Emmy the Harp

I fell in love with harp as a young child, and since then I have devoted 25 years to studying this beautiful instrument. Since moving to Bristol at the age of 19, I have been fully shaped and inspired by the city's diverse culture. I have soaked up Bristol's rich music life - jazz, dub, electronic, experimental, folk. I studied with a master Kora player and developed a unique style fusing fiery West African rhythms with rich classical and jazz harmonies. I have worked with refugees, forest schools, farms, storytellers, children's TV, experimental poets, rock bands, theatre projects, circus performers, yoga teachers and sound therapists - all of this has brought huge diversity and a fresh, unusual sound to my music. Music is my life; when not playing the harp I am playing bass guitar or the alto flute or the Zimbabwean Mbira. As well as weddings and parties, my regular work these days includes playing in hospitals, care homes, community projects, schools, and evening gigs. Its important to me to bring the harp into unusual places and I always like to encourage audience members to have a go at playing it after I've finished performing. I hope more and more people can access music and enjoy being creative in some way. The Songlist here is a brief selection of music in my current repertoire; I may be able to learn something else specifically for you, let's have a conversation about what music you love and we can craft a set list together. I specialise in playing well-known Jazz, Folk, Rock and Modern songs, as well as knowing a few famous classical pieces and composing my own music. In my own music I am particularly inspired by West-African Kora music. I am flexible, and can arrange a set in the style you're looking for at your event. I am a composer, teacher of music theory and proficient session musician, meaning I can make personal arrangements of your own song choices and advise you on the musical content for your event. I collaborate with various other artists: For example, vocalist Freya Widdicombe; together we're known as Cat's Eye Moon, singing a range of styles: jazz, blues, folk, modern, and willing to take requests. I work with Klezma-Violin-Extraordinaire and Composer Ben Mowat, playing our own lively arrangements of well-known tunes. I write original music with double bassist Joe Evans: neo-classical, blues-inspired, very emotive and unusual music. Our album is on Spotify, we are Written on Water, Like Dewdrops, Like Diamonds. I'm based in Worcestershire and Bristol now, my partner lives on a farm near Evesham and Pershore, and my studio is in Bristol. So I move around a lot, very happy to travel to you.