Janet Harbison in Paris

Camac Harps's "Carte Blanche" series consist of a workshop followed by a concert at the Espace Camac in Paris.   Recent appearances have included traditional Breton harpist Anne Postic, a British day shared between Imogen Barford and Keziah Thomas, and an entire weekend dedicated to and in the presence of Bernard Andrès, which you can read about in the latest Harpseasons.  

We are now delighted to welcome Janet Harbison on Sunday, November 15th, 2009, who will give a workshop and concert exploring the Irish harp.  Harpists with any level of experience are welcome at the workshop, where Janet will unlock the secrets of traditional Irish music, from a basic melody to more intricate variations.  At 6PM we will all have a chance to hear how it's really done, when Janet takes to the stage herself with a mixture of traditional airs, and her own compositions.

 

Both the workshop and the concert are free:  simply reserve your place for either / both with Mme Claude Bouly.  Email her on  c.bouly@camac-harps.com, or telephone 00 33 1 40 40 08 40. 

Please send Claude your full contact details, the number of places you require, and - if you would like to play in the workshop - the name of your teacher.  

Camac have created a lever harp together with Janet Harbison - the Janet. 

Janet Harbison is acknowledged as one of Ireland's most prominent traditional harpers and pioneering personalities in the Irish harp music scene. She is an authoritative resource on the history and music of the Irish harp and ethnic music.

Her discovery and enthusiasm for much of the extinct ancient harp repertoire led her into teaching and reviving the music through the oral tradition. For this activity, she has often been referred to as "Ireland's Crusading Harper" and many of today's rising professional performers and teachers are former students.

To describe Janet as an influential teacher would be to tell only half of the story. She is also a prolific composer, a talented performer, writer and producer.

She established the Harp Orchestras in order to provide her students with the opportunity to perform in public and to develop careers as professional harpers.

As a composer she realized that there was little ‘new’ music being written for the Irish harp and set about correcting the imbalance. Her arrangements are widely used and harpers worldwide await her new publications with bated breath.

With more than 20 years of performance, composition, teaching and promoting the tradition of harping she has a staggering number of accolades to her name:  "Irelands's crusading harper",  "one of Ireland's greatest champions of harp music", "the human dynamo dedicated to spreading the gospel of the harp", and, from Bill Clinton, "I think Janet's music is just great."