1. art and entertainment
2. shows and events
3. festival

Merchiston Castle School
Iona Thomas, harpist to Laura Mvula�
ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC�
CLARSACH�
Plug Straight into Amplifier�
34 Strings�
Concert Gut Strung�
Weight: 8.2kg/18lbs�
All-brass Semitone Levers�
Custom Decoration Available�
Pilgrim Harps,�
Stansted House, Tilburstow Hill Road,�
South Godstone, Surrey RH9 8NA�
Tel: (01342) 893242�
email: [email protected]�
www.pilgrimharps.co.uk�
Edinburgh
International
Harp
Festival
WELCOME
FÀILTE
Welcome to the 34th Festival where you can enjoy
an exuberant line-up of harp talents featuring
great Irish performers and teachers as we turn the
spotlight on our Celtic neighbours.
This year, five-day courses have been restored and
a wide range is on offer alongside shorter courses
throughout the week. Following the success of last
year’s seminars. There are also two sessions over
the weekend where potential or established harp
teachers can gain and share expertise. Concerts and
workshops reflect the diversity of interests we aim
to cater for; you can explore the role of the harp in
healing or relish the greater prominence of both jazz
and pedal harp.
The Festival team appreciates the support and
generosity of our sponsors and enjoys successful
partnerships with the Harpmaker exhibitors. We are
very grateful to them all.
I invite you to join us and revel in the Harp Festival
experience!
Fàilte chun 34mh Fèis far am taigh sibh tlachd
bho shreath de thàlantan clàrsaich comasach a’
toirt a-steach cluicheadairean is luchd-teagaisg
iomraiteach à Èireann agus sinn a’ toirt sùil
gheur air ar nàbaidhean Ceilteach.
Am-bliadhna, tha sinn a’ dol air ais gu cùrsaichean
còig-latha agus tha raon farsaing ga thabhann
còmhla ri cùrsaichean goirid fad na seachdain. Às
deidh cho soirbheachail sa bha na co-labhairtean
an-uiridh, tha cuideachd dà sheisean thairis air an
deireadh sheachdain far am faigh luchd-teagaisg
eòlach is ullachaidh na clàrsaich buannachd agus
cothrom air eòlas a roinneadh. Tha na cuirmean is
na bùthan-obrach a’ nochdadh farsaingeachd de
dh’ ùidh a tha sinn airson a thaisbeanadh; faodar
sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air dreuchd na clàrsaich a
thaobh slànachaidh no sùil a thoirt air mar a tha
ùidh a’ fas ann an jazz is a’ chlàrsach mhòr.
Tha sgioba na Fèis taingeil airson cho taiceil is cho
fialaidh sa tha na buidhnean-taice dhuinn agus mar
a tha com-pàirteachas soirbheachail eadar sinn agus
luchd-dèanaidh nan clàrsaichean. Tha sinn a’ toirt
taing mhòr dhaibh.
Tha mi gar fiathachadh a thighinn còmhla rinn agus
tlachd fhaighinn bho bhith an sàs ann am Fèis na
Clàrsaich!
Mary Scott,
Festival Co-ordinator
Festival Co-ordinator / Co-òrdanaiche na Fèise
Hon Secretary of The Clarsach Society / Rùnaire Urramach, Comunn na Clàrsaich
Contents
The Clarsach Society 2
Get more from EIHF
4
Supporters6
Harpmakers’ Exhibition
7
Children’s events
8
Concerts9
Courses20
Workshops28
Festival at a glance
30
Workshops (continued)
32
Biographies34
Booking Information
57
Information for your visit
58
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 1
THE CLARSACH SOCIETY
COMUNN NA CLÀRSAICH
The Clarsach Society is the organisation that underpins
the Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Established
in 1931 at the close of the National Mòd in Dingwall, the
founding principle of the Society – to advance the clarsach
and its music, and to preserve its place in the national life
of Scotland – is still at the heart of what we do today.
Branches
There are twelve regional branches of the Society across the UK and
one special interest Wire Branch. Branches meet regularly to share
music, plan workshops, or other events that meet the needs and
enthusiasm of members in each area.
Harp hire
Members can hire good quality instruments at an affordable
monthly rental. Through this scheme, some of the best-known
performers and teachers - many of whom feature in the Festival were enabled to take their first steps in successful careers.
Young Composer Award
To encourage the development of new music for the clarsach,
the Society administers an annual award for young composers
aged between 16 and 25. The prize is £500 plus the opportunity
to premiere the composition at the Harp Festival. This year’s
Young Composer will be announced, their piece performed
and the award presented at the closing concert on Wednesday,
15 April (p. 19).
Annual scholarship
Our annual scholarship is designed to benefit and encourage
promising players at all levels who have limited resources.
The scholarship can be used towards the cost of tuition or
instrument hire.
clarsachsociety.co.uk
2 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Highland Branch
Isle of Lewis Branch
North East
Scotland Branch
EDINBURGH Branch
Wire Branch
Argyll Branch
Glasgow Branch
Dumfries and
Galloway
Branch
National Office
Northumbrian Branch
Transpennine
(Yorkshire & NoRthern
England) Branch
Wales Branch
Bristol & West of
England Branch
London & South East Branch
Tuition support
To facilitate learning in areas where there is a lack
of formal tuition, the Society supports branches by
contributing to the cost of tutors’ travel and
by providing practical support to experienced
members so that they may share their knowledge
and skill with local members.
During the Festival, you’ll find members of the Society at
our Information Desk located at the Festival Hub in the
Main Building. Open daily between 9am and 5pm, we’d
be happy to introduce you to the Society and answer any
of your questions.
International Pan Celtic Festival
To celebrate and strengthen our cultural links with
Celtic peoples, the Society nominates and supports
a clarsach player to represent Scotland at the
International Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland.
The Clarsach Society Convenor, Jennifer Port, invites
everyone attending this year’s Festival to meet the
committee and branch members at our Opening
Gathering on Friday, 10 April at 7:00pm and the Society’s
AGM on Monday, 13 April at 2:45pm in the Robertson
Room. We hope to see you there.
The Royal National Mòd
Since the establishment of the Society at the close
of the National Mòd in 1931, we have continued to
work with the Mòd to offer a wide range of clarsach
competitions and produce a folio of prescribed
music and guidance for competitors each year.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 3
GET MORE FROM EIHF
FAIGH TUILLEADH BHO EIHF
Distinguished guest
This year we welcome Anne Macdearmid as our
distinguished Festival guest. Anne’s performances
are legendary for good music and wonderful stories
as can be heard in her “Audience with—” concert on
Wednesday morning (p.17). We wish to celebrate,
acknowledge and thank her for her years of service
to The Clarsach Society and EIHF, inspiring students
and harpists throughout the world with her beautiful
arrangements, compositions, friendship and generosity.
Participants will have the opportunity to benefit from
this wealth of experience by booking private lessons
with Anne during the Festival.
Harpmakers’ exhibition
The Harpmakers’ Exhibition is perfect for browsing
the work of makers from across the UK and beyond.
See page 7 for full information and list of makers.
Lunchtime open platform
12 - 1.45pm, Festival Café.
Want to share your talents with us in an informal
atmosphere? Sign up for a 10 minute slot at
The Clarsach Society Information Desk.
Relax and rejuvenate
Indulge and enjoy massage or relaxation
therapy (Holistic Pulsing) with qualified therapists
Tana Collins and Marianne Cranston. Deeper
therapeutic massage to relieve muscular stress
or aid injury recovery is also available and each
treatment is tailored to the individual’s needs.
Full information is available at The Clarsach
Society Information Desk. You can also learn
different pulsing and grounding techniques
in a practical workshop with Marianne.
See page 28 for full information.
Private lessons
Private lessons are available from a wide range
of tutors and on all harps. Cost: £30 per hour.
Full information is available at The Clarsach
Society Information Desk
Late Night Sessions
Festival Club (Theatre)
Our late night sessions ensure there is even more
music to enjoy after our evening concerts. Music is
available to download from our website (harpfestival.
co.uk) and everyone is welcome to join in – bring your
harp along or any other instrument, or just relax with
a nightcap whilst soaking up the atmosphere.
The Clarsach Society Annual
General Meeting
The Clarsach Society will hold its AGM on Monday,
13 April at 2:45pm in the Roberston Room. Everyone
is welcome to attend.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
An informal session for members of the Festival
team, performers, teachers and participants to
discuss future plans for the festival – come and join
in the conversation: Monday, 13 April at 3.45pm in the
Robertson Room.
Book tickets
Online: harpfestival.co.uk. Phone: +44 (0)131
473 2000. See page 57 for full information.
Contact us
If there is anything you’re not sure about,
give us a call on +44 (0) 131 554 0212 or
email [email protected].
For queries about course levels please
call Isobel Mieras on +44 (0)131 445 2022.
During the festival you can reach us on
+44 (0) 7794 792951
4 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 5
OUR SUPPORTERS
HARPMAKERS’ EXHIBITION
LUCHD-CUIDEACHAIDH
LUCHD-DÈANAIDH CHLÀRSAICHEAN
EIHF gratefully acknowledges the continuing support received from Camac Harps, Holywell Music,
Jack Hayward Insurance, Pilgrim Harps, City of Edinburgh Council, An Comunn Gàidhealach, Ardival
Harps, Celtic Music Radio, Peter Green & Co, Rae Macintosh Musicroom, Telynau Vining, and branches
of The Clarsach Society.
During the Festival there will be an exhibition of
harps made in the UK and overseas. This offers an
opportunity to try instruments made by different
makers and perhaps even to purchase or rent a
harp. In addition there will be music, CDs and
harp-related goodies on sale.
The Clarsach Society and EIHF also wish to thank the countless number of friends and volunteers who
help us along the way.
EIHF is very grateful to all exhibitors who create
such an exciting event. Further information
on exhibitors is available from our website
harpfestival.co.uk
Principal Sponsors
Exhibition Opening Hours:
Saturday: 9:30am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Monday: 9:30am – 6:00pm
Tuesday: 9:30am – 6:00pm
Wednesday: 9:30am - 12 noon
Some exhibitors may not be present throughout
the Festival and some may amend their opening
times so please check this with them.
At the time of publication the following have reserved space at the Exhibition:
Edinburgh Branch
Funders
Media Partner
Celtic Music Radio, Scotland’s leading
music station, will be providing prefestival coverage and broadcasting
highlights of this year’s Festival. Available
to listen online at celticmusicradio.net
and on 95FM across Glasgow.
Sponsors and Supporters
An Comunn Gàidhealach
Ardival Harps
Peter Green & Co.
Rae Macintosh Musicroom
Telynau Vining
Branches of The Clarsach Society
Argyll
Glasgow
Highland
Isle of Lewis
London and SE
Northumbrian
Transpennine
Wales
ACCUSOUND
accusound.com
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ HARP FOUNDATION
AFFAIRS OF THE HARP
KILLARNEY HARPS
jazzharp.org
affairsoftheharp.com
killarneyharps.com
ALASDAIR MACLEOD DESIGN
CLIVE MORLEY HARPS LTD
[email protected]
morleyharps.com
ALAW MUSIC
MARK NORRIS HARPS
alawmusic.com
norrisharps.com
ARDIVAL HARPS
PILGRIM HARPS
ardival.com
pilgirmharps.co.uk
BLB HARP DOCTOR
SALOPIAN STRINGS
[email protected]
salopianstrings.co.uk
CREIGHTON’S COLLECTION
SILVER SPEAR, HARPS AND DULCIMERS
cccd.co.uk
silverspearinstruments.co.uk
PETE GRASSBY, THE MELODEON REPAIRER
STARFISH DESIGNS
[email protected]
starfishdesigns.co.uk
JACK HAYWARD INSURANCE
TELYNAU TEIFI
jackhayward.co.uk
welsh-harps.com
HOLYWELL MUSIC
TELYNAU VINING HARPS
holywellmusic.co.uk
camacharps.co.uk
Safety Notice: To reduce the chance of instruments being damaged, please DO NOT bring shoulder bags, rucksacks and similar objects into the Exhibition areas.
6 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 7
TUESDAY 7 &
WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL
FRIDAY 10 APRIL
JACK AND THE LAND WITHOUT MUSIC
STORYWALK AND COME AND TRY HARP SESSIONS
Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR
PREE
F S T IV A LR
EVENT FO
C H IL D R E N
OPENING
GATHERING
£9.00 (one accompanying adult goes free)
C1a C2a C1b C2b
Join Heather Yule, spellbinding storyteller and harper, on a
storywalk around the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Through
story, riddles and rhymes we will follow Jack as he seeks his
fortune and unlocks the mystery of the kingdom that has no
music. Participants must solve the puzzles to find the lost
magical harps and help Jack bring music back to the land.
The storywalk ends with a come-and-try
session where you will have the
chance to try the harps and
learn a simple tune. A fun
and entertaining event.
20%
D IS C O U NseTs with
C3 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.00PM - 10.00PM
C1a Tuesday 7 April 10am – 11.15am
(5 – 8 years old)
Free but numbers limited. Tickets will be available on
the door only from 6.45pm.
C2a Tuesday 7 April 2pm – 3.15pm
(9 – 14 years old)
Join us for an opening reception and musical
gathering featuring cameo performances from some
of this year’s artists and tutors followed by a chance
to dance to the music of Sandy Brechin. Come and
meet friends old and new.
C1b Wednesday 8 April 10am – 11.15am
(5 – 8 years old)
C2b Wednesday 8 April 2pm – 3.15pm
(9 – 14 years old)
Note: Wine will be served at the reception and
bottled water available to purchase at the gathering.
The Festival bar will open early at 9:00pm.
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Supported by:
8 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Peter Green & Co
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 9
SATURDAY 11 APRIL
SATURDAY 11 APRIL
HERMANOS CORBALÁN
THE HEARTH STANE
SIXTO AND JUANJO CORBALÁN: PY’AGUAPY
AILIE ROBERTSON
WITH HEATHER YULE, IRENE WATT AND CALUM MACLEOD
C4 • MEMORIAL HALL • 3.00PM - 4.00PM • £11.00 • £9.00 • £5.00
The ‘hearth stane’ – the fireplace – traditionally
a place to gather to be entertained by travelling
musicians and storytellers. Share in a magical
afternoon with Heather Yule, Irene Watt, and Calum
Macleod, three Scottish artists with very different
backgrounds and approaches to harp playing and
tradition. Gather round and listen to an enchanting
story interlaced with harp and song in a mix of
Scots, Gaelic and English – Celtic strands of ancient
legend, fantasy, ballad, lullaby, woven together with
contemporary compositions and arrangements in a
concert to delight all ages.
C5 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.30PM - 10.00PM • £14.50 • £12.50 • £7.00
Py’aguapy comes from the Guaraní word, the native
and official language of Paraguay that means ‘peace,
happiness and quietness’. It is the name of a new
album released in 2014, where the brothers display
their very own style which gathers all the influences
of their musical careers. It shows the harp’s transition
through a harmonic journey, inspired by the
meaning of the word Py’aguapy. A fresh approach
to their instrumental arrangements enhances
their performance, displaying the versatility of the
Paraguayan harp.
“Her synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary
harping technique into an individual style represents the
realization of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the
Celtic harp” - Niall Keegan
“…a thrilling sweep of dynamic, textual and emotional
contrasts, from bare-knuckle bassy attack to exquisitely
pretty playfulness, tangy jazz tones to country-blues lick,
clamorous drama to shimmering serenity” - The Scotsman
Supported by:
10 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Ailie Roberston will present a selection of Scottish,
Irish, Quebecois and original music for solo harp,
from her latest award-winning album Little Light.
Edinburgh Branch
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 11
SUNDAY 12 APRIL
SUNDAY 12 APRIL
NINE NESTS (LESSONS FOR SPRING)
THE WHITING ON THE WALL
BEN CREIGHTON GRIFFITHS
BY TOM POW WITH MUSIC BY WENDY STEWART
AND ALEX MCQUISTON
This cycle of prose and music came out of the
multi-media exhibition, Locating the Nest, shown
at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and at
Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries in 2012, featuring
short poems by the celebrated writer Tom Pow.
To extend this work to pieces that were engaging,
that focused on what was intimate and particular
about nests but were not prescriptive, he took as his
model an old guidebook found in a second hand
bookshop: Nests and Eggs Shown to the Children.
To its somewhat dated prose he added a touch of
Borges – narratives that were hidden or unexpected.
The sense of wonder in each of the Nine Nests
is added to by Wendy Stewart`s inspired harp
arrangements and compositions, carefully chosen
C7 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.30PM - 10.00PM • £14.50 • £12.50 • £7.00
Photo: Kim Ayres
Photo: Jemima Kuhfeld
C6 • MEMORIAL HALL • 3.00PM - 4.00PM • £11.00 • £9.00 • £5.00
for their provenance or aural resonance. Along with
the exquisite cello playing of Alex McQuiston, these
layered and interlocking melodies weave into an
entire 45 minute imagined soundscape, creating a
magical performance and linking all of us with the
idea of the nest as a symbol of much more.
We are delighted to welcome Amanda Whiting
with her trio The Whiting on the Wall for their first
performance at EIHF. This jazz trio of Amanda (harp),
Deej Williams (bass) and Tony Robinson (drums) met
while studying at The Royal Welsh College of Music
and Drama, Cardiff in 2011. They will perform music
from Piazzolla, Ellington and Hubbard, amongst
other greats, creating a mesmerising sound which
transports you between a foot tapping groove to a
chilled vibe. They have recently released their CD
Butterflies with another in the pipe line.
“A fresh new sound that transports you to afternoons of
sunshine” - Roger Warbuton
Supported by:
12 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Ben Creighton Griffiths has been earning an
enviable reputation as a jazz artist both locally and
abroad, and will perform a varied jazz set – from
Funk to Latin – featuring his own compositions as
well as his own interpretations of some famous jazz
standards. During his electro-acoustic jazz set you
will hear (and see) him use a wide variety of special
effects and technology which enables him to create
a unique modern sound.
“You are a brilliantly talented young man. You will
discover many things for the next era of the harp.
Congratulations on your spectacular performance.”
- Ray Pool, on YouTube.
Telynau Vining
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 13
MONDAY 13 APRIL
TUESDAY 14 APRIL
MÁIRE NÍ CHATHASAIGH
& CHRIS NEWMAN
MICHELLE MULCAHY
SIOBHÁN ARMSTRONG & AODÁN Ó CEALLAIGH
TEA CONCERT
PIPPA REID-FOSTER, RUTH MACKAY, STEPHANIE IRVINE
C8 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.15PM - 10.00PM • £14.50 • £12.50 • £7.00
Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman:
This celebrated partnership has brought its special
musical vision to venues large and small in twentythree countries on five continents. Chris and Máire’s
performances are rooted but eclectic, emotional
but adventurous: a breathtaking blend of traditional
Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled
with striking new compositions - and what The West
Australian calls Chris’s “delightfully subversive wit”!
are “reflective and spacious, and utterly in harmony
with the filigree lines of the tune” – Siobhan Long,
Irish Times
“There are only a few harp players in the world who have
a truly distinctive style... Michelle Mulcahy is one of them”
– Bill Margeson, Live Ireland Awards
Siobhán Armstrong & Aodán Ó Ceallaigh: This is
a rare chance to hear part of the sound world of
17th and 18th century Ireland. Aodán sings powerful,
“An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite
unaccompanied songs from the Ring gaeltacht
thrilling” – The Times
in Co. Waterford, many learned from his famous
sean-nós [‘old style’] singer mother, while Siobhán
“Music of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in
plays haunting harp music on her replica of Ireland’s
traditional music” – The Irish Times
national emblem — and possibly Europe’s oldest
Michelle Mulcahy is considered to be one of Ireland’s surviving harp — the medieval Trinity College harp,
most adroit and creative harpers. Her style of playing strung in brass and 18-carat gold. Together, they
and approach to the music are completely rooted in perform rare and evocative songs by Irish harper
the traditions of Irish music, but at the same time she composers, some last heard perhaps over 300
brings her own innovations to the instrument that
years ago!
C9 • CAFÉ • 3.00PM - 4.00PM • £11.50
Pippa Reid-Foster recently graduated with a Masters
in Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
and was a semi-finalist in the BBC Young Trad
Musician 2013. She previously studied design, which
has inspired her composing and performing. She
plays in Harp Bazaar with harpist Heather Downie
and together they have released their first tune book.
Pippa teaches privately and in Lomond School and
is currently working on a new recording with a book
of new compositions and illustrations.
Stephanie Irvine has had the good fortune to
be tutored from an early age by Catriona McKay.
She is currently a student at The Newark School of
violin-making, where she has recently completed a
viola. This afternoon she will be playing a mixture of
traditional and contemporary harp music and song.
Supported by:
14 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Ruth Mackay grew up in the Highlands with a love
of traditional music, and discovered where her true
passions lay when introduced to the Scottish harp
aged twelve. Ruth now holds a Diploma in Music
Education and is in her third year of BA (Hons)
Scottish Music in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
An exciting up-and-coming talent, Ruth relishes all
opportunities to perform, including RCS national
tours and Celtic Connections concerts. She teaches
one-to-one and group lessons, and has experience in
leading music workshops in nurseries and schools.
Glasgow Branch
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 15
TUESDAY 14 APRIL
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL
ELEANOR TURNER
CLOUDS HARP QUARTET
AN AUDIENCE WITH
ANNE MACDEARMID
C10 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.30PM - 10.00PM • £14.50 • £12.50 • £7.00
It’s obvious when a musician connects with their
music and Eleanor Turner certainly does. Celebrated
internationally for the warmth and passion she
brings to every performance, Eleanor has a
refreshingly good-humoured approach to the pedal
harp repertoire. She will share her interpretations
of Mozart’s emotive duet Ah, perdona al primo
affetto and Liszt’s evocative Nightingale thoughtfully
transcribed by Henriette Renié. The whimsical
characters of the accordion, harpsichord, guitar
and toy piano from Yann Tiersen’s mesmerising
film score, dance across the strings in Eleanor’s
arrangement Suite from Amelie. Eleanor will also
perform music by Piazzolla, Henson-Conant and her
own Two Breton Girls by the Sea for electro-acoustic
harp and loop station.
C11 • MEMORIAL HALL • 11.00AM - 12.00PM • £9.00 • £5.00
Clouds Harp Quartet is a unique group of four
harpists who perform music by Esther Swift, which
includes improvisation and extended techniques
with a strong Scottish influence. Elfair Dyer, Angelina
Warburton, Rebecca Mills and Esther Swift have
been playing together for the past five years.
They all bring their own individuality and experiences
into the music of the quartet, performing without
music, which makes the bond and interaction
between this group of friends unique and ever
stronger. They will be performing Water, which will
take you on a crashing, cascading and calming
journey through six movements.
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see page 27
This year’s distinguished Festival guest, Anne
Macdearmid, will share fascinating and often
hilarious insights and experiences from her long
career as a performer, teacher, adjudicator and
composer. She is well known, loved and respected
throughout the harp world and particularly for her
many years of service to The Clarsach Society.
“Seriously one of the best gigs I’ve experienced, and if
I ever get the chance to see this quartet again I would
jump at it” - David Meadows
“Wow! Musicality, power, beauty, power, rhythm ... and
power!!! I love it!” - Deborah Henson-Conant
Supported by:
16 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 17
WEDNESDAY !5 APRIL
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL
MISCHA MACPHERSON
TORNISH
THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, DIRECTED BY ISOBEL MIERAS
NORTH EAST HARP ENSEMBLE, DIRECTED BY CHRISTINE EDWARDS
THE ROYAL NATIONAL MOD PRIZE WINNER - RACHEL RUTHERFORD
WINNING ENTRY 2014 YOUNG COMPOSER AWARD
C12 • MEMORIAL HALL • 3.00PM - 4.00PM • £9.00 • £5.00
The Festival Orchestra is made up of students at this
year’s Festival and members of Na Clàrsairean, the
orchestra of the Edinburgh Branch of The Clarsach
Society. They will perform a new suite of music,
incorporating new and traditional music specially
arranged and composed by Isobel Mieras.
C13 • MEMORIAL HALL • 7.30PM - 10.00PM • £14.50 • £12.50 • £7.00
Mod prize winner Rachel Rutherford from Glasgow
will play a selection of Gaelic and Scottish airs
and dances including some of her own exciting
arrangements. (supported by An Comunn
Gàidhealach)
The North East Harp Ensemble was established
in 2013 to give members of the North East Branch
of The Clarsach Society the opportunity to expand
their repertoire and share their music with the
wider community. Under the direction of Christine
Edwards they have performed throughout the
region including at the Aberdeen International
Youth Festival. Expect to hear a bit of everything
from traditional tunes to contemporary music and
popular song.
“Her voice is soft as rain, swooping as a seabird, rooted
in the traditions of the Hebrides. When she stops, the
audience rise to their feet in a breaking wave of fierce
applause.” – The Independent
Supported by:
18 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner, Mischa
Macpherson is a new Folk artist who – if the success
of her trio in 2014 is anything to go by – looks set
to achieve great things. A singer, native Gaelic
speaker and clarsach player from Lewis, in the Outer
Hebrides, Mischa is joined by Conal McDonagh on
Scottish border-pipes and whistles and guitarist Innes
White. Mishca discovered an enjoyment in creating
music at a very early age, and it is these influences
that the young singer now presents with clarity and
tenderness, and to multi award-winning acclaim.
Supported by:
Tornish: Gwen Màiri Yorke hails from St Andrews
with Scottish and Welsh parents and Tim Orrell is a
Yorkshire man brought up on Irish folk music and
now living in Wales. They first met on Anglesey
at Trac Cymru’s BEAM course in 2011 and started
performing together shortly afterwards. Their
music is an exciting blend of their varying musical
influences from all over the British Isles and
beyond, combining old songs and tunes with new
compositions and infectious energy. Highlights have
included performances at the National Eisteddfod
of Wales as well as being invited to record for Radio
Cymru’s folk music programme, Y Sesiwn Fach.
The winner of The Clarsach Society Young Composer
Award 2014 will be announced, their piece performed
and the prize presented.
Isle of Lewis Branch
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 19
COURSES
CODELEVEL
GUIDE TO COURSE LEVELS
AND TEACHING METHOD
STIÙIREADH MU ÌREAN CÙRSA AGUS MODH TEAGAISG
Please read the guidelines to course descriptions and
standards very carefully.
It is essential that you book appropriate courses – for
your satisfaction, for the success of your course and
the sanity of our tutors! If in ANY DOUBT, please check
with your teacher or call us for advice about levels
(+44 (0)131 445 2022). Please note that this number is
to be used only for advice about courses – bookings
must be made via Hub Tickets – see page 57 for full
details)
Most courses start on Saturday, 11 April and run for five
days (unless otherwise stated) and will last 1½ hours
each day except Monday when sessions will be 1 hour
long.
Cost: course fees have been frozen for another year
and are £72 for 5-days or pro rata for shorter courses.
Levels and standards: before choosing courses please
read course descriptions carefully.
Harps are provided for beginner courses only. For all
other courses, participants must bring their own harp,
stool and music stand.
What we mean by:
Beginner: You have no experience of playing the harp.
Post-beginner: You took last year’s Beginners’ course,
have had relatively few lessons and/or require help
with basic technique.
Elementary: You can already perform simple tunes,
require further help in consolidating basic technique
and wish to work slowly and carefully.
Elementary/Intermediate: As Elementary but you feel
ready to stretch your boundaries.
Intermediate: You already have good technique and
can work at a moderate pace.
Intermediate/Advanced: As Intermediate, but you are
ready and willing to work at a faster pace.
Advanced: Your technique is good and you wish to
work at a good pace to stretch yourself.
Mixed abilities: For all levels, except Beginner.
20 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
TUTOR
DESCRIPTION
TIME
T1a
Beginner
Heather Yule
Children 5 - 8 years
E+M
9:00am
T1b
Beginner
Heather Yule
Children 9 - 14 years
E+M
10:10am
T2 Beginner
Gwen Màiri Yorke
Adult beginners
E+M
1.00pm
T3
Beginner
John N. MacDonald
Ùlpan: Gaelic language course
4:30pm
T4
Post-beginner
Helen MacLeod
Adult post-beginners
E+M
4:30pm
T5
Elementary
Fiona Rutherford
Children 5 - 11 years
E+M
9:00am
T6
Elementary
Ben Creighton Griffiths Intro to jazz improvisation
M+E
4:30pm
T7
Elementary
Juanjo Corbalán
Intro to Paraguayan music
M+E
9:00am
T8
Elementary
Sarah MacNeil
Scottish
E+M
1:00pm
T9
Elementary
Patsy Seddon
Learning by ear E+M
9:00am
T10
Elementary
Michelle Mulcahy
Irish music
E+M
4:30pm
T11
Elem / Inter
Christine Edwards
Pop and film music
E+M
1:00pm
T12
Elem / Inter
Anouk Platenkamp
Dutch music
E+M
9:00am
T13
Elem / Inter
Irene Watt
Contemporary Scottish song
E+M
4:30pm
T14
Elem / Inter
Esther Swift
Composing and arranging on
E+M
1:00pm
clarsach and pedal harp
T15
Elem / Inter
Ailie Robertson
Quebecois E+M4:30pm
T16
Elem / Inter
Karen Marshalsay
Laments and airs on the M+E
9:00am
wire-strung harp
T17
Intermediate
Amanda Whiting
Blues, lead sheets and improvisationM+E
9:00am
T18
Intermediate
Sixto Corbalán
Trends, techniques and dynamics M+E
1:00pm
of contemporary Paraguayan harp
music
T19
Intermediate
Siobhán Armstrong
Musicke of Sundrie Kindes
M+E
4:30pm
T20
Intermediate
Gwen Màiri Yorke
Crossing borders
E+M
9:00am
T21
Intermediate
Wendy Stewart
Scottish E+M
1:00pm
T22
Inter / Adv
Sixto & Juanjo Corbalán Trends, techniques and dynamics M+E
4:30pm
of contemporary Paraguayan harp
music
T23
Inter / Adv
Michelle Mulcahy
Dancing the strings
E+M
1:00pm
T24
Inter / Adv
Siobhán Armstrong
The heart of the tradition: M+E
1:00pm
wire strung harps
T25
Inter / Adv
Fiona Rutherford
Composition
E+M
4:30pm
T26
Inter / Adv
Mary Macmaster
Two plus two makes more
E+M
9:00am
T27
Advanced
Amanda Whiting
Improvising and reading the M+E
4:30pm
lead sheet language of jazz
T28
Advanced
Ailie Robertson
Scottish E+M
1:00pm
T29
Mixed Abilities
Christine Edwards
Teenage harp course
E+M
9:00am
T30
Mixed Abilities
Isobel Mieras
Festival orchestra
M+E
1:00pm
T31 Mixed Abilities
Anouk Platenkamp
The healing harp
M+E
4:30pm
T32
Mixed Abilities
Eleanor Turner
The pedal harp is a musical E+M
1:00pm
playground
T33
Elem / Inter
Rachel Hair
Celtic connections
E+M
Sat & Sun
9:00am & 4:30pm
T34
Inter / Adv
Charlotte Petersen
Scottish music
E+M
Sat & Sun
1:00pm & 4:30pm
T35
Mixed Abilities
I. Mieras & W. Stewart
Teachers’ course
Sat & Sun
9:00am
T36
Elementary
Helen MacLeod
Practice can be fun!
E+M
Mon, Tues & Wed
1:00pm
T37
Inter / Adv
Wendy Stewart
Traditional music of Europe
E+M
Mon, Tues & Wed
9:00am
T38
Mixed Abilities
Calum Macleod
Intro to harp and electronics
E+M
Mon, Tues & Wed
1:00pm
T39a Come & Try
Kathy Stewart
Come and try ukulele
Sat: 4:30pm
T39b Come & Try
Kathy Stewart
Come and try ukulele
Tues: 1:00pm
T40a Come & Try
Pete Grassby
Come and try whistle or bodhran
Sun 1:00pm
T40b Come & Try
Pete Grassby
Come and try whistle or bodhran
Tues: 4:30pm
T41a Come & Try
Bill Taylor
Come and try wire-strung clarsach
Wed: 1:00pm
T41b Come & Try
Bill Taylor
Come and try wire-strung clarsach
Sat: 9:00am
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 21
COURSES
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS & FEES
MÌNEACHADH CÙRSA IS COSGAISEAN
TEACHING METHOD
Ùlpan - Gaelic language course for beginners
Scottish
Contemporary Scottish song
E teaching will be by ear with written music given
out only at the end of the course
E+Mteaching will initially be by ear with written music
given out during or at the end of each session
M
teaching will be from written music
M+Ewritten music will be given at the start of the
course. However, teaching will be sympathetic to
all levels of skill in reading/assimilating music
T3 • 4:30pm • John N. MacDonald • £72
A set of five classes on Scottish Gaelic language for
beginners. The classes will be delivered by a native Gaelic
speaker with an emphasis on speaking the language.
Ùlpan is a fast and effective way to learn a language. It
has been used to great effect for over 50 years in Israel
where it originated and in Wales where it has brought
thousands to fluency in Welsh. It is now being used very
successfully with students of Gaelic in Scotland.
T8 • 1:00pm • E+M • Sarah MacNeil • £72
Come along to explore Scottish music on the harp in a
relaxed setting. We will be looking at newly composed
melodies from musicians in today’s vibrant folk scene,
as well as classic, well-known Scottish treasures such
as the works of Robert Burns, Willie Hunter and Phil
Cunningham. Recording devices are welcome.
T13 • 4:30pm • E+M • Irene Watt • £72
This course will feature songs from contemporary
Scottish singer/songwriters including Karine Polwart,
Dougie MacLean, Annie Lennox, James Grant and
The Cast (Marie Campbell & Dave Francis). Irene will
explore ways to create harp accompaniments with
interesting intros, outros, the use of hooks and riffs that
identify songs, create bridges, and incorporate chord
progressions. The course is ideal for those who wish to
sing and accompany themselves or others on the harp.
FIVE DAY COURSES
POST BEGINNERS
Saturday, Sunday,
Tuesday & Wednesday: 1½ hours each day.
Monday: 1 hour
(unless otherwise stated)
Adult post-beginners
BEGINNERS
Child beginners
1 hour session each day.
T1a • 5 - 8 years • 9:00am • E+M • Heather Yule • £50
T1b • 9 - 14 years • 10:10am • E+M • Heather Yule • £50
Come along and have some fun on the harp. Learn a
few easy tunes, how to play chords and discover some
exciting musical sounds. A perfect introduction to this
versatile instrument. Harps provided.
Adult beginners: Old melodies for new fingers
T2 • 1:00pm • E+M • Gwen Màiri Yorke • £72
Become acquainted with this beautiful instrument
through some of Wales’ and Scotland’s most pure
and simple melodies. We will also incorporate a good
technique foundation which will ensure that you can
approach any tune with confidence. A relaxed course
with plenty of individual help. Harps provided.
Follow-on classes
After the Festival, come along to our Follow-on
Classes organised by the Edinburgh Branch
of The Clarsach Society. Classes will run at a
relaxed pace with the aims of consolidating
technique, improving confidence and having
a bit of fun. There will be five classes: 25 April,
9 & 16 May, and 13 & 27 June. Course cost: £50
adults / £33 children. Harps provided. More
information will be available at the Festival.
22 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
T4 • 4:30pm • E+M • Helen MacLeod • £72
Come along to a friendly post-beginners’ class and learn
to play some fun tunes from around the world. This
class is intended for those who either attended last year’s
beginners class or have been playing already for a short
amount of time. In this class we will be concentrating on
solidifying a strong technique, reinforcing good habits
and increasing repertoire with some fun and easy tunes.
ELEMENTARY
Elementary for children (age 5-11 yrs)
T5 • 9:00am • E+M • Fiona Rutherford • £72
A fun class for young players with just a little experience
of playing. We will work on simple melodies and
accompaniments from a wide variety of sources, whilst
also developing confidence and a great sound on the
harp. We will also be playing some musical games and
making some new harp playing friends along the way!
An introduction to jazz improvisation
T6 • 4:30pm • M+E • Ben Creighton Griffiths • £72
No previous experience of jazz or improvisation is
required for this course, which will explore the exciting
world of jazz improvisation. During the week, we will
work through different styles from Bossa Nova to Swing,
improvising as we go! Some basic information will
be emailed to participants in advance and on arrival
students will receive a free course book which also
includes a useful further studies section.
Introduction to Paraguayan Music
T7 • 9:00am • M+E • Juanjo Corbalán • £72
Juanjo will focus on melodic and harmonic patterns of
Paraguayan harp music. For players of all kinds of harps.
As well as expanding their musical horizons, participants
will learn about the structure of Paraguayan music and
how to play the basic melody and accompaniment.
Learning by ear for the terrified
T9 • 9:00am • E+M • Patsy Seddon • £72
After the success of last year’s short course here is a
further chance to gain confidence in learning beautiful
Scottish tunes by ear through working with rhythm, pitch
and form. Patsy has spent a long and varied musical
career developing these skills and in recent years has
trained in and now delivers Kodály musicianship, which
has many fun ways of nurturing the inner musician.
Irish music
T10 • 4:30pm • E+M • Michelle Mulcahy • £72
This course will focus on the basic playing of Irish
traditional repertoire including marches, jigs, hornpipes,
flings and airs with a strong emphasis on technique.
Basic accompaniment chordal patterns associated with
the playing of these tunes will also be taught.
ELEMENTARY / INTERMEDIATE
Pop and film music
Composing and arranging on
clarsach and pedal harp
T14 • 1:00pm • E+M • Esther Swift • £72
Esther works with a variety of different musical outfits
in many genres and continues to write and arrange
music for both harp and voice in new and unique ways.
Working mainly by ear, Esther will show you some of
her arranging ideas and invites you to bring your own
compositions and tunes to the class to work on, share
and receive constructive feedback. If you are interested
in composing or arranging, but not sure how to start,
Esther will suggest some simple chord progressions,
ways to start writing a melody, and different voicing
ideas. The aim of the course is for each individual to
write some music, learn to value and harness their
own ideas, realising their potential when it comes to
composing. Songs, tunes or other types of compositions
all welcome!
T11 • 1:00pm • E+M • Christine Edwards • £72
There’s a wealth of music out there that you never
knew existed for the harp. From the latest chart tunes
to contemporary film music, we’ll explore some music
that won’t fail to impress an audience. Participants are
encouraged to bring along a piece, or recording of a
well-known song / tune for which they would like to
make their own arrangement.
Dutch music
T12 • 9:00am • E+M • Anouk Platenkamp • £72
In many countries, such as Scotland and Ireland, folk
music is well established. The Dutch have always liked
adopting different styles, but have for a long time
neglected their own roots – time for a Dutch folk revival!
Did you know there are many tunes still around today
that were played in the Amsterdam playhouses in the
18th century? These tunes are a real treasure. In this
course we’ll explore some of these tunes, a few favourite
Dutch songs from the Dutch folk repertoire and work on
arrangements.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 23
COURSES
Quebecois music
T15 • 4:30pm • E+M • Ailie Robertson • £72
Come and fall in love with Quebec’s unique brand of
vibrant French culture. Quebecois music exudes the
vibrant energy and dynamism that is characteristic
of the diverse musico-cultural heritage of the region
and has developed into one of the best loved styles of
music in North America. Quebec has a rich tradition
of achingly beautiful waltzes and airs, as well as
wonderful dance tunes. Come and learn about the lyrical
Quebecois tradition with its sweet melodic lines and rich
accompaniment. You will leave with your fingers flying,
your feet tapping, and your heart full of joie-de-vivre!.
Laments and airs on the wire-strung harp
T16 • 9:00am • M+E • Karen Marshalsay • £72
500 years of tradition and culture have produced a rich
and expressive way of both celebrating and lamenting
people, occasions, places, and all aspects of life. Drawing
on similarities with pibroch and Gaelic pibroch songs,
oran mòr, old harp repertoire, and haunting fiddle airs,
this course will explore these emotive pieces, focusing
on the plaintive resonance of the wire strings, the use
of grace notes, and ways to bring out the beauty of the
harp and its inherent suitability for playing laments and
airs. All techniques used will be explained, along with the
story and context of each tune.
INTERMEDIATE
Blues, lead sheets and improvising
T17 • 9:00am • M+E • Amanda Whiting • £72
This course will look at the blues, easy standards and
the methods of improvisation. Amanda will explain how
to interpret jazz music, find chords and achieve that
‘jazzy sound’ on the harp.
life. We’ll open up a world of enjoyable musical ‘noodling’
by learning how to improvise on historical bass patterns.
And we will taste other juicy music, from plainchant in
medieval manuscripts to melodies found in 18th century
English printed music collections via 17th century
Spanish dances! Suitable for harps of ‘sundrie kinds’.
Crossing borders
T20 • 9:00am • E+M • Gwen Màiri Yorke • £72
Discover the music of Scotland and Wales through a
variety of tunes and songs. A relaxed course with music
provided along the way and a great selection of tunes
to add to your repertoire by the end of the festival.
With mixed Scottish and Welsh heritage, Gwen’s natural
instinct is to use music from both countries in her
playing. It’s always fun to look for musical and thematic
connections as well as appreciating the distinctive styles
of each country.
Scottish
T21 • 1:00pm • E+M • Wendy Stewart • £72
Slow airs, dance tunes and new compositions, all with
Wendy`s fabby layered arrangements to help the
intermediate harper find their comfort zone. Class
taught carefully by ear with time built in to get fingering
patterns and decorations into the mental hard drive.
Printed music given at the end of each session but
recording device also recommended to help jog the
memory and catch the memorable group performances!
INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED
Trends, techniques and dynamics of
contemporary Paraguayan harp music
T22 • 4:30pm • M+E • Sixto & Juanjo Corbalán • £72
Sixto and Juanjo will give an in-depth look and feel of the
harmonic and rhythmic structures of their compositions.
In this class you will also transform a traditional melody
Trends, techniques and dynamics of
with chord symbols into a fresh ‘jazzy’ interpretation
contemporary Paraguayan harp music
and add basic bass lines and harmonies. Topics to be
T18 • 1:00pm • M+E • Sixto Corbalán • £72
Sixto Corbalán invites you to get familiar with the current covered include work on reharmonization of traditional
trends in the interpretation of contemporary Paraguayan tunes, polyrhythms, syncopation and techniques for
using special keys “llaves” specially created to produce
harp music. He will introduce you to dynamics and
accidental sharps and flats.
explore contemporary techniques in his very particular
style. Topics to be covered include work on traditional
Dancing the strings
tunes, phrasing, harmonic pattern and rhythm section
T23 • 1:00pm • E+M • Michelle Mulcahy • £72
techniques on both hands.
This intermediate / advanced course will focus on Irish
traditional style development within the framework of
Musicke of Sundrie Kindes
jigs, reels, airs, hornpipes and O ‘Carolan pieces while
T19 • 4:30pm • M+E • Siobhán Armstrong • £72
looking at more advanced rhythmic and harmonic
What does an ‘historical’ approach imply and in what
accompaniment patterns and styles. Within the course
ways can it inform our playing? We’ll study historical
the particular ornamentation style of these tunes will
fingering, phrasing and early sources of tunes to see
how they differ from more modern approaches and how also be taught.
learning about these will enable us to bring the music to
24 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
The Heart of the tradition: wire strung harps
T24 • 1:00pm • M+E • Siobhán Armstrong • £72
What does it mean to reconstruct early Gaelic harp
music for wire harp in a historically informed way? How
does it help? Tunings and modes information to help
‘place’ tunes on the harp; a look at 17th & 18th c. Irish and
Scottish sources to discover evidence of what the elusive
bass hand played; ornamentation in surviving MSS and
composing our own; retracing a path from more modern
printed editions of tunes back to versions hopefully more
true to the original; and how we can use all these tools to
make living music from dusty melodies in old sources!
Composition
T25 • 4:30pm • E+M • Fiona Rutherford • £72
A creative and exciting class that will get you
experimenting with new compositional ideas and
methods for the harp. We will discuss how this versatile
instrument can be used in a wide variety of musical
contexts and cover a little bit of relevant music theory
along the way. The aim is to get everyone enjoying the
process of writing their own music! Please feel free to
bring along any musical ideas you are working on.
MIXED ABILITIES
Two plus two makes more
Teenage harp course
T26 • 9:00am • E+M • Mary Macmaster • £72
Mary will teach some of her favourite tunes arranged
for two harps with harmonies, bass riffs and wee twiddly
bits for decoration. Learn how having four hands means
less stress with more space for magical moments
and how duets make two more than the sum of their
parts. If participants wish they could bring along their
own favourite piece to work on. Duos and individuals
welcome.
ADVANCED
T29 • 9:00am • E+M • Christine Edwards • £72
For all abilities of players aged 12-17 years. We will have
fun exploring different types of music for the harp and
also look at some pop music that will impress your
friends. Come along and try out playing in a group of
harp players, sharing your ideas and experiences. We’ll
also look at how to make the most of your practice time
when you have so many other activities on! Bring along
a tune / recording that you’d like to work on or learn to
play.
Festival orchestra
T30 • 1:00pm • M+E • Isobel Mieras • £72
Your chance to take to the stage at EIHF! Is it your
dream to be a performer at the Festival? No matter what
T27 • 4:30pm • M+E • Amanda Whiting • £72
your ability you can do that now as part of the Festival
A course which looks at how to approach playing jazz
Orchestra at our Wednesday afternoon concert. We will
on pedal or lever harp. Starting with an easy blues, we
perform a new suite of traditional and original music with
will progress to chord extensions and voicings, creating
parts to suit all abilities specially written by Isobel Mieras.
rich harmonies which can be used to enhance your own
Music will be sent out in advance for you to choose
personal style and improvisatory skills.
your part and learn the notes. Isobel will then gently
lead you through rehearsals, gradually incorporating
Scottish
other instrumentalists to create a polished and satisfying
T28 • 1:00pm • E+M • Ailie Robertson • £72
Strathspeys, Jigs, Reels and Slow Airs, both old and new, ensemble – with the promise of a great deal of fun on
the way!
will be explored in this course. Suitable for advanced
players, we will learn about decoration and arranging
traditional tunes. The class will be taught aurally, but
music will be given out at the end.
Improvising and reading the
lead sheet language of jazz
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 25
COURSES
The healing harp
T31 • 4:30pm • M+E • Anouk Platenkamp • £72
An introduction to playing harp for the sick and disabled.
Live music, especially on the harp, can promote pain
relief, relaxation, help forget hospital surroundings, and
give extra meaning to special moments. The best effect
of live music is created when you fit the key, the mode,
the rhythm and the style of playing to the person you
are playing for. This workshop will show you how the
modes affect people’s moods, and help you use them
in improvisation. Whether you have experience playing
for people or the intention to start, this course can help
you achieve your goals, and will teach you how to create
effective healing music.
The pedal harp is a musical playground
T32 • 1:00pm • E+M • Eleanor Turner • £72
Join Eleanor on this pedal harp course where you will
turn work into PLAY! Have you ever heard harp music
described in terms of ‘colour’ and ‘texture’ but are
confused about how to work this elusive magic through
your own fingertips? If you imagine that you are a flute,
will your melody instantly become mellifluous and flutelike? No! Eleanor will explain how everything really works
on the course and you will receive specific, practical
instructions and learn to trust your own skills in order
to make a vibrant, convincing sound. Trills, spills, laughs
and games!
WEEKEND COURSES
Celtic connections • Elementary / Intermediate
Sat and Sun: two sessions per day of 1½ hours
T33 • 9:00am & 4:30pm • E+M • Rachel Hair • £62
Come join us for a musical journey to celebrate the
fantastic vibrant music from the lesser known Celtic
countries and discover new tunes from countries that you
may not have known to have a Celtic connection. From
the Canadian provinces and the Nordic regions to Spain
and the British Isles, this course will awaken your senses
and help widen your Celtic music repertoire on the harp.
On Saturday, Wendy will discuss ways to bring a
disparate (by age or ability) group of harpers together in
a positive music making experience. She will share tips
on choice of material, arrangement ideas, gradual build
up of layers and the psychology of group learning.
On Sunday, Isobel will discuss working with individual
students of all ages to establish sound technique and
good tone and how to continue to encourage and
inspire personal development, suiting the talents and
aspirations of each student.
Bring your harps, as both sessions will be fun, hands on
and with scope for questions and comments.
Recording devices are welcome and written examples of
relevant music will be available for perusal.
THREE DAY COURSES
Monday: 1 hour session
Tuesday & Wednesday: 1½ hours each day.
Practice can be fun! • Elementary
T36 • 1:00pm • E+M • Helen MacLeod • £42
Are you struggling with a tricky bar that just doesn’t
seem to get any easier? Or perhaps you feel that despite
regular practice sessions, you’re just not getting any
better? Then THIS is the course for you! The art of
practice is an important part of any musician’s life and
without it we will never achieve our goals. With a healthy
spattering of technique to build a strong foundation
and some fun exercises, this course is designed to help
achieve what at first can seem impossible… and Helen
will make it as fun as possible! If anyone has a piece or
an exercise that you are struggling with, please feel free
to bring it along
Traditional music of Europe • Intermediate /
Advanced
T37 • 9:00am • E+M • Wendy Stewart • £42
In these days of an ever expanding Europe, let’s explore
and celebrate its rich heritage of melodies and rhythms.
From Finnish slow airs to Galician jigs, Estonian songs
to Bulgarian 7/8s, we`ll get a feel for appropriate harp
accompaniments to some memorable if exotic tunes.
Scottish music • Intermediate / Advanced
Expand your repertoire with Wendy`s pick of her
Sat and Sun: two sessions per day of 1½ hours
favourites. Recording devices welcome, pace brisk but
T34 • 1:00pm & 4:30pm • E+M • Charlotte Petersen • £62 kindly.
Enchanting airs, lilting waltzes and lively dance tunes from
Scotland. Learn some lovely tunes, old and new, taught by Intro to harp and electronics • Mixed Abilities
ear with ready arrangements available. You are welcome T38 • 1:00pm • E+M • Calum Macleod • £42
Scared of amplification? Curious to explore the
to bring along a recording device.
possibilities of the harp with the aid of electronics? In this
Teachers’ course • Mixed Abilities
three-day course you will learn everything from basic
Sat and Sun: one session per day of 1½ hours
amplification techniques through some special harp
T35 • 9:00am • Isobel Mieras & Wendy Stewart • £31
techniques right up to incorporating effects processors
Established and aspiring teachers are invited to share
alongside any harp. Detailed handouts will be available
their experience with Wendy and Isobel.
each day showing examples of playing technique,
26 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
rhythmic patterns and all the relevant jargon. No prior
knowledge of amplification/electronics required. Please
bring your harps and Calum will have a range of harps
to help demonstrate different amplification systems.
COME AND TRY CLASSES
1 1/2 hour sessions
Come and try ukulele
Kathy Stewart
T39a • Saturday 4:30pm
T39b • Tuesday 1:00pm
£15.50 per session
An introductory workshop showing the accessibility
and enjoyment of one of the currently most popular
instruments, the ukulele. Everyone will receive an easy
to follow chord chart, be taught how to follow it, how
to tune your instrument, and how to form chords.
Guaranteed fun. Bring your singing voices!
Instruments provided.
Follow-on classes
After the Festival, come along to our Follow-on
Classes organised by the Wire Branch of The
Clarsach Society. Classes will run at a relaxed
pace with the aims of consolidating technique,
improving confidence and having a bit of fun.
There will be five classes: 25 April, 9 & 16 May,
and 13 & 27 June. Course cost: £50 adults / £33
children. Harps provided. More information will
be available at the Festival.
Supported by Rae Macintosh Musicroom
Come and try whistle or bodhran
Pete Grassby
T40a • Sunday 1:00pm
T40b • Tuesday 4:30pm
£15.50 per session
Pete has been playing and teaching for many years.
This will be a simple taster class for those who wish to
try penny whistle and bodhran. Instruments are supplied
and may be purchased afterwards. Each student should
be able to play a few easy tunes and accompany them
on bodhran by the end of the class.
Come and try wire-strung clarsach
Bill Taylor
T41a • Saturday 9:00am
T41b • Wednesday 1:00pm
£15.50 per session
An opportunity to try out the beautifully resonant
original harp of the Gaels. While properly played with
fingernails of at least 2mm, this is NOT necessary for
this taster class. The technique is often called playing
in “the stopped style”, where finger pads damp certain
strings to stop excessive ringing, thus allowing a clear
phrase line. Try out a simple tune, touch on its history
and feel free to ask questions.
Instruments provided.
Supported by Ardival Harps
Individual Tuition
Our distinguished guest, Anne Macdearmid,
will be on hand at certain times on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday to offer hour long
lessons. Bookings for these popular lessons
can be made during the Festival at The
Clarsach Society Information Desk. Private
lessons are also available from a wide range of
other tutors and on all harps. Full information
available at The Clarsach Society Information
Desk.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 27
WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOPS
BÙTHAN-OBRACH
You are welcome to bring your harp
with you to the workshop.
You are welcome to bring your guitar
with you to the workshop.
In healthcare settings live musical performances can
be highly effective but presentation is all important.
With the participation of Isobel Mieras and Rachel Hair,
both of whom have given numerous performances
for the charity, this workshop will afford an opportunity
to identify the very special skills required to achieve
the recognised therapeutic benefit which these
special performances can bring to frail and vulnerable
audiences.
Supported by the Northumbrian Branch of The Clarsach Society
SUNDAY 12 APRIL
11.00am - 12.00pm
Being a music therapist
W4 • Rory Campbell • £8
The purpose of this workshop will be to provide a flavour
of what it is to be a music therapist. What is music
therapy? What does the work involve and who with? We
will look at some examples of music therapy practice,
some techniques used in music therapy and explore
SATURDAY 11 APRIL
11.00am - 12.00pm some of these techniques in musical play. The workshop
will also provide an opportunity to discuss and ask
Free yourself from stress through Holistic Pulsing questions. If you have an instrument you would like to
bring, please feel free.
W1 • Marianne Cranston • £8
Do you feel: stressed / without energy / unbalanced /
Techniques and tendencies
overemotional?
This workshop offers you tools to help relax and to get
in contact with yourself again. I want to show and teach
you different pulsing and grounding techniques that you
can use on yourself and others. It’s also interesting for
people who work in Health Care.
of the Paraguayan harp
W5 • Sixto & Juanjo Corbalán • £8 Introduction and exploration of ideas for arrangements
and techniques for melody, accompaniment and special
effects to make a simple piece more jazzy. Which
melodic and rhythmic patterns are important to expand
the knowledge of innovative harp techniques? How to
Words and music
get deeper into the world of improvisation and make
W2 • Wendy Stewart & Tom Pow • £8
The writer Tom Pow and harper Wendy Stewart will talk harpists more creative in their practice. In the workshop
and play with music and words. These two art forms can we will explain in detail the different techniques we have
express the same emotion in so many different ways yet been using and how they enhance the composition to
influence each other dramatically. How can we marry the be performed.
two without detracting one from the other ? Where is the Supported by the Wales Branch of The Clarsach Society
line between songwriting and poetry with music? What
Harmony Singing
suggests a mode or key for a particular phrase ? Why
W6 • Patsy Seddon • £8
does the end result add up to much more than the sum Harmony singing for all. Whatever your experience or
of its two parts? Come, listen and reflect.
ability, come and find your voice and discover the joy of
Supported by the Highland Branch of The Clarsach Society
Live music enhancing lives
W3 • Alison Frazer • £8
Music in Hospitals is a registered charity which enables
people of all ages in hospitals or long-term care across
the UK to experience the beneficial effect of live music.
28 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
singing with others. Patsy has been singing for longer
than she can remember and has a wealth of experience
from choirs to groups like The Poozies and Sileas.
MONDAY 13 APRIL
10.30am - 12.00pm Jamming with The Whiting on the Wall
Masterclass (pedal and lever harps)
W7 • Eleanor Turner • £10
Eleanor wants to help you to find freedom and
enjoyment in your harp playing. After all, if you are
confident, love the music you choose and know how
to improve continually, you and the audience will be
fulfilled! Eleanor will work with just three harpists in
this masterclass. Eleanor has been helped on her own
journey by inspirational teaching by Daphne Boden
and Alison Nicholls, her two principal teachers, as well
as Marisa Robles, Catherine Michel, Erika Waardenburg,
Ernestine Stoop, Hugh Webb and Isabelle Perrin, not
to mention early music specialists Douglas Hollick and
Trevor Pinnock.
Supported by the Transpennine Branch and the London & SE
Branch of The Clarsach Society
Harp and guitar:
duet-playing and arranging
W8 • Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman • £10
First of all we’ll discuss our personal approaches to
arranging the different styles of music we play (Irish and
Scottish traditional airs and dance music, swing jazz,
bluegrass etc.) for our individual instruments and the
technical challenges and stylistic issues that arise. We’ll
then discuss our joint approach to arranging for our duet
and how this differs from our approach to arranging for
our solo performances. We’ll offer as many hints and
tips as we can for ensemble playing and arranging and
the workshop will work on a harp / guitar arrangement
chosen to suit the technical ability of the participants.
Participants are encouraged to bring their harp and
guitar along to join in the fun!
W9 • Amanda Whiting, Deej Williams
& Tony Robinson • £10
Come along and jam with The Whiting on the Wall. A
blues workshop which allows you to experience playing
with a bass and rhythm section and also the buzz of
improvising in a group.
Towards an understanding of
historical Gaelic music
W10 • Siobhán Armstrong and Aodán Ó Ceallaigh • £10
A look at the music played and sung by harpers and
singers in the Gaelic world of Ireland and the Scottish
Highlands and Islands in the 1600s. How can we
access their world? Can we get a sense of how the
musicians performed their music and what they thought
important? Could we try to replicate what they did and
why would we do that? What would it teach us and what
would it sound like? Bring your harps to an experimental
lab!
Supported by the Argyll Branch of The Clarsach Society
The power of the lullaby
W11 • Irene Watt • £10
Lullabies are normally sweet little songs sung to send
babies to sleep - right? So why do so many lullabies
contain really dark material? Are they really just for
babies? In this workshop Dr. Irene Watt will share some
of her insights from her PhD research and reveal some
surprising elements in lullabies and their effects on those
who listen. There will be an opportunity to sing some
lullabies and learn a simple accompaniment for those
who wish to bring instruments (not restricted to harps).
The workshop will focus mainly on the Celtic lullaby but
comparisons will be made with lullabies from around the
world.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 29
FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
MONDAY 13 APRIL DILUAIN 13 GIBLEAN
9:00am - 10:00am
10:30am - 12:00pm
SEALLADH GOIRID AIR AN FHÈIS
TIMEEVENT
CODE
PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS FOR CHILDREN
Tuesday, 7 April
10:00am - 11:15am
Jack and the land without music
Heather Yule (Note: event held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre)
Tuesday, 7 April
Jack and the land without music
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Heather Yule (Note: event held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre)
Wednesday, 8 April Jack and the land without music
10:00am - 11:15am
Heather Yule (Note: event held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre)
Wednesday, 8 April Jack and the land without music
C1a
(5-8 years old)
2:00pm - 3:15pm
(9-14 years old)
Heather Yule (Note: event held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre)
C2a
(9-14 years old)
C1b
(5-8 years old)
C2b
Registration
Opening Gathering
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
10:00pm...
C3
8:00am onwards
9:00am - 10:30am
11:00am - 12:00pm
W1
W2
W3
1:00pm - 2:30pm
3:00pm - 4:00pm
4:30pm - 6:00pm
7:30pm - 10:00pm
10:00pm...
Courses (Note: T1b starts at 10:10am)
Workshops: Being a music therapist - Rory Campbell
Techniques and tendencies of the Paraguayan harp - Sixto & Juanjo Corbalán Harmony Singing - Patsy Seddon
Courses
Concert: “Nine Nests” (Lessons for Spring) by Tom Pow
with music by Wendy Stewart and Alex McQuiston
Courses
Concert: “The Whiting on the Wall / Ben Creighton Griffiths
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
30 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
10:00pm...
9:00am - 10:30am
11:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 2:30pm
3:00pm - 4:00pm
W4
W5
W6
C6
C7
W9
W10
W11
W12
W13
W14
C8
Courses (Note: T1b starts at 10:10am)
Workshops: Scottish Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - Joshua Dickson
The slow air and dance tradition of Irish harp music - Michelle Mulcahy Gaelic puirt-à-beul (mouth music) - Calum Macleod
Courses
Concert: Tea Concert: Pippa Reid-Foster, Ruth Mackay, Stephanie Irvine
Courses
Concert: Eleanor Turner / Clouds Harp Quartet
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
W15
W16
W17
C9
C10
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL DICIADAIN 15 GIBLEAN
C5
SUNDAY 12 APRIL DIDOMHNAICH 12 GIBLEAN
9:00am - 10:30am
11:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 2:30pm
3:00pm - 4:00pm
4:30pm - 6:00pm
7:30pm - 10:00pm
C4
W7
W8
TUESDAY 14 APRIL DIMAIRT 14 GIBLEAN
9:00am - 10:30am
11:00am - 12:00pm
SATURDAY 11 APRIL DISATHAIRNE 11 GIBLEAN
Registration
Courses (Note: T1b starts at 10:10am)
Workshops: Free yourself from stress through Holistic Pulsing - Marianne Cranston
Words and music - Tom Pow & Wendy Stewart Live music enhancing lives - Alison Frazer
1:00pm - 2:30pmCourses
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Concert: The Hearth Stane with Heather Yule, Irene Watt and Calum Macleod
4:30pm - 6:00pm
Courses
Concert: 7:30pm - 10:00pm
Hermanos Corbalán / Ailie Robertson
10:00pm...
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
1:00pm - 2:00pm
2:45pm - 3:30pm
3:45pm - 4:45pm
5:00pm - 6:00pm
7:00pm - 10:00pm
FRIDAY 10 APRIL DIHAOINE 10 GIBLEAN
3:30pm - 7:00pm
7:00pm - 10:00pm
10:00pm...
Courses (Note: T1b starts at 10:10am)
Workshops: Masterclass (pedal and lever harps) - Eleanor Turner
Harp and guitar: duet-playing and arranging - Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman
Jamming with The Whiting on the Wall
Towards an understanding of historical Gaelic music – Siobhán Armstrong and Aodán Ó Ceallaigh
The power of the lullaby - Irene Watt
Playing pibroch on harp - Karen Marshalsay
What shall I wear? - Meinir Heulyn The harp is only half the instrument - Chris Blagdon
Courses
The Clarsach Society Annual General Meeting
What do you think? Future plans for EIHF
Courses
Concert: Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman / Michelle Mulcahy / Siobhán Armstrong & Aodán Ó Ceallaigh
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
4:30pm - 6:00pm
7:30pm - 10:00pm
10:00pm...
Courses (Note: T1b starts at 10:10am)
An Audience with Anne Macdearmid
Workshop: Loopy Levers - Rachel Hair
Courses
Concert: Festival Orchestra / North East Harp Ensemble / Rachel Rutherford (Mod 2014 prize winner)
Courses
Concert: Mischa Macpherson / Tornish / Winning entry 2014 Young Composer Award
Late Night Session - Festival Club (Theatre)
C11
W18
C12
C13
Edinburgh International Harp Festival reserves the right to amend this programme without further notice
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 31
WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOPS (CONT.)
BÙTHAN-OBRACH (LEAN)
Playing pibroch on harp
W12 • Karen Marshalsay • £10
The classical music of the pipes, with its theme and
variation structure, translates ideally to the harp, as can
be expected from a genre with its origins in harp music.
This workshop will look at how to tackle a pibroch, from
the haunting fluidity of the ground with its particular
phrase structure and singling and doubling, through
the increasingly complex and ornamented variations.
Suitable for all harps, from small wire-strung to pedal,
this workshop will give you the key to two-handed
decorations (or ‘gurglies’), fingering techniques for clean
ornamentation, and pacing both expressive phrases and
rhythmic variations.
What shall I wear?
W13 • Meinir Heulyn • £10
Meinir invites you to an amusing and informative power
point presentation, giving an insight into six decades of
fashion for harpists, with special reference to the story
of her life as a professional harpist (some of her dresses
will be exhibited). Be surprised also, as she reveals
the fashion worn by artists as far back as the 1980s –
possibly even seen at previous Edinburgh International
Harp Festivals! Could all be revealed? Did we really wear
such crazy / wonderful outfits? What an opportunity
to look back and see what was so proudly worn at
earlier events and festivals, which we know are fondly
remembered by so many.
The harp is only half the instrument
W14 – Chris Blagdon – £10
You’ve spent loads of time practising your harp. You
know where your sound board is. Your fingers dance
over the strings. But what about the other half of this
beautiful instrument? Your body plays the harp. At what
cost? What steps can we take to mitigate any physical
damage? This workshop will explore the relationship
between your body and your harp. It is recommended
that participants bring a mat or blanket to this Pilates
workshop.
TUESDAY 14 APRIL
11.00am - 12.00pm
Scottish Traditional Music at the Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland
W15 • Joshua Dickson • £8
Scottish Traditional Music, including the Scottish harp
and clarsach, has been offered at degree level at the
32 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since 1996. This talk
highlights the work and testimony of the harp students
over the past academic year and showcases the exciting
new curriculum being unveiled for the degree from 2015.
A discussion of the degree programme’s links with RCS’s
Traditional Music Graded Exams will also feature and in
particular the insights that went into the new Graded
Exams harp syllabus led by Patsy Seddon.
The slow air and dance tradition
of Irish harp music
W16 • Michelle Mulcahy • £8
Join Michelle for an informal discussion / demonstration
on the harp in Irish traditional music, with particularly
reference to the slow air and dance tradition.
Gaelic puirt-à-beul (mouth music)
Join us next year:
1-6 April 2016
W17 • Calum Macleod • £8
Come and learn some fun Gaelic songs that were
traditionally used for dance music when instruments
weren’t available. No prior knowledge of Gaelic is
required but you will leave having learned a set of puirt-àbeul. Handouts will be given that will show the Gaelic
words, an English translation and phonetics to help you
remember the songs for years to come!
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL
(provisional dates)
11.00am - 12.00pm
Loopy levers
W18 • Rachel Hair • £8
Is the thought of playing jigs, reels and other trad-style
tunes with accidentals driving you and your levers
loopy?! Well, come along to this workshop and we will
banish all fear of changing those levers mid-tune and
have you multi-tasking in no time at all.
This workshop will be taught by ear, but music and
“helpful tips” sheets will be given out at the end.
KEEP
IN TOUCH
Keep in touch and join us
online. You can link directly
to all online activity from
our website homepage:
harpfestival.co.uk
FACEBOOK
Hear about the latest news and
updates and share you experience
with other Harp Festival fans.
TWITTER
Follow us on twitter for up-tothe-minute news and share
your views about events.
SOUND CLOUD
Listen to tracks by Harp Festival
artists and enjoy the music.
BLOG
Read behind-the-scenes chat
and guest writings on the
Festival blog.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 33
BIOGRAPHIES
EACHDRAIDHEAN-BEATHA
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10
11
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1. Siobhán Armstrong
Siobhán performs and records medieval to 18th century
chamber music, church music and opera with many of
Europe’s most prestigious historical musicians, and also plays
with some of Ireland and Scotland’s best traditional musicians.
Siobhán was a professional choral singer and modern harpist
before she zoned in on early harps. She now performs on
single and multi-row historical instruments and is really
happiest when accompanying vocal music: plainchant to
polyphony to sean-nós song to baroque opera. She founded
and chairs The Historical Harp Society of Ireland and is
currently a PhD researcher at Middlesex University.
4. Tana Collins
Tana has been a fully qualified Massage Therapist and
member of the Scottish Massage Therapists’ Organisation
since 2000 and has been the EIHF’s Masseuse since 2002.
During this time, Tana has built up a hugely successful client
base, working in a number of businesses and from her home
in Edinburgh. Tana uses massage as a tool to help combat
poor posture and repetitive strain problems, which are
prevalent amongst musicians and computer users. She also
has experience in treating common sports injuries; sciatica;
back pain; stress and anxiety; sleep problems and mild to
moderate depression.
7. Ben Creighton Griffiths
Ben’s fourteen years as a harpist has been an incredible
journey. It has taken him across three continents to perform
at many prestigious festivals, from the exotic locations
of Rio and the Caribbean, to World Harp Congresses in
Vancouver and Amsterdam. He had travelled across Europe
performing in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Croatia,
Hungry, and most recently the Czech Republic. He has
made TV appearances for the BBC, ITV, S4C, O Globo (Brazil),
performed for Prince Charles, performed concertos and other
works with orchestras and choirs. He is now in great demand
for teaching jazz workshops and courses here and abroad.
2. Chris Blagdon
Chris is the director of the Edinburgh Pilates Centre. He
took over the studio from Jane Paris, Scotland’s first ever
Pilates teacher in 1994. Chris studied with Alan Herdman, the
fantastic teacher that brought Pilates to the UK. Chris has
studied many different techniques from martial arts to dance.
He was a professional dancer for twenty years dancing all
over the world before teaching Pilates. Few people can claim
to have more than 40 years full time bodywork experience.
5. Sixto & Juanjo Corbalán
Since 2007, Sixto and his brother, Juanjo, have performed
as the harp duo Hermanos Corbalán. This is unusual in
Paraguay, but as each is an exquisite soloist, the duo is now
extremely popular and in demand throughout Paraguay
and abroad. Both brothers have a special focus on new
compositions for the Paraguayan Harp, mixing their creations
with different elements of other genres, innovating and giving
them great musical versatility with traditional and exciting
new repertoire. Their investigations and excursions into other
genres turn this harp duo into a perfect harmony with a truly
amazing sound.
8. Joshua Dickson
Joshua Dickson is Head of Scottish Music at the Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland. Born and raised in Alaska, he
arrived in Scotland in 1992 to study Scottish Gaelic at the
University of Aberdeen. He then undertook doctoral research
in the history of the piping tradition of the southern Outer
Hebrides at the School of Scottish Studies, University of
Edinburgh, now published under the title When Piping
Was Strong: Tradition, Change and the Bagpipe in South
Uist (John Donald, 2006). He has performed publicly in the
contemporary Gaelic music scene with Na Trì Seudan and
Allan MacDonald’s award-winning Edinburgh Festival recital
series, From Battlelines to Barlines. His ground-breaking
anthology of piping studies in our time, The Highland
Bagpipe: Music, History, Tradition, is published by Ashgate
(2009).
3. Rory Campbell
Rory Campbell was encouraged to play the pipes from an
early age by his father, Roddy Campbell, singer and piper
from the Isle of Barra. He was a prominent member of several
successful and influential bands such as Deaf Shepherd,
Old Blind Dogs and Caledon, among others. As well as
this Rory has released a number of both collaborative and
solo recordings featuring a large proportion of self-penned
material alongside traditional material. Alongside the musical
career Rory trained and worked as a nurse in the field of
learning disabilities before studying for an MA in Music
Therapy and switching careers in 2010. Rory is currently
working full-time as a music therapist.
34 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
6. Marianne Cranston
Marianne is a qualified member of the Dutch Societies
of Holistic Pulsing and Astrology, with wide experience
of working in Europe and the UK. Her goal as a spiritual
astrologer and holistic pulser is to help clients become
attuned with their inner selves, to help build up self-esteem,
trust and self-belief.
9. Christine Edwards
Christine grew up in Aberdeenshire and is an experienced
performer, composer and dedicated harp teacher. She
received training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in
both concert harp and Scottish harp. She studied Irish harp
at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Trinity College
Dublin and holds a Licentiate of the London College of Music
Diploma (LLCM) in Irish Traditional Music Performance.
Christine is the music advisor to the North East of Scotland
Branch of The Clarsach Society and directs the North
East Harp Ensemble. She also teaches using video-calling
software and has pupils all over the world.
10. Alison Frazer
Alison is the Chief Executive Officer of Music in Hospitals
in Scotland. A graduate in history from the University of
Aberdeen, she trained as a teacher at Moray House College
of Education in Edinburgh spending the next thirteen years
in teaching and administration. She joined The Council
for Music in Hospitals (now known as Music in Hospitals)
in 1992, becoming Director (and later CEO) in 1996. She is
delighted to have been invited to present a Music in Hospitals
workshop at the 2015 Harp Festival, having greatly enjoyed
the experience the first time round in 2005.
11. Pete Grassby
Pete has been playing and singing for most of his life. He is a
well-known musician and folk dance caller and has performed
around the world, especially New Zealand, Germany and
Sweden as well as the UK. He repairs and deals in melodeons
and accordions for a living and has now been self employed
for over 30 years after leaving Alvis where he learned his
engineering skills. Nowadays he runs ceilidh bands and writes
songs and tunes about his travels.
12. Rachel Hair
“One of the UK’s finest Celtic harpists and tunesmiths”
(Songlines), Rachel has toured extensively through Europe,
the USA and beyond both as a soloist and with her trio The
Rachel Hair Trio.
When at home, Rachel teaches harp at Douglas Academy
National Centre of Excellence in Music and at the University
of the Highlands and Islands in the Hebrides. She also
journeys once a month to teach harp on the Isle of Man,
where she is at the forefront of the revival of the Manx harp.
She has released three critically acclaimed albums and
published three books of harp music.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 35
BIOGRAPHIES
(CONTINUED)
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13. Meinir Heulyn
Meinir is one of Wales’ most versatile harpists. Having
graduated from University College, Cardiff, she continued
her harp studies at the Conservatorio di Musica, Genova. She
enjoyed thirty years as Principal Harpist for the Orchestra of
Welsh National Opera where she performed internationally
and recorded extensively with world renowned artists.
Until 2011 she was Head of Harp Studies at the Royal Welsh
College of Music and Drama. She is also co-founder of both
Coleg Telyn Cymru and Telynau Morgannwg. She is a prolific
arranger which inspired her and her husband to establish
Alaw Music Publishing. She has published over thirty volumes
of harp music, many of these being volumes of Welsh
traditional music.
14. Anne Macdearmid
A highly respected clarsach teacher and an accomplished
singer, Anne’s performance displays her wide range and
knowledge of music and superb musicianship. She is a prolific
arranger, composer and tutor, and is equally well-known as an
adjudicator at festivals and The Royal National Mod.
For twenty-five years, she tutored the Heritage of Scotland
Summer School in Edinburgh.
15. John N. MacDonald
John is a native Gaelic speaker from South Uist. He has
been tutoring adult Gaelic learners for around five years in
Edinburgh.
16. Calum Macleod
Calum is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music
where he studied pedal harp. Brought up as a fluent Gaelic
speaker, playing and singing, and from a very early age he
was immersed in the Gaelic culture. He has won many prizes,
including the clarsach competitions at the Pan Celtic Festival
in Donegal; both Harp and Recorder Medals at the Edinburgh
Competition Festival; the Daughter of Dewar Award; and the
RNCM’s Stan Barker Memorial Prize for Jazz improvisation.
At the Dunoon Mod 2012 he won the An Comunn Gold
Medal for Gaelic singing, and travelled to Washington, USA
in September 2013 as a guest of the American Mod. Calum’s
debut solo album will be released at the festival.
17. Helen MacLeod
Helen grew up on the west coast of Scotland and began
playing the harp when she discovered her love of traditional
music. Helen went on to study pedal harp at St Mary’s Music
School in Edinburgh and then at the Royal Northern College
of Music in Manchester. She enjoys a busy freelance career,
performing with many distinguished groups ranging from
the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra, to pop groups Belle and Sebastian and
The Fratellis. Chamber music is one of Helen’s most exciting
musical pastimes and she formed her duo Hoot with flautist
Emma Wilkins in 2005. They released their first album The
Garden of Adonis in 2010. Highlights of 2014 included an
invitation to represent Scotland at the Arts Festival of North
Norway.
18. Mary Macmaster
Mary has been harping in the Scottish music scene for the
last thirty years, playing in duos, trios and bands of many
hands. She was one of the early pioneers in the revival of the
wire strung clarsach, though most of her more recent work
has been on the Camac Electro harp. She loves performing
and has toured round a good part of the world with some
amazing people including The Poozies, Patsy Seddon and
Sting.
36 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
19. Sarah MacNeil
Sarah grew up in Falkirk and began playing the harp at eleven
under the tuition of Rosie Morton and Ailie Robertson. Sarah
is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where
she obtained a First Class Honours degree, specialising
in Scottish music with electives in classical pedal harp,
composition and teaching techniques. Sarah has had the
honour of playing at some fantastic festivals and events
including, the 2012 London Olympics, the Papal Visit,
Interceltique Lorient Folk Festival France, Celtic Connections,
the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Glasgow and
Edinburgh International Film Festivals and many more. Sarah
is a dedicated and experienced teacher and is currently the
lead tutor at Feis Fhoirt, and also works for Feis Rois and Live
Music Now.
20. Karen Marshalsay
Karen is a master of traditional Scottish harp music,
specialising on three Scottish harps -wire and gut-strung
clarsachs, and bray harp. With a particular interest in pipe
music, playing with Allan MacDonald in his acclaimed pibroch
concerts, and for the National Piping Centre’s 2013 Ceòl na
Piòba concert have been highlights in a career which has
seen Karen perform in the UK, Europe, America and Australia.
Previously clarsach tutor at the National Centre of Excellence
in Traditional Music, and wire and bray harp tutor at the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Karen published her Key
Techniques for Harp in 2012.
21. Isobel Mieras
One of Scotland’s most experienced and successful teachers,
Isobel has guided, taught and influenced many of today’s
Scottish harp players. For many years she has enjoyed
directing, arranging and composing for Na Clàrsairean, the
Scottish Harp Orchestra, taking them to perform at three
World Harp Congresses as well as venues in Scotland. It has
been her privilege to work in many roles for The Clarsach
Society and she is honoured to be its President. For more
than three decades she has been a member of the organising
team of the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, currently
sharing the role of Artistic Adviser with Patsy Seddon. In
2012 she was inducted to the Scottish Traditional Music Hall
of Fame and received the Hamish Henderson Award for
services to traditional music
22. Michelle Mulcahy
Michelle is justifiably regarded as one of the finest harpists in
Ireland today. She is a regular performer and tutor worldwide
and has toured extensively in Ireland, the United States,
Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Asia. Michelle’s solo harp
debut album Suaimhneas was released under the Clo Iar
Chonnacht label in 2012 and has been receiving worldwide
acclaim as one of the top harp albums in Irish traditional
music. Michelle has just recently graduated with her PhD at
the University of Limerick. Her dissertation was titled Aistear:
Performing Cultural Encounter: An Arts Practice Investigation
of Karen, Burmese and Irish Harping Traditions.
23. Chris Newman
Chris is “one of the UK’s most staggering and influential
acoustic guitarists” (fRoots). A prolific composer, arranger
and record producer, he’s played with luminaries of the folk
(Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Boys of the Lough. Kathryn Tickell, Aly
Bain, Danny Thomson, Heartstring Quartet), jazz (Stéphane
Grappelli, Diz Disley) and comedy (Fred Wedlock) worlds –
receiving a silver disc for producing Fred’s hit Oldest Swinger
in Town. His fourth solo CD Still Getting Away with It, a
celebration of his 40-year career, is “Astonishing - a must-buy
for any guitar player” – Scotland on Sunday
24. Máire Ní Chathasaigh
Máire is “the doyenne of Irish harp players” (Scotland on
Sunday) and recipient of Irish music’s most prestigious
Award, Gradam Cheoil TG4 – Traditional Musician of the Year
– “for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the
remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp
in Ireland and for the positive influence she has had on the
young generation of harpers.” A multiple All-Ireland and PanCeltic winner, she developed profoundly influential techniques
for harp performance of traditional Irish music, heard on her
pioneering New-Strung Harp (1985) and subsequent seven
recordings with guitarist Chris Newman, with whom she tours
worldwide.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 37
BIOGRAPHIES
(CONTINUED)
25
26
27
31
32
33
28
29
30
34
35
36
25. Aodán Ó Ceallaigh
Aodán is from Rinn Ua gCuanach, the gaeltacht [Irishspeaking region] in Co. Waterford, Ireland. He was practically
born singing and that would be no surprise since there were
influential sean nós [‘old style’] singer ancestors on both sides
of his family, including Polly Kelly and Sean McGrath. Indeed,
his own mother, Áine Uí Cheallaigh, is perhaps the best living
exponent of the region’s traditional vocal style. This young
singer is therefore steeped in the traditions of his home place
and is proud to present songs that have been preserved by
his own relatives and others in the region.
26. Charlotte Peterson
Charlotte is one of Scotland’s established talents in
composing and arranging traditional music for the clarsach.
Her compositions have delighted audiences around the world
and have been recorded as soundtracks for several BBC radio
plays. Charlotte has published a series of books containing
her own arrangements and teaches clarsach and harp at
schools around Edinburgh, including the City of Edinburgh
Music School. Her warm stage presence and skilful
communication make Charlotte a sought after performer and
popular teacher in Scotland and abroad.
27. Anouk Platenkamp
Anouk started playing for people with Alzheimer’s disease at
an early age and this had a profound impact on her choice
to become a harpist. Anouk studied classical harp at the
Maastricht Conservatory of Music and graduated from the
International Harp Therapy Programme. Since then, she
has developed her own method of playing healing music
and teaches a course on it in the Netherlands. Her practical
approach to playing healing music can be learned by anyone
who has some experience of playing the harp. Learning how
to improvise and play healing music has helped her as a
performer. Anouk likes to play folk music from all over Europe,
which has led to her to play Dutch folk music on the harp.
38 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
28. Tom Pow
Dear Alice, Narratives of Madness won the Scottish Mortgage
Investment Trust Poetry Book of the Year in 2009, the same
year In The Becoming – New and Selected Poems was
published. Currently, Tom is Honorary Senior Research Fellow
at Glasgow University Dumfries and a part-time lecturer on
Lancaster University’s distance learning Masters in Creative
Writing. In Another World – Among Europe’s Dying Villages
was published in June. His most recent publications are A
Wild Adventure - Thomas Watling, Dumfries Convict Artist and
Concerning the Atlas of Scotland and Other Poems, the result
of his experiences as Bartholomew Writer in Residence at the
National Library of Scotland.
29. Ailie Robertson
Ailie is a composer, arranger, teacher, and performer. “Her
synthesis of Scottish, Irish and contemporary harping
technique into an individual style represents the realization
of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp”. A
five-time Gold award winner at the Royal National Mod, she
was the winner of the Live Ireland award for Instrumental
Cut of the Year for her debut album First Things First, and
awarded Instrumentalist of the Year in the 2014 Tradition
in Review Awards. She has performed all around the globe,
and is recognised for her unique fusion of Scottish, Irish and
contemporary styles. She has published six volumes of harp
music and has taught at harp festivals in Europe, Canada, the
USA and Australia.
30. Tony Robinson
Tony is a professional drummer and multi-instrumentalist well
versed in the art of popular music and jazz performance. He
is the author of several books for harp and currently holds an
editorial position at Trinity College London.
31. Fiona Rutherford
Fiona is from Edinburgh. She learned to play the harp with
Sophie Askew, Isobel Mieras and Savourna Stevenson. She
studied at The City of Edinburgh Music School and went on
to gain degrees in Composition from Dartington College of
Arts and Edinburgh University. She has written for theatre
and film, including acclaimed feature films The Inheritance
and The Space Between, and her instrumental compositions
have been performed by groups such as London Sinfoinietta,
Mr McFall’s Chamber and Drake Music Scotland. Her latest
CD Sleep Sound showcases her writing for nine piece
ensemble ‘beautiful, invigorating, meditative...’ – fRoots
34. Wendy Stewart
Wendy’s relaxed but incisive style of teaching brings
praise and results in equal measure. Through her layered
arrangements and measured pace, she can bring a group
of mixed ability learners together in confident, relaxed
harmony. She is in demand for workshops and courses in the
USA and Europe but is also dedicated to teaching Scottish
traditional music and song in Dumfries and Galloway Primary
schools through the Feis Rois/ YMI scheme. After a busy
winter, juggling all of this with her many other local creative
enterprises, her long promised new CD and new music books
are finally out this year!
32. Patsy Seddon
Patsy is known for her performances with the duo Sileas who
were inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame
in 2013. One of Scotland’s most innovative harp players, she
has also been part of the groups The Poozies, Clan Alba and
Madge Wildfire and has recorded over twelve CDs. Patsy is
an active teacher and has taught at every EIHF except the
first, at Feisean, at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and
Kodály musicianship for NYCoS. She has an honours degree
in Celtic Studies and was Musician in Residence at the School
of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University.
35. Esther Swift
Likened to Kate Bush, Eddie Reader and Joanna Newsom,
singer-songwriter and harpist Esther Swift is an up and
coming musician in the Scottish folk music scene. Whilst
being heavily influenced by her folk roots, Esther’s music
also combines jazz, blues and minimalist references. With a
passion for pushing the boundaries of folk and classical harp
music she has become a prolific song writer. A deep love of
Scotland, the Scottish Borders (where Esther grew up) and
nature continually inspire and influence her music; the songs
of her new EP The Mairches which features cojon, string
quartet and trumpet, are based on her life growing up in The
Scottish Borders.
33. Kathy Stewart
As an American who has lived in the Borders for 30 years,
Kathy Stewart is a singer songwriter and composer, piano
instructor, performer and recording artist. Co-founder of
Borders based Junior Acoustic Music, she continues to
facilitate vocal workshops for all ages and abilities and
presently teaches at Merlin Academy of Traditional Music in
Melrose.
36. Bill Taylor
Bill Taylor is a specialist in the performance of ancient harp
music from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and is one of very
few players investigating these repertoires on medieval gutstrung harps, wire-strung clarsachs and Renaissance harps
with buzzing bray pins. He is one of the foremost interpreters
of music in the Robert ap Huw manuscript, and he has made
two solo recordings of this repertoire using historical harps.
Bill performs and teaches in the Scottish Highlands and works
with Ardival Harps in Strathpeffer. He performs and records
as a soloist and with several ensembles, including Canty,
Graindelavoix, Quadrivium and Sinfonye.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 39
BIOGRAPHIES
(CONTINUED)
37
38
39
40
41
42
36. Eleanor Turner
Since her London concerto debut with the Academy of St.
Martin in the Fields, aged just fifteen, Eleanor has gained a
worldwide reputation for the warmth and passion that she
brings to her performances. In the 2007 Cardiff European
Harp Competition she won First Prize, which sparked an
international career; concertos in New Orleans and Sydney,
chamber music in the Berlin Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal
and solo recitals across Spain and Italy. Eleanor won prizes
at the Dutch International Harp Competition 2010 and
Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in 2011 and is proud
of her 2010 Wingate Scholarship and funding from The
Tillett Trust. Eleanor studied with Daphne Boden at the
Royal College of Music Junior Department, then with Alison
Nicholls; hugely inspiring preparation for a lifetime in music.
37. Irene Watt
A popular figure on the Scottish folk scene as a singer,
harper, and workshop leader, Irene is also an educationalist.
She has been involved in many diverse music projects
including Singing for the Brain Musical Memories aimed at
those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease incorporating
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. She spearheaded the
Child Development through Infant Singing project whilst
researching the effect of singing lullabies to babies and young
children. Irene also led Keek Back, Syne Haud Gaun (Look
Back, and Continue Forward) for the Youth Music Initiative
and the National Trust for Scotland, using music and the
arts, cultural history, and research methodologies, to further
educational goals. She has a PhD in Ethnomusicology and
Folklore. She is currently based in Qatar where she teaches
music and cultural studies.
38. Amanda Whiting
Amanda has always had a love for jazz and after a classical
upbringing, including a scholarship to Wells Cathedral school,
an ABRSM Licentiate and Bachelors in Music, she recently
obtained a Masters in Jazz and has since been appointed
as Jazz harp tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and
40 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Drama. She has performed alongside Jamie Cullum and
recorded with Dannii Minogue, and has performed at many
high profile venues, including, The Southbank, London and
Millennium Centre, Cardiff. In 2013/14 she launched two new
CDS Butterflies (with her jazz trio The Whiting on the Wall)
and Memories (a nostalgic CD of well known songs) as well
as a series of books for harpists. 2015 will see the release of a
new book and CD with the trio.
39. Deej Williams
Deej is an up and coming bassist from Cardiff and is the face
of Jazztime at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
He has recently studied at Anton-Bruckner Private University
in Linz, Austria with Peter Herbert and will be graduating in
2015.
40. Gwen Màiri Yorke
Gwen studied pedal harp at the RSAMD, which led to much
orchestral and chamber work, but in the last few years
her focus has been on traditional music. Gwen is based in
Glasgow where she has many clarsach pupils at the Glasgow
Gaelic School and is also Curator of Music at Renfield St.
Stephen’s Church. She also visits Wales regularly to perform
as part of the duo, Tornish, and also the ground-breaking
Welsh traditional music project, 10 Mewn Bws. Her two
clarsach books, Mist-Covered Mountains and The Dragon &
The Thistle, are published by Alaw.
41. Heather Yule
Heather is an established harp teacher in Scotland adept at
working both with individuals and groups of all levels and
abilities. She has taught and performed on the clarsach
throughout Scotland and at various events in the USA
and Cape Breton, Canada. Heather is involved in the
Scottish traditional storytelling scene, which has its base in
Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre. She has performed
in Europe, Scandinavia and North America as a traditional
storyteller, enchanting audiences of all ages with her unique
way of combining harp music and story.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 41
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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 43
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Unique gifts for harpists now available from
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R
IGHT F
ES
T
AL
IV
HA
P
W
N
O
7th - 11th October 2015
Concerts, Workshops, Lectures, Harp Showroom & Much More!!!
Ryde - Isle of Wight
T. +44 (0) 1983 730930 - www.harponwight.com
HOW TO BOOK
A’ GLÈIDHEADH ÀITE
Online: harpfestival.co.uk
By telephone: +44 (0)131 473 2000
(Monday - Friday 10.00am – 5.00pm)
By post or in person: Hub Tickets, Castlehill,
Edinburgh EH1 2NE
Please note: a transaction fee of £1.50 will be added
to all advance bookings. Payment can be made by all
major credit cards (except Diners).
Accommodation
at Merchiston
Tickets can be delivered to the Festival Office and be
available for collection on arrival at Merchiston. If you
prefer your tickets to be posted to you, this will incur
an additional charge of £0.80 per order.
During the Festival, tickets for all events may be
purchased, subject to availability, from the Festival
Box Office at Merchiston.
All prices are per room per night and include
breakfast
Concession tickets
EIHF aims to be open, accessible and affordable to all.
Concessions are available for certain events – ticket
price in ORANGE on event listing.
Shared Facilities Accommodation
Single room: £31.45
(rooms are not secure / no key available)
Available to:
• Under 18s • Full-time students • Unwaged • People
over 60 • Disabled people and companions. • EIHF
Participants*
*People who have booked a course costing £72 at EIHF 2015.
Laidlaw House
Single room, en-suite: £46.00
Double / Twin room, en-suite: £82.25
Note: Laidlaw House has 6 rooms adapted
for people with disabilities.
Booking form available on the reverse.
Completed forms should be sent to:
Alison Hanna, Merchiston Events & Hospitality,
Merchison, Castle School, 294 Colinton Road,
Edinburgh, EH13 0PU. Tel: +44 (0) 131 312 2258
Email: [email protected]
Ticket Discounts
Young people
Under 16s can enjoy up to 50% off on selected
concerts. Ticket price in RED on event listing.
Concert series
Benefit from a 12% discount when you purchase one
ticket for each of the concerts excluding Heather
Yule’s Storywalks (C1, C2) and the Opening Gathering
(C3).
Ticket prices: £109 (full) • £97 (conc.) • 58 (U16s)
Group bookings
We are delighted to offer a 12% discount on bookings
of 8 people or more.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 57
By bus
Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR
Name(s):
There is a bus stop right outside the entrance to
Merchiston. Lothian Buses No. 10, 18 and 45 pass here.
Standard fare £1.50 (correct at the time of printing)
Lothian Buses: 0131 555 6363
Route Planner - lothianbuses.com
Address:
By train
The Scottish Storytelling Centre is half way along
the Royal Mile, downhill from the Castle and North
Bridge. The Centre is a short walk from Princes
Street and Waverley train station, and there is a taxi
rank close to the Centre on the Royal Mile.
Edinburgh’s main railway terminal is Waverley Station.
From here you can take a taxi or bus to Merchiston.
Travel time is approximately 30 minutes.
By air
By car
Thursday 9th April
Friday 10th April
Monday 13th April
Saturday 11th April
Tuesday 14th April
Sunday 12th April
Wednesday 15th April
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58 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
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Parking at Merchiston is free but limited. There
may be a short walk to the venue from some of
(cheques to Merchiston Castle School)
the parking available on campus or on adjacent
roads. Staff will be on hand to direct traffic during
Credit / Debit Card:
busy times. A loading bay is available to the
Card type
Visa
Mastercard
Maestro right of the main building to upload and unload
harps, and disabled parking is available in front
Card number
of the main building and by the Theatre and
Napier building. Please note that vehicles must
Name on Card
be parked in designated areas and should not
Expiry date
Security code
obstruct any entrances or exits. Parking is not
permitted adjacent to the Theatre or Napier
building, except in the case of disabled users (a
Merchiston Events & Hospitality, Merchiston Castle School
294 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH13 0PU
disabled badge must be displayed).
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From the West: From the M8, do not follow route to
Forth Road Bridge, but continue on to the City Bypass,
following southbound signs. Exit at Dreghorn Junction,
(Colinton exit). Follow signs for Redford Barracks:
Merchiston is opposite these, on the north side of
Colinton Road.
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Single Room B&B @ £46.00 per room per night
Twin Room B&B@ £82.25 per room per night
Double Room B&B @ £82.25 per room per night
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LAIDLAW HOUSE EN-SUITE FACILITIES
From the South: A1, A7 and A68 all lead to the City
Bypass. Follow signs for the Forth Road Bridge and
Airport. Leave Bypass at Dreghorn Junction (Colinton
exit). Follow signs for Redford Barracks: Merchiston is
opposite these, on the north side of Colinton Road.
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From the North: After crossing the Forth Road Bridge,
follow signs to M8 and Glasgow. Take slip road marked
Edinburgh and City Bypass (A720). Follow Bypass
southbound sign. Exit at Dreghorn Junction (Colinton
exit). Follow signs for Redford Barracks: Merchiston is
opposite these, on the north side of Colinton Road.
Edinburgh International Airport is only 15 minute taxi
ride from Merchiston, while Airlink 100 express bus
service runs every 10 minutes from the airport to
Waverley Bridge, next to Waverley Railway Station in
the centre of Edinburgh.
ROGERSON Bldg.
DATES REQUIRED
EVANS Bldg.
Tel:
There is no allocated parking; however, there is
pay-and-display parking on Jeffrey Street and
Canongate, plus a multi-storey car park on St.
LAIDL
John’s Hill. Visitors
may
drop off only on the High
AW
LA
IDL
NO
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H RTH
Street outside the Centre.
EVANS Bldg.
Email:
EVANS Bldg.
294 Colinton Road Edinburgh Midlothian EH13 0PU
ROGERSON Bldg.
A’ FAIGHINN GU MERCHISTON
Harp Festival, 10-15 April 2015
ROGERSON Bldg.
HOW TO GET TO MERCHISTON
Merchiston - Booking Form
Mem
all
H
orial
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015 / 59
Up
VENUE INFORMATION
AND ACCESS
FIOSRACHADH MUN ÀITE & FAIGHINN ANN
Eat and drink
Festival Café - an array of meals, snacks and drinks
are available daily – the perfect place to eat,
drink and chat with friends.
Harp store
Merchiston
There are steps to access Reception, the Memorial
Hall and Café. Due to the nature of campus buildings
some courses and workshops will have restricted
access.
A stair climber is available for wheelchair users to
access the Memorial Hall – please advise the Box
Office when booking.
For more details or assistance accessing other areas
of the campus, please contact us in advance of the
Festival on +44 (0) 131 554 0212 or on +44 (0) 7794
792951 during the festival.
Harps may be stored, at the owner’s risk, in the 6A
Club (opposite the Theatre Building). Information
will be provided at the Festival about access
arrangements. All instruments and cases must be
clearly named and insured by the owners. EIHF and
The Clarsach Society do not accept any responsibility
for loss or damage to any personal effects sustained
during the Festival.
Harp hire
A small stock of lever harps are available for hire at
the Festival. These are generally intended for those
coming from abroad who may have problems in
transporting a harp to the Festival. Bookings for
harp hire require to be made in advance. Call us on
+44(0)131-554 0212 or email [email protected]
for more details and bookings.
The Theatre is fully accessible. Accessible toilets
are located in the adjacent Napier and Robertson
buildings. Both buildings are locked at the close of
Practice rooms
the Harpmakers’ Exhibition each day at 5:30/6:00pm.
Practice Rooms are available to participants but must
If you require access after this time, please speak
be pre-booked at The Clarsach Society Information
to a member of our stewarding team.
Desk at the Festival Hub in the Main Building.
Please advise the Box Office when booking if you
require a wheelchair space at one of our events.
Accessible accommodation is available on campus
– please see previous page on accommodation for
booking details.
Merchandise
Our well-stocked merchandise stall is perfect for
browsing. Any profits made go straight back into
the Festival.
Stewarding
Stewards play an important role in the smooth
running of the Festival. Volunteer stewards are very
The Scottish Storytelling Centre is fully accessible
much welcomed! In return for stewarding events
and accessible to wheelchair users via the John Knox complimentary vouchers are issued for concerts
House. Please advise the Box Office when booking if or workshops (conditions apply). For further details
you require a wheelchair space at one of our events. please email: [email protected]
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Festival team
Mary ScottCo-ordinator
Douglas Kerr
Harpmakers’ Exhibition
Isobel Mieras
Joint Artistic Adviser
Annette Lambourne
Lead Steward
Patsy Seddon
Joint Artistic Adviser
John Macleod
Gaelic Adviser
Michelle Kelly
Festival Administrator
Mary Macmaster
Stage Management
Eleanor Marshall
Administrative Assistant
Anthony SpiersMerchandise
Rachel Hair
Media and Merchandise
Laurina Strachan
The Clarsach Society Katie Harrigan
Fundraising and Information Desk
Sponsorship
Sheona UreFinance
Stephanie
Stewarding and Stage Harrison-BoondManagement
60 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015
Camac’s new
34-string
travel harp will be
unveiled at the
EIHF 2015
“The perfect balance
of strength and tone”
?
Distributor of Camac harps in the UK and Ireland
116B Pantbach Road, Birchgrove, Cardiff CF14 1UE
00 44 (0)29 2062 0900
www.camacharps.co.uk
Book online
harpfestival.co.uk
Book by phone
+44(0)131 473 2000
Book in person or by post
Hub Tickets, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE
Scottish Charity Number: SC011819
Illustration: Jenny Bowers
62 / EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL 2015