Harpist

Elinor Nicholson

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About Elinor

Manchester based harpist providing classical and contemporary harp music for any occasion.
Harpist
Manchester
Public liability insurance of £10 million
Verified profile

Award-winning Scottish harpist Elinor Nicholson graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music with a first class honours degree in 2014. She then went on to complete a Masters in Music with distinction in 2016. During her studies, Elinor won the prestigious RNCM Concerto Competition which resulted in a performance of Debussy’s ‘Danses’ for harp and string orchestra at the 2017 RNCM String Festival. Elinor was twice a finalist in the RNCM Gold Medal competition- the highest accolade for performance offered by the college. Professionally, Elinor regularly performs with ensembles such as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Northern Ballet Sinfonia. She has also performed alongside well known names including Nicola Benedetti, Katherine Jenkins, Russel Watson and the rock band Evanescence. This has led her to perform in some of the country’s most notable concert halls, including; Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham's Symphony Hall, Sage Gateshead, Royal Glasgow Concert Hall and the Bridgewater Hall. Elinor is a member of the Polaris Duo (saxophone and harp), who recorded their debut album ‘illuminate’ in 2018. In the same year they were selected as ‘BBC Introducing Artists’ and have subsequently had their music broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Elinor’s flute and harp duo, Meridiem, regularly perform for music societies across the UK; a highlight of 2019 was performing Mozart’s ‘Flute and Harp Concerto’ with the Sale Chamber Orchestra. Elinor also performs extensively with the genre-defying harp quartet CLOUDS. The ensemble performs folk-inspired original compositions by Esther Swift and have recorded a new album 'Up She Rises' which was released alongside a UK tour in May 2019. Elinor is passionate about performing music in outreach settings and regularly works for Yehudi Menuhin’s ground-breaking scheme ‘Live Music Now!’. This programme sends musicians to perform and run workshops in schools, care homes, hospitals and day centres. Elinor is a fellowship musician on the Live Music Now! scheme and has spent a year in a special educational needs school, supporting children’s musical and personal development.

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Saved the day!
Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice
8th Anniversary
This act has been working with Encore for over 8 years
25 gigs
Pro: 25 bookings through Encore
Musicianship
Genres:
Classical, Folk, Pop, Christmas, Traditional church music, Traditional Scottish folk, Covers, Scottish music, Classical crossover, Contemporary classical, Traditional Irish folk, Traditional English folk, Welsh folk, Jazz, Easy listening, Light music, Acoustic, Ambient pop
See all genres
Instruments:
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Event types:
Wedding, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve, Virtual event
See all event types
Other skills:
Instrumental teaching, Theory teaching
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Elinor's Song list

Popular
ABBA - Ode to Joy
Adele - Make You Feel My Love
Aerosmith - I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
Alicia Keys - If I Ain’t Got You
American Authors - Best Day of My Life
Aphex Twin - Avril 14th
Avicii - Wake Me Up
Beatles - All You Need is Love
Beatles - Here Comes the Sun
Beatles - Hey Jude
Beatles - Let It Be
Beatles - Something
Beatles - With a Little Help From My Friends
Beatles - Yesterday
Ben E King - Stand by me
Ben Howard - Old Pine
Beyonce - Halo
Billie Eilish - Ocean Eyes
Billy Joel - Always a Woman
Birdy - Wings
Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are
Bruno Mars - Marry You
Bryan Adams- Everything I Do
Bryan Adams - Heaven
Calum Scott - You are the Reason
The Carpenters - On Top of the World
Celine Dion - Colour of my Love
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Clean Bandit - Rather Be
Clean Bandit - Symphony
Coldplay - Clocks
Coldplay - Everglow
Coldplay - Sky Full of Stars
Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Cyndi Lauper - True Colours
David Guetta ft. Sia - Titanium
Des’ree - I’m Kissing You
Ed Sheeran - Afterglow
Ed Sheeran - Perfect
Ed Sheeran - Photograph
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Ella Henderson - Yours
Elbow - One Day Like This
Ellie Goulding - How Long Will I Love You
Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do
Ellie Goulding - Still Falling for You
Elvis Presley - I Can't Help Falling in Love With You
Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Eva Cassidy - Songbird
Florence and the Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name)
Florence and the Machine - You've Got the Love
Gary Jules - Mad World
George Ezra - Tigerlily
Guns n Roses - Sweet Child o Mine
Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar
Imagine Dragons - On Top of the World
Jack Johnson - Better Together
James Arthur - Say You Won’t Let Go
James Bay - Let It Go
James Blunt - You’re Beautiful
Jason Mraz - I’m Yours
John Denver - Annie's Song
John Legend - All of Me
John Legend - Love Me Now
John Lennon - Imagine
Joseph Kosma - Autumn Leaves
Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up
Justin Bieber - Anyone, Despacito, Love Yourself
K- Ci and JoJo - All My Life
Keane - Somewhere Only We Know
The Killers - Read My Mind
Kodaline - The One
Justin Timberlake - Can’t Stop the Feeling
Lana del Ray - Love
Lana del Ray - Video Games
Lana del Ray - Young and Beautiful
Led Zepplin - Stairway to Heaven
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved
London Grammar - Baby It's You
London Grammar - Strong
London Grammar - Wicked Game
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
Love Affair - Everlasting Love
Lukas Graham - Love Someone
Lumineers - Ho Hey
Marshmello ft. Bastille - Happier
Maroon 5 - Girls Like You
Maroon 5 - Memories
McFly - All About You
McFly - No Worries
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Michael Bublé - Everything
Minnie Riperton - Loving You
Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait
Muse - Unintended
Nat King Cole - L-O-V-E
Nat King Cole - When I Fall in Love
Natalie Cole - This Will Be
Nathan Sykes - Over and Over Again
Oasis - She’s Electric
Oasis - Wonderwall
Olivia Rodrigo - Drivers License
OMI - Cheerleader
Owl City - Fireflies
Paramore - The Only Exception
Paramore - Still Into You
Passenger - Let Her Go
Pharrell Williams - Happy
Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
Queen - You’re My Best Friend
Rita Ora - Anywhere
Robbie Williams - Angels
Robbie Williams - She's the One
Ruelle - I Get To Love You
The Script - Hall of Fame
Shawn Mendes - Fallin’ All in You
Sister Sledge- Thinking of You
Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Stevie Wonder - You are the Sunshine of My Life
Sting - Fields of Gold
Take That - Greatest Day
Take That - Paradise
Take That - Rule the World
Taylor Swift - Lover
Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams
Tom Walker - Better Half of Me
Tones and I - Dance Monkey
Toto - Africa
Train - Drops of Jupiter
Walking on Cars - Speeding Cars
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights
Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag
Movies/Musical/Disney
Across the Stars 'Love Theme' from Star Wars Episode II
Alice’s Theme from Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’
All I ask of you from ‘Phantom of the Opera’
All in the Golden Afternoon from ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Be Our Guest from ‘Beauty and the Beast’
Can you feel the love tonight from ‘Lion King’
City of Stars from ‘La La Land’
Colours of the Wind from ‘Pocahontas’
Concerning Hobbits from ‘Lord of the Rings’
A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes from ‘Cinderella’
Edelweiss from ‘The Sound of Music’
Engagement Party from ‘La La Land’
Fairytale from 'Shrek'
For the Dancing and the Dreaming from ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’
For the Love of a Princess from ‘Braveheart’
The Force Theme from 'Star Wars'
Game of Thrones Theme
Glasgow Theme from ‘Love Actually’
A Heart Full of Love from 'Les Miserables'
How Far I’ll Go from ‘Moana’
Into the West from ‘Lord of the Rings’
I Could Have Danced All Night from ‘My Fair Lady’
I See the Light from ‘Tangled’
Jurassic Park Theme
La Valse de l’Amour from ‘Cinderella’
Let it Go from ‘Frozen’
Life's a Happy Song from 'The Muppets'
Ma Belle Evangeline from ‘The Princess and the Frog’
Married Life from ‘Up’
May it Be by Enya from ‘Lord of the Rings’
Mia and Sebastian's Theme from 'La La Land'
A Million Dreams from ‘The Greatest Showman’
Music of the Night from ‘Phantom of the Opera’
My Favourite Things from ‘The Sound of Music’
My Heart Will Go On from ‘Titanic’
Never Enough from ‘The Greatest Showman’
On my Own from ‘Les Miserables’
Once Upon a Dream from ‘Sleeping Beauty’
Part of your World from ‘Little Mermaid’
Rains of Castamere from ‘Game of Thrones’
Rewrite the Stars from ‘The Greatest Showman’
Sally’s Song from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’
Sons of Skyrim from ‘Skyrim’
So Close from ‘Enchanted’
Somewhere over the rainbow from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Stranger Things Theme
Tale as Old as Time from ‘Beauty and the Beast’
True Love’s Kiss from ‘Enchanted’
When you Wish Upon a Star from ‘Pinocchio’
A Whole New World from ‘Aladdin’
You’ve got a Friend from ‘Toy Story’
Classical
Alvars - Romance in A flat
Bach - Air on the G string
Bach - Arioso*
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring*
Bach - Prelude in C
Binge - Elizabethan Serenade
Boyce - Canon in C*
Campra - Rigaudon from Idomenee
Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary from 'The Prince of Denmark's March'
Debussy - Clair de lune
Debussy - La fille aux cheveux de lin
Einaudi - I Giorni
Einaudi - Life
Einaudi - Nuvole Biance
Einaudi - Two Trees
Franck - Panis Angelicus
Gounod - Ave Maria from Prelude in C by Bach
Handel - Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Handel - Chaconne in C
Handel - Finale from ‘Music from the Royal Fireworks’
Handel - Largo from 'Xerxes'
Handel - Allegro Maestoso from 'Water Music'
Hasselmans - La Source
Intermezzo - Mascagni
Massanet - Meditation from ‘Thaïs’
Mendelssohn - Wedding March from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Pachabel - Canon in D
Sartori - Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiró)
Satie - First Gymnopedie
Thomas - Watching the Wheat
Vivaldi - Largo from ‘Winter’, from ‘The Four Seasons’
Wagner - Bridal Chorus from ‘Lohengrin’
Yiruma- Kiss the Rain
Yiruma - River Flows in You
Yiruma - Love Me
* indicates religious music not suitable for civil ceremonies
Traditional
Ashokan Farewell
Auld Lang Syne
Danny Boy
Eriskay Love Lilt
Flower of Scotland
Greensleeves
Highland Cathedral
Loch Lomond
Logan Water
My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
Mairi's Wedding
The Mingulay Boat Song
Skye Boat Song
The Water is Wide
Will ye go lassie go
Ye Banks and Braes
Christmas
2000 Miles by The Pretenders
Angels We Have Heard On High
Away in a Manger
Carol of the Bells
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Coventry Carol
FairyTale of New York by The Pogues
Feliz Navidad
First Noel
Gaudete
Glasgow Theme from Love Actually
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Greensleeves
Hark the Herald
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
The Holly and the Ivy
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
I Saw Three Ships
I'll Be Home for Christmas
In the Bleak Midwinter
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Joy to the World
Let it Snow
Let It Go from 'Frozen'
Portuguese Love Theme from ‘Love Actually’
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
Silent Night
Sleigh Ride
Somewhere in my Memory from ‘Home Alone’
Sussex Carol
Walking in the Air from ‘The Snowman’
While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night
Winter Wonderland
Customer questions

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

I try to be as flexible as possible so just let me know if timings change.

How much time do you need to set up?

I usually arrive at the venue about an hour before I am due to start playing. This is so I can unpack and tune the harp, and warm up my fingers.

Is the transport of your harp included in your quote?

Absolutely- I transport the harp by car. At the venue, I can move the harp myself but I am always grateful for help carrying the stool and stand. If your venue is accessible via stairs, please let me know this in advance. In particular, carrying a harp up a spiral staircase can be tricky!

Do you need any equipment provided to play outdoors?

I am happy to play my harp outdoors, weather permitting. Unfortunately my harp is valuable and it would be damaged by rain so I would need to be placed inside if it is raining. To play outside I will need to be situated on a solid surface, e.g. pavement/patio (not grass) and I will need to be out of direct sunlight.

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

I want to help make your wedding day as special as possible so I am really happy for you to pick the songs that I play. Equally, if you find that choosing songs is overwhelming I can suggest songs that will work well.

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

Yes! I am happy to learn one new song that isn't already in my repertoire list for your wedding, so please just ask. Please just bear in mind that the harp has some limitations so it's not possible to play every song on the harp. A good guide to whether it is possible is finding another harpist playing that song on youtube.

Elinor's Prices

Last updated: 2024

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Standard Prices
Performance durationPrice
Short performance (up to 15 min)£440
Up to 1 hour£440
Up to 2 hours£540
Up to 3 hours£640
Packages
Wedding ceremony
This includes 30 minutes of background music before the service begins, and music during the bridal entrance, signing of the register, exit music.
£440
Drinks reception
Two performance sets of up to 45 mins each during your drinks reception.
£540
Wedding ceremony + Drinks reception
- Music before the service begins, and music during the bridal entrance, signing of the register, and exit music. - 2 x 45 minute set performances at the drinks reception.
£640

Add-ons

New song learnt
+£37.50
Elinor
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5
21 verified reviews
Satisfaction
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5.0
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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5.0
Punctuality
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5.0

Elinor's Reviews

From Encore customers:

AT
Andy T
3 months ago
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

Elinor was an absolute pleasure throughout the whole booking process and an even more astounding musician. She is nothing short of amazing and provided the backdrop to the perfect evening, Thank you so much!

AD
Amira D
5 months ago
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

Elinor was absolutely incredible. A lovely person only amplified by her superb playing of the Harp. So many guests commented on the delightful mood she set during our ceremony and the day wouldn’t have been the same without her. Thank you Elinor!

AZ
Asef Z
6 months ago
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5 out of 5

Elinor was fantastic! She was incredible and played all the pieces we’d wanted and did a great duet with one of our bridesmaids. Will 100% recommend!

LA
Liberty A
7 months ago
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

We booked Elinor for the drinks reception at our wedding on the 15th of July 2023, although I think her music at a ceremony would be divine. I have to admit I booked her very last minute (literally the week before) and I think it was one of her only free Saturdays, but I am so glad I did. It was the extra touch that made the day so magical - particularly as my husband's family love music and I have always loved harp. We asked for classical music to be played and all of it was stunning, but I read her repertoire and she can play an amazing amount of songs with lots of pop too. Elinor was also professional, polite and punctual. I wouldn't hesitate to book her again for any event and nor should you!

Reply from Elinor
7 months ago

Thank you so much 🥰 It was a pleasure to perform for your family and guests.

Read all 19 reviews

From other customers:

SA
Sarah A
6 years ago, for a Wedding in CW5 6DQ
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5 out of 5

Thank you so much for playing at our wedding on 11/11/17. You were absolutely fantastic, and my family loved you! Everyone’s commented on how talented you are, how adaptable you were, and how different it was to have a harpist there. You coped so well with the table of my cousins, who gave you ‘challenge’ after challenge, and you just kept hitting them out of the park! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone, thank you again.

B
Billie H
6 years ago, for a Wedding in JU14 3LG
Full starFull starFull starFull starFull star
5 out of 5

Thank you for playing at my daughters wedding. We all thought you were absolutely superb - we had amazing comments from everyone about how fantastic you were and even the hallmark staff commented how wonderful it was to listen to you. You really did us proud and it made the day. My mum and dad were so impressed and it made my daughters wedding special. Fantastic repertoire.

Read all 5 reviews