Access to all concerts* at EIHF 2025 Experience an ear-tingling array of top-class harp music for one, simple price. Full price - £115Concession - £100Under 18s - £60 Line-up to include: Caroline Lizotte & Étienne Ratthé / Deborah Henson-Conant / Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta / Alison Kinnaird / The Willow Trio / Corrina Hewat …
OPENING GATHERING Join us for our free opening reception where you can meet and mingle with this year's artists and tutors, enjoy a refreshment, and reconnect with friends old and new. Tickets available at the door only from 17.45 - limited availability! Supported by Institut Français d'Écosse
DEBORAH HENSON-CONANT This is the long-anticipated and very welcome return to the festival of Deborah "DHC" Henson-Conant, a US-based Grammy-nominated composer/performer. With electric harp, voice and looper pedal, she layers sounds in real time, weaving solo lines, vocals and stories. Her signature instrument, a carbon-fibre electric harp, was designed for her by Camac Harps, and …
THIS COURSE IS DELIVERED OVER FOUR SESSIONS: Sat 9.00am - 10.30am | Sat 1.00pm - 2.30pm Sun 9.00am - 10.30am | Sun 1.00pm - 2.30pm TUTOR: Séamus Ó Flatharta LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD: E+M - Teaching will be by ear initially with written music given out during the session. Led by …
THIS COURSE IS DELIVERED OVER FOUR SESSIONS: Sat 9.00am - 10.30am | Sat 1.00pm - 2.30pm Sun 9.00am - 10.30am | Sun 1.00pm - 2.30pm TUTOR: Caoimhe Ní Fhlatharta LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. …
THIS COURSE IS DELIVERED OVER FOUR SESSIONS: Sat 9.00am - 10.30am | Sat 1.00pm - 2.30pm Sun 9.00am - 10.30am | Sun 1.00pm - 2.30pm TUTOR: Alison Kinnaird LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Join …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Toni Russell TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. The perfect choice for those who have previously taken a beginners course or do not have regular lessons. Toni will help you take …
TIME: Sat 9.00am - 10.30am TUTOR: Bill Taylor LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) An opportunity to try out the beautifully resonant wire-strung Highland clarsach. The technique we use is often called playing “in the stopped style”, where the finger pads damp certain strings to stop excessive ringing, and allow us to …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Tarab Trio LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Paintings and poems show that harps were in use in Arab and Ottoman music until …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Karen Marshalsay LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Music publishing flourished in Edinburgh in the late 18th and 19th centuries, and this course will …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Kevin Le Pennec LEVEL: Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E: Teaching will be by ear. Delve into the delightful dance music of Brittany. Kevin will use song and dance to help to teach the rhythms and melodies of Breton …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Eleanor Turner and Mendi Singh LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Bring spicy energy to ALL of your harp playing! It is unimaginably good …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Rebecca Hill LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Accompanying fiddle, bagpipes or another harp, is great fun. It allows freedom to experiment with expressive …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.30am TUTOR: Deborah Henson-Conant LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Learning the Blues teaches you more about patterns, improvisation and spontaneous ensemble playing than any …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.00am TUTOR: Wendy Stewart LEVEL: Elementary/Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. A rich mix of the tradition – from ancient to contemporary, slow Gaelic air to lilting …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 9.00am-10.00am TUTOR: Elinor Evans Have you ever wanted to learn the clarsach? Then come along to this course! Learn the basics of the harp through games and stories. You’ll have great fun, play all sorts of music, make new friends and learn more about the …
Join award-winning Gaelic singer and clarsach player, Màiri, and learn a Gaelic song with harp accompaniment. Open to Gaelic beginners and learners, and non-harp players. Supported by the Highland Branch of The Clarsach Society
Kevin will introduce you to the steps of several Breton dances, accompanied by songs in French. No instruments are required, just your feet and your voices!
The EIHF junior ensemble, consisting of young harpers from around the country, will perform a magical suite of newly created music based upon the traditional tale of The Giant and The Swan. The story will be told alongside the music by storyteller Daniel Serridge and the concert will feature a performance from Mòd prizewinners Hazel …
Bring a harp (or any instrument!) along to join in this fun, all-level workshop where Mendi will guide you through all the rhythms of Indian film music, from folk beats to bhangra. Ellie will provide sheet music for the harp players and you’ll soon be immersed in the music from a variety of magical Bollywood …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Eleanor Hetherington LEVEL: Elementary (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Come along and learn some fun tunes, improve your technique, build your confidence and make some …
**Sold out, but spaces are available in Adult Beginners with Charlotte Petersen. Click HERE to view** 4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 13.00am-14.30am TUTOR: Heather Yule TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. A perfect opportunity to try this beautiful …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Neil Wood LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Have you ever wanted to play in a traditional music session, or taken your harp …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Kevin Le Pennec LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E: Teaching will be by ear This course offers the chance to explore different techniques for accompanying songs. Kevin, an experienced singer and accompanist, will teach two-hand coordination, rhythmic …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm ON ZOOM TUTOR: Gillian Fleetwood LEVEL: Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. A mid-paced course celebrating the richness of the Scottish tradition, delving into the geography …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Eleanor Turner and Mendi Singh LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Enjoy the beauty of Indian music whilst collaborating with a percussionist. Mendi …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Tom Daun LEVEL: Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Rustic dance tunes of the 18th century villages and rural areas. All over Europe amateur musicians …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Deborah Henson-Conant LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Deborah Henson-Conant's "Baroque Flamenco" combines a classical rondo with rhythmic improvisation, fiery strumming techniques, billowing arpeggios …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 1.00pm-2.30pm TUTOR: Rachel Hair LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. It’s time to pack your bag, get your harp and go on a celtic coach trip! …
REBECCA HILL & CHARLIE STEWART Originally from Argyllshire and Perthshire, Rebecca and Charlie are a dynamic harp and fiddle duo, now based in Glasgow, whose music draws on the heritage of their individual backgrounds. As well as showcasing new material and contemporary compositional techniques, they will include a mixture of arrangements from their debut album …
TIME: Sat 4.30pm - 5.30pm TUTOR: Màiri Macleod LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) Learn basic vocabulary and simple phrases to use around the EIHF and in other scenarios.
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Rebecca Hill LEVEL: Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Come and learn the melodies and stories from around Argyll and the West Coast of Scotland, …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Caroline Lizotte LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - M+E: Teaching will be by written music as well as by ear. A unique opportunity to work alongside pedal harpist and composer, Caroline, in an immersive exploration of innovative extended techniques …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Sunita Staneslow LEVEL: Elementary/Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. This course will focus on the art of playing the harp as the experienced Sunita will …
TIME: Sun 4.30pm - 6.00pm TUTOR: Bill Taylor LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) An opportunity to try out the beautifully resonant wire-strung Highland clarsach. The technique we use is often called playing “in the stopped style”, where the finger pads damp certain strings to stop excessive ringing, and allow us to …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Tsvetelina Likova LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - M+E: Teaching will be by written music as well as by ear. Have you ever wondered how traditional Bulgarian music sounds on the harp? Well, come and give it a go. …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Wendy Stewart LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Not a meeting for broken harps, but melodies, counter melodies, funky bass lines, flowing chords …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm ON ZOOM TUTOR: Cheyenne Brown LEVEL: Elementary (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Join us online to learn a combination of modern and traditional Scottish tunes. With …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm ON ZOOM TUTOR: Heather Yule LEVEL: Elementary/Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. In this class you will learn some great tunes that have intriguing traditional stories …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm ON ZOOM TUTOR: Rachel Hair LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. It’s time to pack your bag, get your harp and go on a celtic …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Eleanor Hetherington LEVEL: Elementary/Intermediate (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Expand your harp repertoire whilst focusing on some fundamentals of harp technique. Learn new and perhaps …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Elinor Evans LEVEL: Elementary (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Who doesn’t love a slow air? Whatever your ability, making the harp sing while playing gentle …
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 4.30pm-6.00pm TUTOR: Karen Marshalsay LEVEL: Mixed Ability (see brochure p23 for explanation) TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. Featuring a mix of lullabies, waulking songs and other tunes from the Gaelic traditions of …
TIME: Sat 4.30pm - 6.00pm TUTOR: Charlotte Daun LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) A fun, inclusive and interactive way to explore rhythm using only your body! Through a series of creative exercises, we’ll create music by clapping, stomping and snapping, making rhythm accessible to everyone, regardless of musical background.
4 DAY COURSE: Sat / Sun / Mon / Tue 16.30-18.00 TUTOR: Charlotte Petersen TEACHING METHOD - E+M: Teaching will initially be by ear with written music given out during the session. A perfect opportunity to try this beautiful instrument in a relaxed and supportive setting. Through simple tunes and exercises this class will introduce …
TARAB TRIO The Tarab Trio comprises Azad Shawaysi (Iran) on santur and Persian dulcimer, Saher Issa (Iraq) on saz, Anatolian lute and voice, and Tom Daun (Germany) on harp. Their music will follow the route along which Azad and Saher went to Germany: Kurdish songs of love, sorrow and the struggle for freedom, melodies from …
Do you freeze or panic when someone says “Improvise!”? Do you run out of ideas before you even start? Does your left hand get lost when your right hand gets started … and then you lose the rhythm? If you answered “Yes” to any of these – then this workshop is for YOU! It all …
Séamus and Caoimhe will share their knowledge of the roots of authentic Irish music and song, and explore the fresh, contemporary approaches to melodic and vocal arrangement within the tradition. You are welcome to bring your harp and fiddle. Supported by the Wales Branch of The Clarsach Society
New York singer/songwriter Kathy Stewart Kennedy, now resident in Scotland, has performed throughout the UK and Europe and now runs Singing for Wellbeing groups in the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh. Kathy believes that singing is our birthright, a way to express all spectrums of emotion from joy to grief. So join her and feel good …
Have you ever wondered why some people seem more resilient than others? Is resilience a fixed entity or can you learn to become more resilient? And what part does stress play? In this thought-provoking and uplifting workshop, come and learn how new discoveries about the brain have changed the way we think about resilience. Tana …
TIME: Sun 1.00pm - 2.30pm TUTOR: Allan MacDonald LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) Allan MacDonald will guide students through the basics of bodhrán-playing and accompaniment, with influences from Ireland, Scotland and further afield.The session will focus on learning by ear. No previous experience or music-reading skill is necessary. Some instruments will …
THE WILLOW TRIO The Willow Trio is an innovative Glasgow-based clàrsach trio consisting of Maya MacAdam, Sophie Rocks and Romy Wymer. This performance features their film, Eala Shàilein (The Swan of Salen) with brand-new choreography by Deborah Norris, projected behind the three harpists performing a live-synced score. It is an adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan …
TIME: Sun 4.30pm - 6.00pm TUTOR: Allan MacDonald LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) Allan MacDonald will guide students through the basics of bodhrán-playing and accompaniment, with influences from Ireland, Scotland and further afield.The session will focus on learning by ear. No previous experience or music-reading skill is necessary. Some instruments will …
TĀLA TARANG Tāla Tarang, meaning “rhythm waves”, is the musical union of Indian tabla and western harp, with Mendi Singh’s powerful tabla grooves and Eleanor Turner’s hypnotic harp playing weaving a rich tapestry of sounds. Eleanor and Mendi received worldwide acclaim in their own right before sparking a new and beautiful sonic adventure when they …
Karen will demonstrate each of the three Scottish harps: the older wire-strung harp of the Gaels with its long resonance, the more familiar modern lever harp, and the buzzing bray harp of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The workshop will look at the different characteristics, tones, timbres, and techniques of each harp and how players …
"Strings of Passion" is Deborah Henson-Conant's interactive concert/lecture experience that fuses music, philosophy, and humour to explore the principles of the creative process, illustrating each principle through stories and musical demonstrations that trace the journey of an idea from its creative impulse to its moment of expressive "lift-off". Using the harp as both a musical …
Caroline will give an overview of writing for the pedal harp, with examples through music scores, collections and books. She will demonstrate composition concept progression from initial inspiration to scoring, and processing from image to music and/or music to image, with examples through her works. Caroline was named Composer of the Year at the Prix …
TIME: Mon 1.00pm - 2.00pm TUTOR: Màiri Macleod LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) Learn basic vocabulary and simple phrases to use around the EIHF and in other scenarios.
TIME: Mon 1.00pm - 2.30pm TUTOR: Charlotte Daun LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) A fun, inclusive and interactive way to explore rhythm using only your body! Through a series of creative exercises, we’ll create music by clapping, stomping and snapping, making rhythm accessible to everyone, regardless of musical background.
The clarsach has been referred to as Craobh Nan Teud, The Tree of Strings. Isobel Mieras, Rachel Hair and Rosemary McKerchar are delighted to present a forest of strings as students, performers, teachers and organisers of the festival join with ensembles from five branches of The Clarsach Society and The Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble …
A warm invitation from The Clarsach Society to all at EIHF 18:30 - 19:00 Reception and Music 19:00 - 19:45 Annual General Meeting The Clarsach Society, a registered Scottish Charity, is the body responsible for organising The Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Prior to our AGM we cordially invite you to meet …
BELLA MCNAB'S The band will host another EIHF fun evening of ceilidh favourites and less familiar dances, guided by caller Dave Francis, from their wide repertoire. There will also be, in true ceilidh style, impromptu performances from the festival.
TIME: Tue 9.00am - 10.00am TUTOR: Màiri Macleod LEVEL: Come & Try (see brochure p23 for explanation) Learn basic vocabulary and simple phrases to use around the EIHF and in other scenarios.
Bring fiddle and flute, guitar and percussion, harp and tuba… whatever you want! The Tarab Trio invites you to join them in this fun participatory workshop full of catchy tunes from the Middle East. You will learn some Anatolian melodies and possibly even get the chance to step along to a 10/8 dance rhythm.
A great opportunity to sing traditional High-Brittany songs, in French, together! Lyrics will be handed out during the workshop to make learning easier, so bring your recording equipment and join Kevin in this convivial musical experience.
A wonderful opportunity to observe the highly respected harpist and composer Caroline Lizotte as she uses her expertise to guide selected harp students through pieces of their choice.Caroline founded the Lizotte Academia harp camp, specialising in teaching her own compositions. She currently teaches at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music in Quebec and is …
ALISON KINNAIRD Alison Kinnaird has been involved in the resurgence of the Scottish harp since the 1960s and has built an international reputation as a performer and teacher. She will play tunes and songs which are linked with significant people and events throughout her life and will be joined by some friends for a few …
CORRINA HEWAT & DAVID MILLIGAN Corrina is one of Scotland’s best loved harpists. She is known in the traditional music world for her work with Shine and Karine Polwart as well as with choirs and her solo work. Pianist, improvisor, composer and arranger, Dave Milligan is a musician of remarkable versatility, known for his work …
