Announcing a stellar array of performers appearing at the annual gathering that has established Edinburgh as a World class centre of harping. Harps of all sorts are featured with the Clarsach, our own Scottish Harp, at the heart of the Edinburgh International Harp Festival (EIHF).
HOMECOMING
The Clarsach is at the core of the EIHF and this year they welcome some of Scotland’s most well-travelled harpists back to the home of Scottish harping.
New York based, but Edinburgh born, harpist Maeve Gilchrist will premiere a piece commissioned by the festival, featuring the acclaimed Mr McFall’s Chamber and her duo partner, dancer Nic Gareiss.
Festival favourites Catriona McKay (clarsach) and Chris Stout (fiddle) will perform their truly unique brand of Scottish music following on from their 2017 new album release.
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 Musician of the Year and Scots Trad Music Awards Instrumentalist of the Year, Rachel Newton will be perform her eclectic interpretation of both English and Gaelic traditional and self- penned songs with her trio featuring fiddler Lauren MacColl and percussionist Mattie Foulds.
Scottish harpist and renowned composer Ailie Robertson returns to the Festival to perform with fellow Outside Track band member and Cape Breton fiddle player Mairi Rankin, of the famed Rankin family.
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS
This year the EIHF will provide a rare chance to hear two of the world’s top pedal harpists perform as soloists in a concert made in heaven. In a welcome return to the festival, jazz pedal harpist Park Stickney will perform a one-man harp version of his “Stickney & friends”. Appearing at the festival for the first time is well-known pedal harpist Gabriella Dall’Olio who will transport the audience on a musical journey through Italy and beyond.
Paraguayan harpist Ismael Ledesma’s spirited performance of his own compositions and traditional melodies on the South American harp, promises to delight audiences.
Following on from last year’s focus on Brittany the Festival continues to cross boundaries with a performance from electro harpist Nikolaz Cadoret, performing Breton harp music with a contemporary twist.
CELTIC COUSINS
In its 4th year celebrating the links with their Celtic cousins, the EIHF is turning its spotlight on the music from the two smallest Celtic nations; the Isle of Man and Cornwall, with a collaboration between Manx Gaelic singer Ruth Keggin and Scottish harpist and Manx harp specialist, Rachel Hair. Cornwall will be represented by harpist and singer Sarah-Deere Jones who will perform with the guitarist Phil Williams.
YOUNG TALENT
In Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018 the EIHF is proud to provide a platform both to harpists at the start of their professional careers and to those currently in the early stages of learning.
For the second year running the Harp Festival will be providing the opportunity for school-aged harpists to perform specially composed music by Charlotte Petersen and Isobel Mieras, illustrating the magical story “The Power of Harp”, written by Heather Yule. Mod prizewinner Abigail Cavanagh will also perform at this concert.
The Scottish harp and accordion duo “Peach and Skeoch” will perform their own mischievous take on melodies written for accordion and harp at the ever-popular Afternoon Tea concert, which will also feature the youthful Moscow Harp Orchestra playing Russian Folk music and contemporary pieces for lever harp.
Also to be heard at this year’s Festival are harp ensembles: Claasagh, a school aged group from the Isle of Man who perform melodies native to their island and students from the Music School of Kristianstad in Sweden playing traditional Swedish tunes arranged for harp, fiddle and cello.
Find out more https://www.harpfestival.co.uk
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