Renowned international musicians will perform in Laois on National Harp Day as part of the Leaves Literary & Music Festival at Emo Court.
Music Generation Laois will be hosting the very special event to celebrate National Harp Day on Saturday November 11 at 5:30pm with supreme Scottish Harpist Catriona McKay together with Swedish nyckelharpa player Olov Johansson in the beautiful surroundings of Emo Court.
McKay and Johansson reunite forces following on from their successful The Auld Harp album of 2013, and will perform a mix of Swedish and Scottish tunes, and they will be joined by special guests the Music Generation Laois Harp Ensemble, who have collaborated with Catriona McKay on numerous occasions over the last 4 years.
Saturday November 11 marks National Harp Day/Lá na Cruite where the recently established umbrella organisation, Harp Ireland, Cruit Éireann, will celebrate all facets of the harp in Ireland.
Workshops
Venues all over Ireland will resound to the sound of harps at workshops, sessions, concerts, talks, and demonstrations of harp-making.
“The past few years have seen an unprecedented upsurge of interest in the instrument, introducing it to even more players and to new audiences,” Aibhlín McCrann, Chair of Cruit Éireann said.
“We are inviting everybody with an interest in the harp to join us at an event in their locality, on Saturday 11th November, to celebrate our iconic instrument,” she added.
Picture: Alf Harvey/HRPhoto.ie
National Harp Day is Cruit Éireann’s first major initiative to promote Ireland’s national instrument, encourage more people to learn the harp, attract new audiences and recognise the harp’s unique place in Irish musical and cultural life.
Cruit Éireann, Harp Ireland is the national umbrella resource organisation for the harp, its organisations, harp players and harp makers in Ireland.
Collaboration
It was established in 2016 by harpers in collaboration with the Arts Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon to support the continuing development of the harp in Ireland, gain recognition for its unique status and secure its sustainability.
Music Generation Laois is part of Music Generation, Ireland’s national performance music education programme, funded by the Department of Education and Skills, U2 and The Ireland Funds and locally by Laois County Council (lead partner), Laois County Council, Laois Offaly Education and Training Board and Laois Partnership Company.
See musicgenerationlaois.ie for further details.
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