-4.30
Saturday 22 June, 3.00-4.30
£75 for five classes

Email [email protected] for more information!

Elinor Evans

😮Wow, how is it two weeks already since we first gathered together for the 43rd Edinburgh International Harp Festival?

We hope you enjoyed this years EIHF. We’d love to know your thoughts and ideas on it whether you attended in-person or joined us on a zoom course.

✍️Your responses genuinely will help us plan future festivals (and there's only 4 short questions!)

⏬⏬⏬HERE'S THE LINK ⏬⏬⏬
https://shorturl.at/ntvGN

🙏❤️THANK YOU ❤️🙏 to everyone who helped make the 43rd Edinburgh International Harp Festival a wonderful celebration of friendship and harp! Performers, participants, volunteers, sponsors & supporters, Clarsach Society members, exhibitors, ceilidh dancers and session players - you all helped make the 2024 festival one to remember.

⭐️NEXT YEARS DATES: 11 - 15 April 2025⭐️
The 44th Edinburgh International Harp Festival, taking place at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh*
PUT THEM IN YOUR DIARY! ✍️📔

🧐Keep an eye on our instagram and pages as we share photos and videos from the festival over the next while.

Once again, thank you for helping make the festival such a delight to host,
The EIHF committee and The Clarsach Society

📸 by John Davidson
*subject to change

😭It's the last day of the festival BUT IT'S OK we have a full day of events and music for you!

🚨Today is the last day to visit the harp exhibition. It's officially open until 6.30pm, but we advise you to pop by earlier to make sure that harp you just *have* to have doesn't get sold!

3 workshops today (still available for booking) at 11am
⭐️The “King of Harmony” The Continuo and its Modern Evolution with ADRIANO SANGINETO
supported by Clarsach Society - Wales Branch
⭐️A Gaelic song workshop "Delicious Little Fragments" with Margaret Stewart
⭐️Creating Beauty with Sunita Staneslow
supported by the Northumbrian Branch of The Clarsach Society

⭐️3pm The afternoon concerts in the Assembly
Elinor Evans Music
The Festival Orchestra with Rhona Smith and Stephanie Humphreys
supported by Drake Music Scotland

And our farewell concert...

7.30pm
Anne-Marie O'Farrell
Ingrid Henderson Musician and Iain MacFarlane with Margaret Stewart
supported by the Consulate General of Ireland, Edinburgh, Isle of Lewis Branch of The Clarsach Society and Salvi Music London

Day 3 harp friends! We are well settled into the 43rd Edinburgh International Harp Festival and tonight… are ye dancin?!?

Workshops today at 11am (buy at www.harpfestival.co.uk or at GWC box office at 1030am)
⭐️ Colombia and Paraguay: Musical Brotherhood through the Harp with Sixto Corbalán and Diego Laverde Rojas
Supported by The Transpennine Branch of The Clarsach Society and IberMusicas and Paraguayan Ministry of Culture
⭐️Masterclass with pedal harpist Sue Rothstein
Supported by the The Clarsach Society - London and South-East Branch
⭐️ Wisdom from the Early Gaelic Harp Tradition: Practical Arranging along Historical Lines for all Harps with James Ruff,

We have one concert today
⭐️3pm - Music School Auditorium
Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black
RNCM Harp ensemble directed by Anne-Marie O'Farrell
And the winner of The Clarsach Society Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award Donnchadh Mac Aodha

AND …
today at 6.45pm
⭐️Come and Meet The Clarsach Society (free)
Your chance to enjoy a drink (free) and to meet the organisation behind the EIHF. You’ll get to hear some live music and hear how the society has had an influence on some of the festivals performers and teachers

⭐️Family Ceilidh at 8pm - The Gathering Space
Always a highlight of the festival, you’ll be guided through dances and expect some cameo performances too!