“Great fun, great atmosphere, great tuition, great music”
The 29th Edinburgh International Harp Festival summed up by one of the many who attended and went home inspired.

We aim to make each Festival a genuine kaleidoscope of harp music in the hands of some of the finest players in the world. Over the five days of the Festival, they not only play concerts, but through classes, workshops, sessions and conversation, share their depth of knowledge and give wonderful insights on their particular styles and experience.

You told us:
“Fantastic Festival –as always”
“Brilliant concerts and such a nice feeling between all of us.”
“Whole experience just wonderful –a memorable Festival”
“This was a fabulous event—I leave inspired.”
“Every year I hear something different.”
“The sessions at night were full of happiness and human love.”
“The teachers are great and I loved the family ceilidh.”
“meeting old friends and making new ones.”
“First class quality and variety—and shopping –oh yes!”
“Good of you to arrange the weather also!”
“Make it longer!”

PRESS REVIEWS
Triona Marshall (Ireland)...“Her set here comprised mainly venerable Irish material plus a few Scottish tunes via the Cape Breton diaspora, all rejuvenated by her minutely nuanced phrasing, supple yet exact articulation and boldly hued, artfully syncopated left hand chords.”

“Martin Portillo (Paraguay) “…created a distinctively different sound to the Celtic harp, as did (his) diverse selection of material-including original compositions, folk tunes, tango and salsa numbers and thrilling technique from sustained tremolo passages through quick-strutting dance rhythms to freewheeling improvisation.” – Sue Wilson, 'The Scotsman'

“The Maggie MacInnes Trio” opened the concert … alternating lively waulking songs with some poised and delicately accompanied material from Barra and Mingulay.”

“Corrina Hewat’s sequence, “Making the Connection” written in 1998-and here rearranged for EIHF looked and sounded intriguing and powerfully re-invigorated. (It)... progressed from Hewat’s own pensively lyrical harp introduction to embrace small pipes....and Mary Macmaster joining on second harp as the music shifted from jig-time into a gentle waltz for harps and strings.” – Jim Gilchrist, 'The Scotsman'

“Park Stickney sure knows how to show a tune a good time......Thus old chestnuts like the Desmond Brubeck Take Five took a fast and syncopated ride among the strings and, by way of an encore, he subjected the perky ragtime of Ten Tiny Toes to a hilarious onslaught of classical interjections.”

“The outstanding musicianship of their closing concert in the Edinburgh International Harp Festival was maintained by the Shetland fiddler Chris Stout and harpist Catriona Mckay in a four handed hotbed of musical creativity.......Stouts’ fiddle keening and trilling plangently over whirring harp strings before accelerating into the kind of vivacious exchanges that characterise their playing.” – Jim Gilchrist, 'The Scotsman'

 

Plans are already being made for the
30th Edinburgh International Harp Festival …
April 8 to 13, 2011
… don’t miss it!